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Fourth Estate/Brandyn Fragosa

BY BRANDYN FRAGOSA, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Mason Votes hosted their 2024 Presidential Debate Watch Party for the Mason community at the entrance of the Johnson Center Atrium on Sept. 10. The watch party showcased the first debate between candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on topics concerning the American public. 

The community event was facilitated by Mason Votes Advisor Alissa Karton who established the organization in 2007 alongside other Mason students, faculty and staff to “create a university-wide umbrella organization… promoting information around voting and elections.”

Since 2007, the tradition of hosting a presidential debate watch party has allowed members of the Mason community to get involved in the upcoming elections and learn more about the candidates and their stances.

With only 55 days left until Election Day, a large crowd gathered in the JC Atrium to watch candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J Trump debate each other for the first time.

The debate was filmed live and hosted by ABC at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The debate was moderated by David Muir, anchor and managing editor for ABC World News Tonight, and Linsey Davis, anchor for World News Tonight Sunday and ABC News Live Prime.

The moderators asked each candidate topics regarding the economy, abortion, immigration and border security, environment, foreign affairs, health care and climate change with each candidate having “two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses,” as stated in the debate rules. 

During the 90-minute debate, community members cheered, laughed and groaned as the candidates answered questions and critiqued each other’s time in office.

Among the students watching the debate was Vice President of the College Republicans at GMU senior Jay Shuey, who shared his concern over the lack of questions regarding constitutional rights.

“The one thing that kind of made me a bit concerned was the lack of talk about constitutional rights,” Shuey said. “There was no talk about freedom of speech on college campuses, there was no talk about the Second Amendment… what are you going to do about the Fourth Amendment, are you going to do anything about government spying… these debates are never long enough… we could ask questions about every constitutional amendment and what their thoughts are on them because if they don’t have an answer to that, then it’s like ok, that may be an issue. 

“Let’s talk about Bruen [New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen], how that affects everybody because we just had a school shooting last week, why aren’t we talking about that,” Shuey added.

When it came to the candidate’s ability to answer questions, senior Emilee Brewer said, “Overall, I think sometimes there were moments when each candidate did not directly answer a question, but more in generalizations. The candidates spent more time on the blame game than proposing a plan to move forward.

Given this election is looking to pull in higher young voter numbers, I think it would have been beneficial for more in-depth conversations related to the future of this country and the current everyday struggles faced today,” Brewer said. “Where do the candidates stand on policy on gas and grocery prices, campus protesting, social security, tax on tips, etc.? A topic I would have liked covered was voter identification and where each of the candidates stand on that.”

Despite her concerns, Brewer still plans to vote in the upcoming 2024 election.

 “It is so important to vote, especially young adults like myself,” Brewer said. “I want my voice heard this November, as should anyone else.”

As attendees left the JC atrium following the candidates’ closing statements, Karton said, “I hope that [the Mason community has] some clarity and motivation on getting engaged… I hope they get awareness and education and I hope they can have good conversations with their peers.”

To learn more about ways to get involved with the upcoming election, visit masonvotes.gmu.edu for voter guides and information on becoming a registered voter.

“I think if you are able to vote, personally, I think it’s important to exercise that right,” Karton said. “If people fought long and hard to give us that right to vote, I see it as a civic responsibility.”