 "Photo: Pat Maguire")
Students began to file into Sharp Hall to watch the second Presidential Debate at approximately 8:45 p.m. Tuesday night. Some brought food, soda and juice and began to set up a table in the front of the room, while others worked to set up the projector screen. Politics was the buzz, and a Barack Obama pin or sticker was never out of view. Students joked and bickered. The bickering was not about candidates or issues, but rather about which channel to watch.
"Is CNN the one with the dancing light at the bottom?" one student asked. "That is the most annoying thing ever."
The College Democrats were preparing for their second Presidential Debate viewing party which provided an outlet for Democrats to get together and watch the debate.
Communications Director for the College Democrats Andrew Grunwald said watching the debate in the viewing party atmosphere only enhances ones viewing experience.
"Watching the debate by itself is important so you're involved and you understand the issues," Grunwald said. "I think it just gives us a sense of community when you're watching with other students. It's a lot more lively and people say what they think."
The debate started and the candidates were introduced. The lights of Sharp 100 flickered off and the crowd went silent except for a few muffled boos when the camera panned in on John McCain.
For the first 10 minutes, the sound of crickets would have been the overwhelming noise had Barack Obama and John McCain not been bickering at each other on the screen in the front of the room. People were waiting for someone to slip up, have a big moment or lose their cool.
Grunwald said the debates have the potential to greatly affect the election.
"The debates can make a big difference depending on if there's a big moment or a 'gotcha' moment or whatever," he said. "I think they could be a big deal."
The College Democrats are not the only group watching debates together. Over the past few weeks, organizations and groups have been getting together to watch both local and national debates.
Vice President of the College Republicans Bill Rivers said The College Republicans have kept their focus on local debates, and have often paid visits to the Republican state headquarters in Wilmington to watch with other supporters.
Rivers said debates have become somewhat of a social gathering.
"There's a Dominos next door and they'll often get pizza to watch the debates together," he said.
At the College Democrats' debate watching party, people stood and talked about what to do in order to make the debate more exciting. "Strip for Obama" was among the most popular ideas. A few students dressed in three or four layers of clothing agreed to take an article of clothing off every time the word "maverick" - an adjective often used to describe McCain - was mentioned. The word never came up in the entire debate.
Joseph Pika, a political science professor, said he plans to watch the final debate with his Road to the Presidency (COMM/ENGL/POSC 467) class in order to get immediate discussion and opinion following the debate.
"I'm assuming that that's one of the reasons why people are watching with these debate parties," Pika said. "It's an opportunity to build support for a candidate, but it's also an opportunity for people to share their views."
Unlike the College Democrats or College Republicans, Pika's class will be non-partisan, an idea that Students in the Public Interest hope to reflect when they hold their "Debate Under the Stars" during the final debate. The debate will be shown outdoors on a large screen Oct. 15 at 9 p.m. on the North Green. Both members of the College Democrats and the College Republicans plan to attend the event.
Emily Manz, a member of SIPI, said she thinks the event will encourage open dialogue across party lines.
"There will be Democrats and Republicans and Independents all sitting together, and hopefully they walk away from it and talk about it with each other," Manz said.
She said she does not see the melting pot of political beliefs and philosophies in the crowd as a source of tension. Instead, she said she hopes the debate is exciting and creates enthusiasm for all students, regardless of their political beliefs.
"It will be fun for people to discuss it with who they're next to and I think that will definitely give them a better experience," Manz said.
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