Debate fever

Campus has been tight this week, what with security and work to prepare for the debate that happened earlier this evening. Yesterday on campus I really felt the buzz, seeing CNN set up, media buses all over, students carrying signs and wearing t-shirts with absurd slogans, and police and military doing inspections.

A few weeks ago there was a lottery for students to get tickets to the debate. Some 5800+ students registered, and early this week I received an email that I was in the 101-150 range, but that Wash U did not yet have any tickets to give away. Late morning today I heard that they had 105 tickets and that my number was in the 106-150 range. So no luck. Yet.

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I still went to the Women's Building, the holding area for before tickets were issued. Long story short, I ended up getting in to see the debate live, in person. There were just over 150 students to my knowledge, in addition to big donors and just-plain-lucky folks who got tix straight from the Committee. And while I had to crane my neck to see where Kerry was sitting, I was in great position to witness both candidates while they were speaking and to feel the excitement of the campaign.

The coolest part of the whole thing was probably at 5 minutes till 8:00, when Charles Gibson explained that the networks were going to start at "eight o'clock straight up" and talk for two minutes before the introductions. Sure enough, all the press booths did their 5-second countdown and all started their "We're here reporting live from Washington University..." schpeils at the same time. It was truly awesome.

To be honest, I was rather undecided going into the debate, and still undecided afterward. But, I'm now leaning slightly the other way. I'll still need to do some solid independent research before I'm set on my vote, and to pay close attention to the third debate. I thought Bush was a better debater this time around. He addressed the questions more directly and seemed more open and honest. Kerry, though he pointed to a lot of numbers and facts, seemed to skirt a few questions and jumped around topics too much for my liking. Both candidates, in my opinion, were great at filling their allotted time even if they had nothing substantial to say. Overall, it was a very exciting time, an event I am very glad to have been priviledged to witness.