Five students represented their preferred Democratic and Republican presidential candidates in a mock debate at Mathey College last night. Visiting professor Evan Thomas, an assistant managing editor of Newsweek Magazine and a Mathey scholar-in-residence, moderated the debate.
Members of various campus political initiatives assumed presidential frontrunners' policy positions and debated issues such as establishing universal healthcare, possiblemilitary action against Iran, immigration, alternative energy policies and the war in Iraq.
Leading Democrat contenders were featured in the debate, with Philip Levitz '08 as Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), David Korn '08 as former Sen. John Edwards, and Jason Anton '10 as Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).
For the Republicans, Rob Bernstein '08 took on the persona of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) with Johnny Love '09 as former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.
The "candidates," who completed their impersonations by donning business casual attire, each opened with a brief statement addressing why he or she should be the next president.
Korn elicited many laughs from the audience with his embodiment of Sen. Edwards' Southern twang and humor. "We need an Edwards presidency because we need real change," Korn said, "not because we need someone who is not President Bush."
Thomas began the debate by asking the panel what role former president Bill Clinton would play if Hillary were elected to the White House.
"Is it a fair judgment to say that it would be a co-presidency?" Thomas asked.
The candidates agreed that Americans should focus on what Hillary would bring to the presidency and not what role the former president would play.
The event was part of the Presidential Primary Events series produced by the Mathey College Council's civic responsibility chair James Coan '09 and special events chair Damien Zhang '09.
Coan said he was pleased with the turnout of about 25 people, calling it a "fairly large crowd for a Monday night."
Audience members Mark Jia '10 and Shelby Gai '10 said they were surprised by the professionalism of the performances and the command with which their peers communicated the views of their respective candidates. They are also members of the campus group Students for Obama.
"All the candidates were very well researched and very well prepared," Jia said. "They were able to communicate not only the talking points of their candidates, but also the personalities."
Gai was impressed with the overall quality of the debate. "It was very thoughtful and eloquent, more so than the actual debates," she said.
Coan said he looks forward to the rest of the Presidential Primary Events series, which will continue through the academic year.
Upcoming events include public health discussions led by students and faculty, which will take place Wednesday nights in the Mathey dining hall. The series will also include "Knowledge of News in Our World," a flyer which will be passed out in dining halls to stimulate discussion about important national and regional affairs.
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