Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are taking the stage Sept. 10 for the next presidential debate. Students have several options as to where and how they watch the next presidential debate.
“It’s going be on ABC, it starts at 9 p.m., and you can see it through a variety of different streaming services,” said Benjamin LaPoe, assistant professor of communications.
LaPoe mentioned another outlet for students to watch the debate is the watch party being held by the Center for Student Engagement and Leadership, or CSEL.
CSEL is collaborating with The New Political and hosting a watch party at the Baker Theatre Lounge, located at 1 Park Place, at 8 p.m. to gather and watch the debate. This is a non-partisan event and all students are invited and welcomed.
Watching the debate allows voters to see the candidates discuss certain policies, plans and agendas each candidate wants to pursue.
“If the students are on the fence at all about either one of those candidates, debates are a really good place to see them,” LaPoe said.
Local restaurants like Jackie O’s will also have the debate playing Tuesday night.
“I believe we played the last presidential debate,” Front-of-House Manager of Jackie O’s Public House Chelsea Langlois said.
Anticipating people will want the debate to show, Jackie O’s has decided to have it on for locals and students to watch.
“Anytime there’s something kind of on national television that people are aware of, they tend to want to have it upon on the TV,” Langlois said.
Watching the debate allows viewers to see the candidates interact in real-time and gives viewers a clearer indication of what the candidates stand for.
“One of those two people will be the next president of the United States,” Dan Gordillo, a junior studying political science and linguistics and president of Student Senate, said. “I believe it's super important to be civically engaged, and part of civic engagement is having education.”
The debate will be an opportunity for students to see what the candidates' approach to running the country would be like giving students a clear perspective on what kind of people the candidates are.
“You should watch the debate so that way you can see how the candidates are acting, see what they stand for,” Gordillo said.
Gordillo said it is also critical to hear certain policies or goals from the candidates themselves.
“It’s good to always hear it straight from the horse’s mouth on national television,” Gordillo said.
“If they have a low level of information about the candidates or the politics that are going on, it can help in a lot of ways, in terms of informing them about where people stand, what the discussions are, and what some of the tensions are,” LaPoe said.
The debate is a forum for students and viewers to form their own opinions on the candidates, so having an impartial space to watch the debate is important.
“Get out there, know what these people stand for,” Gordillo said. “Do your own research too. Don’t always believe what your friends are saying.”
The next presidential debate is set to last 90 minutes and can be viewed at home in addition to public spaces on ABC News Live, Disney Plus and Hulu. The next debate will take place between both vice presidential candidates, Tim Walz and J.D. Vance on Oct. 1.
“You know, it is your vote at the end of the day,” Gordillo said. “It’s not your mother’s vote, it’s not your best friend’s vote, it’s your vote.”
