At the end of the first presidential debate, some Penn College Democrats were proclaiming the election over and declaring a hands-down victory for John Kerry in November.
"I am thrilled -- it's absolutely a turning point," Penn Democrat Vice President and College junior Jessica Smyth said. "There's no way we're going to lose. A ton more people are going to tune in to the second debate."
Student Democrats gathered together in Logan Hall last night to cheer Kerry and jeer President George W. Bush. But before the debate started, Kerry's youngest daughter, Vanessa, who spent the day touring Pennsylvania colleges, urged everyone to register in Pennsylvania and vote.
"All of you can be the potential for change," she said. "We have to fight for every vote, we're going to challenge the president on each issue."
College Democrats regarded last night's debate as the first opportunity Kerry has had to articulate his position and policies, so expectations and confidence were high.
College freshman Nathan Hake thought that, prior to the debate, the Republican smear campaign had smothered Kerry's issues platform. But that would change by the end of the night. "The American people will see through the mud-slinging," he said.
Applause from the partisan audience greeted Kerry's entrance, but mocking laughter broke out the moment Bush began to speak. The jeering continued throughout the viewing, accompanied by cries of disbelief from the crowd of more than 200. Discussion of the war in Iraq made the first impact on the crowd.
"This president has made, I regret to say, a colossal error of judgment," Kerry said, live on national television. When debate moderator Jim Lehrer asked him to be more specific, Kerry replied, "Well, where do you want me to begin?" That line drew a huge cheer from the Penn crowd.
Bush, however, called Kerry inconsistent on his Senate votes to approve the war.
Kerry's principal vulnerability in his Iraq position has been his vote against the $87 billion appropriations bill, after voting for the war. The Bush campaign has used the apparent contradiction to fuel its portrayal of Kerry as a "flip-flopper," and Bush raised the issue pointedly.
"I made a mistake in how I talked about the war," Kerry responded. "But the president made a mistake in invading Iraq. Which is worse?"
Penn Democrats felt Kerry rebuffed the criticism successfully.
"He absolutely covers that and is making his point clear," Smyth said. "I'm so proud to be a Democrat right now."
Kerry laid out a plan for Iraq that included closing the borders to stop terrorists from entering, training Iraqi troops and the police force, and involving international allies. He pledged also to implement these measures so that, within six months, most U.S. troops would be able to leave. Bush replied that trained Iraqi forces already exist, but Democrats were unimpressed.
Kerry has "fundamentally laid down a plan, with specifics," said College senior Rich Eisenberg, president of the Penn Democrats.
