Wake Students Cheer Bush in Debate

Cheers for the Mets, whose leading score was announced just before the debate began, paled in comparison to those Bush received while he verbally sparred with Democratic nominee Al Gore in the second presidential debate, held in Wake Forest's Wait Chapel.

And with fraternities staking their claim in front of the big screen with blankets and alumni stopping to take photos with the Demon Deacon mascot, the debate viewing was more akin to a sporting event than a political debate.

Graduate student Sarah Milam of Winston-Salem said most of the students were there just to see their friends. "The only reason people are out here is because it's a big social event," she said.

But amid the noisy crowd, there were some students, including sophomore Souphida Chanthaphaveng of Graham, who were eager to voice their political opinions.

"I think Bush is a lot like me," said Chanthaphaveng, who supports Gore. "He bullshits on a lot of answers when he doesn't know them."

Despite the criticism, the crowd was decidedly pro-Bush.

"Yeah, they're definitely being more supportive of Bush," said Arthur Sherman, a Wake Forest freshman from Los Angeles, during the debate.

Sherman, a Gore supporter, said the pro-Republican crowd is typical of a Southern Baptist school like Wake Forest.

Senior Andrew Holland of Ridgewood, N.J., who was standing to the side with a group of friends, said the debate's outcome would not influence how he votes on Election Day.

"No, it won't change my opinion at all," he said. "I've already made up my mind."

Sarah Milam said having the debate on campus created more interest in the event and the presidential race.

"The last debate, I don't think everyone watched it," she said. "I think people are watching it because it's here."

Chanthaphaveng said there was a lot of publicity on campus about the debate. "I think that the school has done a good job of advocating watching the debate," he said.

Ralph Nader supporters stood on the fringe of the crowd to watch the debate, draped in banners painted with political slogans that were previously tied to their table, trying to stay warm.

Besides yelling support for their favorite candidates, the crowd also cheered enthusiastically when Wait Chapel, where the debate was being held in a nearby quad, flashed across the big-screen television on C-SPAN.

For the second time in the school's history, a presidential debate was taking place on their campus.

Holland said the debate had created a mild hassle for the students, but the benefits for the school outweighed the inconveniences.

"It's worth it," he said. "If they build on it after this, it can be good for our school."

Besides the fact that his university was the nation's political center of attention for the 90-minute debate, junior Matt Thompson of Boston said watching the debate also was exciting because it included people who would have an impact on the future.

"One of these men will most likely be our president for the next eight years," Thompson said. "We'll look back on it and he was at our school."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.