Students watch debate in Teter

Eighteen faces glowed in the darkness of the dorm lounge, illuminated by the cool-blue light of the television screen.

Surrounded by Pizza X cups, open books and cell phones displaying Twitter and Angry Birds, these students on Teter Bosien 4 soaked in the back-and-forth of President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

This first debate landed straight in the middle of Homecoming Week and midterm season. Students, buried in homework and visions of weekend frivolity, set aside their work to hear the candidates go head to head.

The two presidential nominees debated in Denver with Jim Lehrer, host of “Newshour” on PBS, as moderator.

The two focused mainly on domestic policy, specifically taxes, health care reform and employment.

“I had five seconds before you interrupted me,” Obama said to Lehrer about halfway through the debate, flashing a wide smile.

The sound of “ohhs” filled the darkened room. Obama had just called him out.

The students watched in silence, with the occasional comments muttered under their breaths.

“He looks like such a creeper,” one girl said of Romney’s face as he entertained Obama’s comments.

“We need a commercial break,” said a boy, Angry Birds flying on the phone in his lap.

Two freshmen in the room, Ian Boyd and Kendall Ebley, often discuss politics. Even though Boyd leans to Obama and Ebley to Romney, she said she enjoys their playful banter.

“It’s difficult because it’s making you think about what you have learned,” she said. “But it’s definitely healthy.”

They watch as the tax talk ends and health care discussion begins.

“OK, here we go, guys,” Ebley said to her floormates. “It’s going to get heated.”

Down the hall, sophomores Audra Kriauciunas and Katie Bunch watched the debate in silence in Bunch’s dorm room.

White notebooks filled with notes accompanied Kriauciunas on the bed.

“I’m trying to multitask,” she said. “The homework is winning out right now.”

She’s registered to vote back home, or so her mom told her. Tonight was her first lesson, but she finds it hard to find the facts and get past some of the terms she doesn’t understand.

“I just want to know the facts, the truth and not opinions,” Kriauciunas said.

Down in the Teter library, a smaller group of seven watched the debate on a large flat-screen.

It’s freshman Angela Gerlach’s first presidential election, and she’s geared up to vote.

She was also torn between studying for a test and watching the screen. She at least wanted to make the effort, she said.  

“I’m concerned about the future of this country,” Gerlach said. “If people start arguing about things, I want to start arguing for my side with correct facts.”

The small group laughed at Romney and Obama’s early jibes at each other.

“What a dick,” said Holly Hoblit, a freshman passerby in the library.

She wasn’t happy with the way Romney squeezed in a final comment into Obama’s timed statement.

Turns out, Hoblit plans to vote for Romney. He’s the lesser of two evils.

“The only reason I registered to vote is to be able to help change our country,” Hoblit said. “I don’t really like either of the candidates, but I guess I have to pick
between the two.”

Her friend, freshman Haven Wegesin, can’t vote. She didn’t watch the debate, either.

“I can’t do anything about it, so I’m not going to get angry about it,” Wegesin said. “It’s not my fault when shit goes down.”