Candidate wows in fiery debate

So really, how horrible of a person are you? The candidates in last Thursday’s Presidential Debate faced heat for more than two painstaking hours, particularly from the audience who fired a barrage of questions that seemed to ask just this.

All the candidates held reasonably cool composure under this fire, and in doing so they exhibited strong character and were able to communicate their goals to the audience.

While I believe presidential candidate Nate Jones’ debate was effective in ways, let us focus on how we can project the future of Student Senate based on Dillon Spies and Taylor Strong’s debate, particularly Spies’. (If you have not seen the debate, it is on YouTube embedded at the bottom of this article. I will give the times in this video that correspond with whatever moments are at hand.)

Candidate’s character

Firstly, it should be noted that both sides pointed fingers during the debate. This in general is not a way to exhibit good character. However, if a candidate believes an account on an issue from their point of view is imperative for the people to hear, then telling that account could be more indicative of one’s character being strong rather than weak. Shouldn’t one be called out if they truly did something terribly wrong, especially if the students are not yet aware of it?

I commend Spies for his speech on Jones’ campaign because it pointed out just how distateful Jones’ campaign video really is.

The speech begins at 1:13:12 in the video, “First off, I would like to apologize to all the students here today and to really apologize to all the students on campus.

I would like to apologize because me and my opponent had a chance to really go out there and show you guys a clean campaign and show you what it meant to be a part of Student Senate. To go out there and run and get votes by shaking hands and talking to people, and by not slandering someone’s name.

And it’s talking about them at the library or making a video where the demographic apparently is students who attend this college who think that we do nothing as president and vice president and who think it’s appropriate and that it is okay to throw condoms around and chant America because apparently that’s a large population of our campus.”

Spies went on to share his opposing view on the students, a part of the speech that showed off his character, “I know that you people don’t want to be branded as that.

You are high scholars. You came to this school to get an education, to get a job, to lead your lives, to have a better chance than those who couldn’t attend school or who didn’t want to and went into the work place.

You came here for a higher learning experience … [Strong and I] not only care about this school, we care about you.”

Furthermore, there was an incident earlier in the week where a student suspecting Spies of breaking bylaws began yelling at Spies and a couple of women. At 1:20:00, during the debate the issue was re-aggravated and Spies’ response exhibited more of his character.

“First off I would like to say we did not break any bylaws.

Every single campaign that we had went through [Student Senate President] Jacob Rissler and [Chief Justice] Jon Lordino. … [N]ot only taking our cookies we were passing out but yelling at not only my but my campaign managers face in front of the students and the student body. Is that a way to conduct yourself?”

This is finger pointing, but when a man is yelling at women, I commend such a speech. At the least it shows strong character on Spies’ part, whether good or bad.

Candidate’s goals

During the debate there was time dedicated to things more related to Student Senate and its duties. Spies’ general goal during his campaign was to have let students know he wants positive change. During his presidency, Spies’ efforts toward achieving this will be targeted toward students who want to have an active role in the change rather than students who do not.

At 1:14:48 during another powerful speech, Spies says, “I want people who want change, who want to make a voice and have themselves become something because of college.”

I feel all the candidates this year have already achieved this goal to an extent with some of the students on campus, including me. I never cared for politics, so I never knew where my money was going and so on. Hearing the candidates talk about a lot of the issues on campus currently, about change they want to make, and about why it is important to take a part in that change, I feel I can be someone  who helps make changes.

As Spies and Strong take their new positions later this month, they will have the power they need to fuel the change they desire. I am confident they will always remember the people they fought for and have been an element to their success. They endured long hours preparing for the campaigns, longer hours running the campaigns, and finally we can say they have come a long way. I wish for them to do the best that they can, always be proud of themselves, and never turn their backs on the students they serve.