On Thursday night, President Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry will participate in the first of three presidential debates, and every student should be watching.
As a voter, it is your civic duty to educate yourself and understand what each candidate stands for. With absentee ballots due the third week in October for many AU students, this debate offers students the opportunity to hear both candidates' platforms juxtaposed against each other.
While some AU students are from swing states, many are not. But even if you feel that your vote cannot affect your state's electoral votes, watching the debate will at the very least help you make more knowledgeable arguments when you're debating politics and it may help you teach your friends and family about your views.
Speaking of those people, just because AU is very politically minded, doesn't mean other campuses are. Call up your friends and make sure they're watching. Their votes count, too.
One unfortunate characteristic of the debate is that viewers often focus on the images and body language of the candidates more than their messages. Hopefully, viewers will be smart enough this year to pay attention to the politics, not the performances.
Whether watching at a "debate party" with other like- or opposite-minded students, or watching it from the comfort of your own bed, pay attention. Your professors are likely to quiz you on it, and even if they don't, there's the ultimate test when you turn in your ballot.
