Students, faculty discuss Bush, Kerry speeches By Christina Stewart, Senior Staff WriterAbout 200 students gathered in Hepner Hall Thursday to watch thetelevised presidential candidate debate and discuss the event withcommunication and political science faculty.

San Diego State communication and political science facultymembers Peter Andersen, Kim Gearhart, Bill Eadie and Carole Kennedyhosted the event, provided commentary for the students and opened thefloor for discussion.

Andersen, a communication professor, decided about a week ago hewanted his Communication 103 students to really understand thepresidential election debates and get involved with the election,according to Bill Eadie, director of the School of Communication.

“We’re trying it in a new format,” Eadie said. “I think if we gotsomething together where we all watched and had some analysis, thatwould help them the most.”

Andersen began the night by telling students that although thedebate is a crucial event, it is not considered an actual debate.

“In a debate, a person makes a speech and a person responds tothat speech, and someone responds to that response,” Andersen said.”Tonight, what we’re really going to see is a simultaneous pressconference – not really even a simultaneous press conferencebecause they have at least seen the questions.”

Speech and debate coach Kim Gearhart agreed with Andersen thetelevised debate was not a real debate in an academic sense, andsuggested things students should look for while watching.

“You’re getting a real mediated view of what you’re going towatch,” Gearhart said. “And what I’d like to tell you to do is thinkabout it in terms of why they may be constructing messages a certainway.”

Gearhart asked students to look for the ways the candidates wouldtry to appeal to different audiences by addressing issues such aspatriotism, logic, language and family values.

“With a critical perspective, take the time to look at how themessages are constructed,” she said. “Who would I have to be tounderstand their message?”

Both Andersen and Kennedy discussed how the media plays animportant role in the election process. After the debate, thetelevision was turned off before network commentators aired, sostudents could express their own reactions.

“One of the things you want to keep in mind is how the mediaspins,” Andersen said. “Pay attention to the media coverage. Peoplerespond as much to the media coverage as they do to their ownresponses. Some stations take a certain bias.”

When Andersen asked how many students were planning to vote foreither President George Bush or Sen. John Kerry after having watchedthe debate, an overwhelming majority supported Kerry.

Communication junior Korina Aviles said although she supportsKerry, she felt Bush won the debate because Bush relates more to the”blue-collar worker.”

“My parents don’t really know a lot of the things that they aretalking about,” Aviles said. “They’re in the middle and don’t reallyknow who they’re going to vote for. I think they’re going to be moretowards Bush now because he seemed confident — thekind of president you would feel safe being led by.”

Aviles said she attended the event to hear what others weresaying, because everyone she knows supports Kerry and she did notwant to have a bias.

“I wanted to see the different reactions and see what other peoplewere saying,” she said. “I’m going to write a reaction paper for it.”

Although Aviles said Bush probably won the debate on technicalterms, she felt Kerry did a better job.

“He definitely impressed me on an intellectual level,” Avilessaid. “I think that he sounded really smart and really composed.”

Political science graduate student Dan Ortiz said Kerry did a goodjob, especially because he had higher expectations than Bush.

“The expectations were pretty high for John Kerry, so it’s veryhard to meet that threshold, but he did all right. George Bush hadlower expectations,” Ortiz said. “But he had the right questions andwas very direct and focused.”

Before he went to Hepner Hall, Ortiz said he made sure all thetelevisions at Louie’s Pub carried the live coverage, because he feltthe presidential candidate debate was an important event for studentsto watch.

“I know the Padres are playing tonight, but I think this is moreimportant,” Ortiz said.