[media-credit name=’Ben Smidt’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Crowds gathered at the Memorial Union Thursday night, anxiously awaiting the beginning of the first presidential debate. President George W. Bush has a record for flustering opponents and appearing calm in the face of tough questions. Many wondered how Democratic candidate John Kerry would handle questions about the war in Iraq and what many call his waffling attitudes.

The crowd at the Union reveled in certain moments of the debate. The atmosphere was notably pro-Kerry and every slip of Bush’s tongue was met with laughter from the people gathered there. Kerry’s arguments were met with cheers.

Back in Florida, as soon as the debate began it was clear certain themes were going to pervade the night’s banter. Bush repeatedly noted that Kerry said this was the “wrong war, wrong place and the wrong time,” while Kerry sought to bring the issue back to Bush’s lack of correct focus in the war on terrorism.

“I will hunt down and kill the terrorists, wherever they are,” Kerry said, stating intentions to continue the war on terror. Kerry was aggravated the U.S. didn’t go after Osama and his men when they were camped at Tora Bora, but instead, “outsourced the job to Afghan warlords.”

One by one, questions regarding foreign policy were asked of the candidates. The main issue of the night was terrorism and the war in Iraq. Kerry and Bush outlined their plans for success in Iraq and Kerry invited voters to view their respective campaign websites to see his four-point plan in full detail. Bush sought to keep the focus on Saddam Hussein’s capture and how he believes it has helped to make the world a safer place.

“Saddam Hussein now sits in a prison cell. America and the world is now safer for it,” Bush said. Kerry countered Bush’s remarks by criticizing Bush for taking the focus off the major threat, Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda.

This didn’t stop the ever-present issue of Kerry’s flip-flopping from being addressed by Bush.

“As the politics change, his positions change,” Bush said. Kerry handled this criticism by citing the fact that it was much better to make a mistake in deciding one’s opinion then to make a mistake that would send the country to war.

As the nation watched, students judged for themselves “who” won the debate. And although the crowd leaned to the left, not all attendees believed Kerry did, in fact, walk out as the victor.

“Bush definitely secured his base, and presented himself in a confident and prepared [manner],” said University of Wisconsin sophomore Rachel Moguel.

Many students at the Union, however, said they believed Kerry made better arguments than the incumbent.

“Kerry tore him apart,” Carl Dixon, UW junior, said. “When you hear both sides, one [side] makes sense — and that’s John Kerry.”

Both candidates did keep their calm throughout and the debate passed without any major elements of tension or drama. Each debater was cordial to the other and they complimented each other on their families and love for the country. All the same, many felt Kerry did come across in a better light.

“I feel like Kerry dominated the debate,” Joe Kaser, a student at UW, said. “Everyone in Madison was laughing, and I hope everyone outside Madison was laughing too.”