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The Wesleyan Democrats gave an active show of support for their presidential candidate at a pre-debate send off for Al Gore this past Tuesday. Five students from the 20 member political club trekked to Boston, the location of the debate, to join other Gore supporters for a debate viewing.

A bus with approximately 50 students from Yale, Trinity College, University of Connecticut, and Quinnipiac joined Wesleyan students as they journeyed to the Park Plaza Hotel, where they met with Gore and his wife, Tipper. 

"Once we got there, we had to go through metal detectors, but then we just waited outside the hotel and shook hands with Al and Tipper Gore," said Michael Lewis ’03. "We wished him good luck. I thought it was a great experience just having the chance to meet them."

In addition, the students had the chance to meet with Donna Brazile, Gore’s campaign manager.

"I actually got the opportunity to exchange a few words with her," Lewis said. "I asked her how the debate preparations went, and she said that they had gone fine."

After meeting with the presidential candidate and his wife, the students retreated back into the hotel’s ballroom where they watched the debate on television with approximately 1,000 other Gore supporters. 

The majority of the audience was comprised of college students. According to Lewis, approximately two-thirds of the supporters appeared to be current or newly graduated students.

There were numerous reactions during the debate, as the candidates addressed issues such as abortion, tax-cut plans, foreign policy, and education. 

"Every time Gore made a point, everyone cheered. I think that everyone was happy with Bush’s answers because they weren’t very intelligent," said Jessica Rollins ’03.

Some students felt Gore effectively illustrated the goals of his platform.

"Personally, I think he did a good job," Lewis said. "I think that he really hit home with his tax plan... He did an excellent job in showing how Bush’s tax plan just won’t work."

While students from the Wesleyan Democrats remained in support of their candidate, many were disappointed with Gore’s performance and did not feel that the debate had a positive effect in helping Gore in the polls.

"I thought Al Gore didn’t do very well. He came across as arrogant, but Bush came across even worse. He came across as an idiot," said Liz King ’03. "I think Gore’s problem was that he didn’t address as many issues as he could have, and he repeated the same rhetoric over and over again."

"I think that Gore did much better than Bush, but I don’t think that he was effective in swaying anyone," Rollins said. "There wasn’t enough contrast between the candidates, there wasn’t enough confrontation."

After the debate was over, Gore returned to the hotel where he addressed the audience for approximately 15 minutes and thanked them for their support.

"Being there was really energizing," Rollins said. "The best part was when he came back to the ballroom and spoke to us. The five of us were right up front and it was really nice to be so close to all the action."

"He thanked us and all the young faces for being there," Rollins said. "He said the most important thing was to keep our ideals about government and not to be apathetic."

The students who went for the debate viewing agree with many of the issues that Gore addressed. Rollins, for example, supports Gore’s pro-choice stance on abortion, and agrees with his views on education, namely his plan to offer some families a tax deduction of up to $10,000 towards college tuition. Additionally, Gore wants to institute statewide standards for students and new teachers, Rollins said. 

Others support Gore in part because they are in opposition to Bush’s platform.

"I think Gore is the only way to stop Bush from winning," King said. "I think Bush is incompetent, and he’s going to be destructive for the country. I don’t agree that he supports the distribution of school vouchers, his views about abortion, and his foreign policy, which supports an isolationist approach."