Tuesday night, a group of students gathered at Prebys Amphitheater for a socially-distant debate watch party. IU Student Government, Union Board, College Democrats of IU and College Republicans of IU all collaborated to host an outdoor debate watch party for students.
“I really liked the Black Lives Matter question I thought that was a really good question for both of the candidates to answer.” said Michael Pleake, an IU senior.
Cheyenne Figueroa, an IU sophomore, said the moment that stood out to her most was when Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace implored President Trump to condemn white supremacy – “He didn’t condemn white supremacy, he basically brushed it away like it didn’t exist”, she said.
It was the first time Biden and Trump faced off one on one and it didn’t take long before tempers started to flare. Moderator Chris Wallace had to ask the candidates several times to stop interrupting and respect one another’s allotted time.
While Pleake said he believed Chris Wallace did a good job at keeping things under control, he noted that both candidates could have acted more professionally, adding “It was interesting to see them acting a little childish.”
Figueroa said that the two candidates’ bickering made it difficult for the audience to hear any details about either candidates policies. When asked who she thought won the debate, she responded: “I can tell you who lost and it was definitely the people watching.”
The Commission on Presidential Debates says it will make format changes for the next debate on October 15th. In a statement Wednesday the commission said the first debate highlighted a need for more structure so issues can be addressed with an orderly discussion.
