IU Democrats, Republicans claim win

Students sat divided like the candidates they watched: Democrats on the left, Republicans on the right, Tuesday night in the Willkie Auditorium.

About 50 students sat in the two groups to watch the second presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee John McCain and Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

The groups agreed the town-hall format allowed viewers to see differences between the two men and thought the questions were better than the previous debate.

“You saw stark contrasts between them,” said junior Pat Buschman, a McCain supporter.

Some students thought the debate went little beyond usual campaign rhetoric.

“It’s all pretty much talking points,” said junior Brendan Roberts, an Obama supporter. “I haven’t heard anything I haven’t heard before.”

President of IU Students for Barack Obama Rose Byrne said she thought McCain came out with more energy in the beginning.

“He needed to do well in this debate,” Byrne said. “But I felt like he was saying the same things.”

McCain supporters said the Arizona senator did well in the relaxed setting.

“I think that John McCain likes not being stuffed behind a podium,” said IU College Republicans Chairwoman Chelsea Kane.

Justin Hill, chairman of IU Students for John McCain, said he thought McCain is at his best talking directly to voters.

“He does better in the town-hall setting. It’s more intimate and personal,” Hill said. “I’m really excited with what he’s doing.”

The economy was the focus for much of the debate, and each group asserted its candidate won on the issue.

One thing both candidates agreed on, Buschman said, is that no one knows exactly where the economy is headed after the recent Washington bailout.

“They’re not sure what the future is going to hold,” he said. “It’s kind of scary because no one really knows.”