In an atmosphere akin to a political rally, more than 700 students were treated by the Vote 2002 Coalition Tuesday night to a lively debate between Second Congressional District candidates Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, and Republican Ron Greer.
The crowd at the Wisconsin Union Theater needed to be reminded to hold its applause several times as the candidates exchanged their ideas and policies on such wide-ranging issues as the United States' possible invasion of Iraq, universal health care and the rising cost of tuition.
Baldwin, a two-term incumbent, took the first question, concerning whether the candidates would support increasing federal higher-education grants, from UW-Madison senior John Davis, one of the two moderators. UW-Madison professor of political science Joel Rogers served as the second moderator.
\It used to be that education for those who needed assistance was pretty much grant-based 25 years ago. Now it is flipped around and people are emerging from college with incredible debts,"" she said, adding that she co-sponsored a bill that would double two federal grant programs for first-generation college students.
Greer, using a theme of self-independence, which he would follow for the rest of the night, said it was up to individual people to pay at least part of their college education.
""I'm concerned with the amount of money we spend and give out to individuals from the federal government especially in higher education,"" he said.
The candidates answered five prepared questions from the moderators and an additional 15 from the audience. A couple of the prepared questions were returned to by students in the crowd, among which were the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the issue of where life begins and the use of embryonic stem-cell research.
""I don't think we should put our national safety, security and interests in the hands of other nations,"" Greer said.
Baldwin cautioned the crowd that the threat was far off and required a larger coalition of nations for an effective military intervention, setting the crowd to an outburst of cheering.
""And because we have been afforded that opportunity of time, we have the opportunity to work with our allies and the U.N. to get back in there and inspect,"" she said.
The candidates also disagreed on federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, with Baldwin supporting in contrast to Greer.
""I'm not opposed to stem cell research...[just] not by killing innocent children,"" he said.
Tim O'Neill, a graduate student at UW-Madison who attended the debate, said he was unsure of who he would vote for before the debate, but had made up his mind by the end of it.
""It just gave me a better understanding on where the candidates stand on the issues discussed tonight,"" he said.
