By Nate West
News Assignment Editor
WSBU-FM 88.3, The Buzz held the first of three viewing parties for the presidential debates between President Barack Obama and Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney Wednesday in the Murphy Auditorium.
Bryan Clark, news director, said his motivation for organizing the event is providing St. Bonaventure students the opportunity to become more informed on the candidates and their views.
“It’s important (to vote) because as Chuck Pollock told my sports writing class, ‘if you don’t vote, you can’t complain,’” Clark said. “It’s also important, though, to get information and have a full-fledged, well thought out reason for voting for someone.”
About 20 people attended, including members of both the College Republicans and Democrats. Associate Professor of Political Science Josiah [Bart] Lambert said he would like to see more attendees from both the student body and the faculty.
“I was glad that both the College Democrats and the College Republicans stuck together and put something together,” he said.
Lambert also commented on the debate itself saying that both candidates did very well.
“Nobody came out with a good zinger, and nobody came out with a clearly incorrect statement,” Lambert said. “One of Romney’s strong points, I thought, was the fact that he said he was laying out principles, and that’s why he hasn’t gotten into specifics. For Obama, I think he’s very clear what his positions were.”
The Buzz will be hosting a viewing party for every debate. The next debate will be a vice – presidential debate held at 9 p.m on Oct. 11. The second presidential debate will be Oct. 16, and the final debate will take place on Oct. 22. All viewing parties will be held in the Murphy auditorium.
“We’re going to do three more of these, and hopefully more people come to each one,” Clark said.
