2008 Woodie Awards
Opponents tackle domestic issues as November nears
Anne Russell
Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: News
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With the overwhelming closeness of the upcoming presidential election, some voters are still unsure of how they will decide.
For young voters, most of whom have never voted in a presidential election, obtaining accurate information is crucial. According to the Gallup Poll, Kerry is ahead, 50 to 48 percent, as of October 9-11. In the recent presidential debates, issues were raised hoping to sway the undecided voters. John Kerry sought to put to rest the assertion that he is a "flip-flopper" unable to take a strong stand on issues, as suggested by the Bush campaign. The debates were the first opportunity for voters, especially young voters, to see the candidates go head-to-head discussing the issues.
Students on the Marist campus are somewhat undecided as to who they believed won the debate. Freshman Adam Katzenback said although he felt Kerry may have won the first debate, the second was much closer. He criticized Kerry's vagueness.
"All [Kerry] said was, 'I'm going to do it differently,'" he said. He didn't say what he would do." Although Katzenback said he acknowledged that Kerry was the better speaker, he said he ultimately decided to vote for Bush. "This is an important term coming up for our future," he said.
Student Sean Stebner, an undecided voter, said he believed most young voters have formulated their opinions on the election already, and were unlikely to be swayed by debates.
"A lot of people are so locked into their decision that they're unwilling to listen," he said. Stebner said he felt the issue of a draft would have a large bearing on who would win the election, and that it was more a matter of who would make a "big statement" in this upcoming final debate. "Neither one is really a change-the-world kind of guy," said Stebner.
Martin Shaffer, chair of Marist's political science department, also commented on the effect the debates may have on the election. Shaffer agreed with the idea that the debates were more influential on those voters who had not yet made their mind up about the candidates. Shaffer said that Kerry clearly won the first debate, but that the second was more even.
For young voters, most of whom have never voted in a presidential election, obtaining accurate information is crucial. According to the Gallup Poll, Kerry is ahead, 50 to 48 percent, as of October 9-11. In the recent presidential debates, issues were raised hoping to sway the undecided voters. John Kerry sought to put to rest the assertion that he is a "flip-flopper" unable to take a strong stand on issues, as suggested by the Bush campaign. The debates were the first opportunity for voters, especially young voters, to see the candidates go head-to-head discussing the issues.
Students on the Marist campus are somewhat undecided as to who they believed won the debate. Freshman Adam Katzenback said although he felt Kerry may have won the first debate, the second was much closer. He criticized Kerry's vagueness.
"All [Kerry] said was, 'I'm going to do it differently,'" he said. He didn't say what he would do." Although Katzenback said he acknowledged that Kerry was the better speaker, he said he ultimately decided to vote for Bush. "This is an important term coming up for our future," he said.
Student Sean Stebner, an undecided voter, said he believed most young voters have formulated their opinions on the election already, and were unlikely to be swayed by debates.
"A lot of people are so locked into their decision that they're unwilling to listen," he said. Stebner said he felt the issue of a draft would have a large bearing on who would win the election, and that it was more a matter of who would make a "big statement" in this upcoming final debate. "Neither one is really a change-the-world kind of guy," said Stebner.
Martin Shaffer, chair of Marist's political science department, also commented on the effect the debates may have on the election. Shaffer agreed with the idea that the debates were more influential on those voters who had not yet made their mind up about the candidates. Shaffer said that Kerry clearly won the first debate, but that the second was more even.