Students gathered together to watch the first Democratic presidential debate on CNN at a viewing party on Tuesday night in Schwartz auditorium. Three student groups, Brandeis Democrats, Brandeis for Bernie and Brandeis for Hillary, hosted the event to bring together students to watch the debate between democratic candidates. The debate featured former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee and former Senator Jim Webb of Virginia.
The Facebook event, created for the Democratic Debate Watch Party, invited students to “come learn about the issues impacting our country and compare the visions of the different candidates” and had 257 people say that they were “going” to the event. However, the general turnout was far less than 257, with closer to 100 students attended the viewing party.
During the over two-hour long debate, candidates covered a range of topics including racial discrimination, Wall Street and economic reform, immigration, gun control, climate change, issues in Syria, college finance and more. Throughout the debate, students cheered and clapped when they agreed with a candidate’s point.
Clinton addressed her email scandal, in which she is being investigated for potentially keeping confidential information on a private email server. Sanders, in a show of solidarity, said he was tired of hearing about Clinton’s email and would prefer to focus on other issues facing the nation.
“The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails,” said Sanders. Such a declaration led to a handshake between the two Democratic front-runners.
Later in the debate, candidates showed differences in opinions. On the topic of gun control, Sanders tended to be softer than Clinton. He stated he doesn’t support the idea of victims of gun violence being able to sue gun companies, an idea which Hillary supports.
When it came to economics, Sanders and O’Malley each said that as president they would aim to reinstate Glass-Steagall, a piece of legislation which would restrict commercial banks from also participating in high-risk investment. Clinton, on the contrary, said she would not reinstate Glass-Steagall.
Clinton’s economic plan involved saving the Consumer Economic Protection Board and giving “regulators the authority to go after the big banks.”
Regarding college debt, Clinton said that as president she would provide the opportunity for those struggling with college debt to refinance their debt to a low interest rate and provide free tuition to students attending public colleges and willing to work “10 hours a week.” Sanders sustains that he aims to make public colleges free for all Americans.
Noah Coolidge, representing both Brandeis Democrats and Brandeis for Bernie at the viewing party, said each group hoped the event would, “educate people … and promote discussion on campus.”
Brandeis Democrats do a lot to “engage people on campus” and plan to hold voter registration drives in the future, said Coolidge. He is drawn to Sanders because of the Vermont Senator’s stance on income inequality, an issue he believes will be big in our generation.
Brandeis for Bernie is looking to organize trips to New Hampshire where the first Presidential Primary takes place. Representatives from Brandeis for Hillary did not respond to The Brandeis Hoot’s request for comment as of press time.
