At Hofstra presidential debate watch: Learning and listening
There was still time Tuesday night for either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump to sway Hofstra University sophomore Brian Kennedy as he waited for their debate to begin.
The 19-year-old political science major from Massapequa said he was raised in a "red house" and was a registered Republican "but as I attended Hofstra, being exposed to views I haven’t been exposed to before, I am undecided."
Kennedy was among close to 100 students and a panel of two political science professors and the dean of the university’s Herbert School of Communication who discussed the debate's potential implications and lessons gleaned as they waited for it to start in Philadelphia.
Rosanna Perotti, a Hofstra political science professor and one of the evening’s panelists, said the university hosted similar events to view presidential debates in 2008, 2012 and 2016. She hoped it would help students look past "the horse race" of the election season and listen beyond "media talking heads" and tune into candidates' views on issues during debates.
"As citizens, the way we consume debates depends on how much thought we put into watching the debate before we actually watch it," she said, adding that voters should write down the issues they want to hear candidates discuss.
"Afterward, ask yourself, ‘What did I learn’ in order to avoid the trap of the horserace ... We as citizens are going to be called on to make a decision in November. We need facts with which to make that decision ... especially students because they may be voting for the first time."
Perotti said the economy, reproductive rights and wars in Ukraine and Gaza are among the top issues concerning her students, many of whom she believed were registered as independent voters.
Political science freshman Jacob Muir, 18, said the war in Ukraine was among his top concerns. Muir said he planned to vote for Harris, citing among other reasons, Trump’s record and remarks regarding NATO. Before the debate, he said he believed Harris would "reaffirm our alliance with NATO and Ukraine ... I feel like we can’t really wane that."
Perotti said this debate was Harris’ chance to "define herself" to Hofstra students and the American people.
After the debate began, Hofstra students cheered and booed as the candidates touted their records and sparred about the other's.
During a commercial break about halfway through, Kennedy discussed the notes he had scrawled on an entire side of a sheet paper.
His conclusion? Kennedy said he'll continue to consider Harris and Trump before stepping in to the voting booth in November.
"I don’t find myself leaning, I'm just taking in information," Kennedy said. "After the debate I’m going to keep thinking and I'm going to decide who I’m going to vote for on Election Day."
