Democratic and Republican student caucuses traded partisan jabs last night at the Kennedy School of Government, with each attacking the policies and personalities of the candidates of the other's party.

The debate between first-year public policy students at the Kennedy School was moderated by former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, an Institute of Politics fellow, and focused on the question "Campaign '92: Democrats vs. Republicans, Will the Best Party Win?"

Public policy student Andrew Romanoff, who coordinated the debate, said in his introduction that the aim of the forum was "to delineate the differences" between the two parties.

He also joked that "we hope it will at least help Governor Roemer make up his own mind." Roemer switched to the Republican party during his tenure in Louisiana.

David Medina opened the debate for the Democrats with a plea for Republicans to "take a walk on the wild side" in dealing with issues of health care, welfare and education.

Republican David Gow returned the challenge by citing what he called the Democrats' inconsistencies regarding such policies as trickle-down economics, the capital gains tax and free trade with other parts of the world.

Gow challenged the Democrats to justify the stands taken on those issues by presidential candidates Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton and former Massachusetts Sen. Paul E. Tsongas, asking, "Where do you stand, Democrats?"

Much of the debate consisted of the two parties' representatives asking each other to reconcile party lines with individuals' actions.

The Republicans were asked to defend President bush's stand on family values and government spending.

The Democrats were questioned on Clinton's environmental and economic policies as well as on Democrat-supported protectionist measures for American industry.