CORRECTION APPENDED

Wannabe politicos set aside their midterm preparation to engage in fervent debate about midterms—midterm elections, that is.

Four undergraduates representing campus Republicans and Democrats clashed over issues important in the Nov. 7 election at last night’s student debate, which drew nearly 100 students.

Institute of Politics (IOP) Director Jeanne Shaheen, former Democratic governor of New Hampshire, told the crowd that the youth turnout is important for a Democratic victory, noting that young voters “were the only demographic that gave [Senator John F.] Kerry a double-digit lead” in the 2004 presidential election. [See correction below.]

“You have the opportunity not only to determine the results of the election but change the way politics operates,” she said.

The format resembled that of a contemporary political debate between candidates—with five-minute opening statements before the teams fielded questions.

Debaters from both sides of the aisle sought to incorporate personal anecdotes to flesh out their arguments.

Colin J. Motley ’10, from the Republican side, turned to directly face his opposition when he stated that he was a diabetic but did not support stem cell research.

Although this controversial research could help scientists find a cure, he refused to support “helping his own life” at the expense of others’ lives.

Harvard College Democrats President Eric P. Lesser ’07, flanked by teammate Kyle A. Krahel ’08, said that Republicans are cutting funding for student loans at a time when tuition costs are outpacing inflation.

Republican Jeffrey Kwong ’09 accused the Democrats of complaining without offering solutions and lauded the Republican Party’s work in advancing school vouchers, which he said greatly aided urban students.

Passion promulgated the discussion when the teams broached the subject of health care. The student Democrats said the Grand Old Party had failed the American people by failing to extend health-care coverage to the millions who lack it.

Motley shot back, citing Massachusetts Governor W. Mitt Romney’s health-care plan, which penalizes companies that do not offer coverage to its employees, as a possible solution.

IOP Fellow Jim Flug ’60—who also earned a JD from Harvard Law School in 1963—said that the College had become more political in the half century since he graduated and that there were “excellent answers on both sides.”

Shaheen told The Crimson that she was pleased to see the “passionate exchange of views and excited to see young people getting involved in the political process.”

CORRECTION: While Institute of Politics Director Jeanne Shaheen did say that young voters favored John F. Kerry by a double-digit margin in 2004, and while she did encourage young voters to go to the polls, she did not say that youth turnout would be important to a Democratic victory in 2006. The print and original online version of this article mischaracterized her remarks at the debate.