Spring Break
Debate watching party in Campus Village
draws attendance that exceeds expectations
Jon Xavier
Issue date: 9/30/08 Section: News
With just five weeks left until the election, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama faced off for the first presidential debate Friday. Crowding into a small room on the first floor of Campus Village Building B, a group of more than 50 SJSU students watched the debate, cheering and occasionally booing as the candidates made their cases.
The first presidential debate watching party was organized jointly by the Democratic Caucus of SJSU and the San Jose State College Republicans.
Andre Macapinlac, a senior political science major and president of the Democratic Caucus, said attendance exceeded all expectations.
"This is by far the most successful event we've thrown in a while," he said.
Students' opinions on the debate were varied.
"It really showed a clear difference between Senator Obama and Senator McCain," said Macapinlac, "with one candidate standing for real change, and the other standing for four more years of the same policies of the Bush administration."
Jennifer Bennett, a senior history major, wasn't sure that either candidate said anything especially specific.
"Instead of going for actual information on what they believed in, they were more trying to win an argument rather than putting out real platforms and real ideas and real information," she said.
Although the debate was slated to focus on foreign policy, the economy loomed large over the event with a proposed $700 billion bailout package for faltering lenders working its way through Congress. Moderator Jim Lehrer dedicated his first three questions to economic concerns.
Both candidates acknowledged the gravity of the financial crisis.
"We are going through the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," Obama said. "Although we've heard a lot about Wall Street, I think those of you on Main Street have been hurting for some time."
McCain called it "the greatest financial crisis in our time."
"And I've been around a little while," he added.
The first presidential debate watching party was organized jointly by the Democratic Caucus of SJSU and the San Jose State College Republicans.
Andre Macapinlac, a senior political science major and president of the Democratic Caucus, said attendance exceeded all expectations.
"This is by far the most successful event we've thrown in a while," he said.
Students' opinions on the debate were varied.
"It really showed a clear difference between Senator Obama and Senator McCain," said Macapinlac, "with one candidate standing for real change, and the other standing for four more years of the same policies of the Bush administration."
Jennifer Bennett, a senior history major, wasn't sure that either candidate said anything especially specific.
"Instead of going for actual information on what they believed in, they were more trying to win an argument rather than putting out real platforms and real ideas and real information," she said.
Although the debate was slated to focus on foreign policy, the economy loomed large over the event with a proposed $700 billion bailout package for faltering lenders working its way through Congress. Moderator Jim Lehrer dedicated his first three questions to economic concerns.
Both candidates acknowledged the gravity of the financial crisis.
"We are going through the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," Obama said. "Although we've heard a lot about Wall Street, I think those of you on Main Street have been hurting for some time."
McCain called it "the greatest financial crisis in our time."
"And I've been around a little while," he added.
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