Candidates prepare for debates

By Hanna LoPatin

Daily Staff Reporter

In this corner, Republican presidential candidate Texas Gov. George W. Bush, a charismatic charmer, and in the other corner Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore, known for his cut-throat, gun-slinging debating style. Both will contend for the American public's attention in tonight's first of three presidential debates.

"Everybody considers that Al Gore's a world class debater and Bush is not too bright," said Inside Michigan Politics Editor Bill Ballenger.

"Not that much is being expected of Bush and so he has a lot to gain and a little to lose. Gore has a little to gain and a lot to lose," he said.

Tonight's debate, which will air at 9 p.m. on most networks except for Fox and NBC, which is leaving the decision up to its local affiliates, may have a great influence on undecided voters.

LSA sophomore Justin Schmandt said what he sees tonight may sway his vote.

"I don't really know much about what I'm looking for, I just want to see," he said.

Schmandt has never voted and said that the "Rock the Vote" effort on campus has encouraged him to get involved.

"I'm still trying to find out what issues are important to me," he said.

But some undecided voters are looking elsewhere for information, saying that debates tend to be overridden with politics, not issues.

"I read the papers every day," said LSA freshman Brian Vereb, who will not be watching tonight.

"I don't like when they just go off topic and they look like they're lying to you," he said.

Ballenger said that both candidates come with costly baggage that they need to avoid behind the podium.

Along with his tendency to exaggerate, Gore has to "avoid reinforcing the negative stereotype as someone who tends to go over the edge in his combativeness," Ballenger said.

"Bush has to show his critics and the American public that he's up to speed on the issues," he added.

LSA freshman Alden Givens said that although he has already decided to vote for Gore, he will be watching the debate.

"You can't just go in blind," he said. "You gotta know something about it."

But Givens said that "not one single thing" could happen tonight to change his vote.

Although the debating abilities of the two candidates have been heavily discussed throughout the past few weeks, Ballenger said he believes that they will not overshadow the actual issues.

"I don't think the issues will take a back seat," he said. "I think they'll be front and center."

But, Ballenger added, "Strategy may be telling."

Ballenger alluded to the image of Former President George Bush looking at his watch as then-candidate Bill Clinton spoke during the 1992 debate.

The image, Ballenger said, dominated the post-debate commentary and fortified the belief that Bush did not care about the troubled economy.

Two people not included in the debate are Green Party candidate Ralph Nader and Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan.

Neither received the required 15 percent popular support that allowed third party candidate Ross Perot into the 1992 debate.

Nader supporters passed around a petition to get the candidate into the debate when he visited the Michigan Theater two weeks ago.

"That's not fair," Givens said of Nader's exclusion. "He's obviously got some kind of following. At the end, if he wasn't what the majority wanted he'd be in the same boat as Gore or Bush or whoever loses."