by Mandi Kane
Daily Lobo
Five local representatives of the Democratic presidential candidates teed off in a debate Tuesday night in the SUB to say who they think should call the White House home next year.
"The Bush Administration has been a failure," said Marshall Martinez, co-chairman of UNM's College Democrats. "There are five amazing alternatives, and we wanted to show UNM students who could be the best for the job."
Martinez said the debate was organized in preparation for the New Mexico Democratic Caucus on Feb. 3.
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In the hour-and-a-half-long debate, sponsored by College Democrats, students expressed views on behalf of the campaigns of John Kerry, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, Dennis Kucinich and John Edwards on a wide range of social, economic, domestic and international issues, said Ellen Grigsby, the College Democrats adviser who served as the moderator for the event.
Each representative was asked seven questions and given a minute to answer.
The questions were on a wide range of topics, including health care, sex-education programs, homosexual marriage and the wars on terrorism and drugs.
One question about the Patriot Act was spawned from the events this March on the UNM campus after 500 students voiced their opinions on the war in Iraq, Grigsby said.
"We have been governed through fear," said Johnathan Neal, who spoke on behalf of Democratic candidate Wesley Clark. "We can't continue to infringe on our civil liberties."
Travis Kellerman, a sophomore who spoke on behalf of Kucinich, agreed and shared his own personal experience with the Patriot Act with the audience.
"I went to check out a book on Islamic fundamentals at Zimmerman Library, and I was questioned by security," said Kellerman.
Kellerman said it was unfair he could be labeled a terrorist based on the books he was checking out and said the war on terrorism "doesn't start with an infringement on our civil liberties."
After each of the candidates answered questions, the five campaigns were given the floor for their closing statements.
"We don't differ that much on the issues," said senior Giancarlo Messina, who represented Edwards. "It is about who has got charisma, who is brilliant and who is electable."
Kerry's representative, UNM law student Brian Egolf, said he agreed.
"This is not about where they have been. It is about where they are going to take America. It is about time we are proud of our president."
