Nothing attracts UW-Madison students like free pizza, politics or both.
On Tuesday night, students packed the basement of Bradley Learning Community when the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group held an informational debate for campus representatives of several political parties.
According to UW-Madison freshman and WisPIRG event coordinator Maggie Delain, this debate was a part of New Voters Project's \Get Out the Vote"" campaign. Although the debate was open to all interested students, it was staged in an all-freshman dorm in order to reach out to students participating in their first election and to inform voters who are still undecided, she said.
According to Delain, the unanticipated turnout was spectacular.
""An informed student is more likely to vote,"" she said.
Each panelist was given 90 seconds to answer the facilitator's questions, which covered issues such as Pell Grants and the military draft. However, they were mostly focused on issues that closely impacted students.
UW-Madison junior Chairag Shah, representing the UW-Madison College Republicans, said his goal for the debate was to inform the students of President Bush's platform and to show the voice of the Republicans, though a minority in Madison, is ""not only strong, but alive and kicking.""
""I hope you all are enjoying the Bush-bashing fest,"" Shah said in response to some of the other panelists' comments.
Representing the left, UW-Madison College Democrats chair junior Liz Sanger stressed issues like education and women's rights. As the only female panelist, Sanger advocated John Kerry.
""He is the woman's candidate, do not confuse yourself,"" she said.
UW-Madison sophomore Bill Anderson represented the Green Progressive Alliance for the debate, and focused on the corrupt power of major corporations and their undemocratic effect on the system.
""As far as I am concerned,"" he said, ""we only have one political party in America, and it is called a major corporation.""
Paul Heideman, UW-Madison sophomore and the campus coordinator for Students for Nader wanted to convey the fact the most Americans agreed with Nader's platform but were simply uninformed about it. He advocated Nader's universal health care and his Out of Iraq Now plans.
""We had a great turnout and a lot of people stayed that showed they wanted to learn about the candidates,"" UW-Madison freshman Angela Wang said.
