McCain, Obama supporters hold separate debate watch parties
Columbia Republicans and Democrats each held watch parties.
Oct. 10, 2008
Republican supporters watch the second presidential debate Tuesday at the Boone County Republican Headquarters. Local Democrats held a watch party at Kayotea.
Local supporters of presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama gathered at watch parties for the second general election debate on Tuesday night.
<b>Republican reaction</b>
Supporters of McCain that gathered for the debate watch party on Tuesday night were allowed to meet with U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., who was present at the event.
Before the debate began, Bond spoke to the crowd at the Boone County Republican Headquarters, where the event was being held.
"I have long been a believer in the grassroots effort," Bond said.
After encouraging the Republican volunteers who were present to continue working hard on the campaign, he pumped up the crowd for the debate.
"Hang onto your hats, gang, because this is going to be a good one," he said.
At the beginning of the debate, both Obama and McCain frequently criticized each other's records.
Tim Grenke, a Centralia resident who is currently on leave from military duty in Kosovo, said this was a positive aspect of the debate.
"I appreciate the fact that they're telling people to look at their records," he said.
The audience members cheered when McCain said the future president is not able to receive "on the job training."
When the discussion came to foreign policy, moderator Tom Brokaw asked each candidate to name the "Obama doctrine" or "McCain doctrine."
Garrison Heitman, a Columbia resident who will be leaving for the U.S. Marine Corps on Sunday, said he opposes Obama's policy. Heitman said he pledged to defend the U.S. Constitution, but he said Obama's intentions to increase cooperation with United Nations might change what Heitman must defend.
"If Obama gets in, he will destroy America," Heitman said. "As a soldier, I will have to defend the U.N. constitution."
Ryan Remole, an MU junior and a member of the MU College Republicans, said he enjoyed McCain's style.
"I think he related to the public well," Remole said.
Chelsea Maltagliati, a volunteer coordinator for the Boone County Republican Party, said McCain accomplished what he needed to in the debate.
"McCain needed a big success tonight, and I think he came back," she said.
<b>Feedback from Democrats</b>
Obama supporters filled up Kayotea to watch the presidential candidate take on McCain in this year's second presidential debate, which was held at Belmont College in Nashville, Tenn.
The crowd reacted negatively when McCain referenced suspending his campaign to address America's economic woes, and also when McCain attempted to link "Obama and his cronies" to the downward spiral caused by the failure of lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Throughout the debate, Obama consistently sought to link McCain policy to problems caused by Bush policy while McCain sought to show that Obama had also allowed the crisis to grow out of control.
"John McCain is saying he's against spending, but then he wants to buy out all these bad mortgages, and it's ironic because the Republican Party is the small government party and he just puts so much into spending," Stephens College student Polly Edelstein said.
When the candidates were asked about prioritizing their spending, McCain said he would be able to cut taxes by $300 billion.
Andrew Wesselmann, a Columbia College student and an Obama campaign volunteer, called McCain's response on his spending plans unrealistic.
The crowd laughed when Obama delivered a one-liner about McCain's assertions about Obama's tax plan: "The straight talk express lost a wheel on that one."
McCain said Obama would raise taxes by up to 50 percent on small businesses and on many private citizens, and Obama countered that all who earn less than $250,000 a year will see no tax increase.
"This is what the Republican Party is really doing, instilling fear in the American people," Edelstein said about McCain's claims.
McCain criticized Obama's stance on the troop surge in Iraq and the conflict between Georgia and Russia, essentially questioning his ability to understand foreign policy issues.
Attendees said they favored Obama's foreign policy approach.
"I don't like McCain's foreign policy because it just involves conflict, there's no solving the problems, whereas Obama actually wants to work with the international community," Wesselmann said.
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