Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Robyn Lim Communications professor David Eisenhower moderates a Fox Leadership Program debate yesterday in Huntsman Hall. [Click to enlarge]

Inform yourself.

This was the overarching sentiment yesterday evening when Penn Democrats, Penn Forum and Fox Leadership Program sponsored "A Democratic Presidential Primary Forum" in Huntsman Hall.

Yesterday's forum gave students a chance to explore the policy views of the three leading Democratic nominees for the 2008 presidential election: John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Two members of each sub-section of Penn Democrats - Penn for Hillary, Penn Students for Obama and Penn Students for John Edwards - promoted the policies of their respective candidates.

The forum began with each campaign group giving a three minute introductory statement. The moderator, Communications professor David Eisenhower, proceeded to question each campaign about their candidates' positions on Iraq, education, energy and the environment, health care and foreign policy.

Questions ranged from "How does your candidate plan to address America's addiction to oil?" to "How, if at all, does your candidate plan on changing No Child Left Behind?"

Campaign groups were given one minute to respond to each question. Following the debate there was a 10-minute question-and-answer session.

Over 50 students attended the event, a number that College sophomore Lauren Burdette, political director of Penn Democrats, called "a great turnout."

"The forum was really successful," Burdette added. "The students were not all from Penn Democrats. It was a very diverse group."

College sophomore Julia Perzley, who joined Penn for Obama this year, thought that the campaign representatives did a "good job representing the views of the candidates."

Perzley added that it is important for undecided voters to watch official presidential debates because "these three candidates have similar views on many topics."

Conversely, "they have very different personalities and very different ways of addressing the topics," she said.

Burdette specifically noted that many students are unaware of the policy differences between Edwards, Clinton and Obama.

"I think many of the policy differences were enumerated" tonight, Burdette said.

College junior A.J. Schiera, a representative of Penn Students for Obama, stressed the "enormous consequences" the 2008 election will have.

"What I urge every one of you to do is … examine who is going to represent your values and stick up for you to move this country forward," Schiera said.

Penn Democrats hope to hold another forum next semester.

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