Students watching the vice-presidential debate last night were impressed by the performance of Republican candidate Jack Kemp but rated the debate as a draw overall.
About 25 members of the Conservative Union at Dartmouth and Young Democrats gathered together in the Hyphen last night to watch Kemp and Democratic candidate Al Gore swap comments and rebuttals.
An atmosphere of almost funereal silence was observed during the hour-and-a-half screening of the only vice-presidential debate.
Young Democrats President Brian Reilly '99 said the debate was well presented but was a hopeless cause for the Republicans.
Reilly said he "would bet money" on the Republicans losing in November.
"I thought on Kemp's side it was very well packaged but mostly empty," Reilly said.
Reilly said Gore seemed "a bit too stiff and choppy but had more substance."
Reilly said both sides put themselves in a good position for running for president in the year 2000. "I wouldn't be surprised if the opportunistic Kemp gets his wish and runs for the 2000 election," he said.
Conservative Union Chairman Michael New '97 said he thought Kemp did very well.
"I thought he articulated the plan of the tax cut very well," he said. "I thought Gore did fairly well but lots of times he came off as too slick to be believable."
New said the debate was a draw.
"I don't think either one can claim a clear cut victory but I think Kemp did better," he said. "Both sides did reasonably well."
"I think it will eventually help the Republicans more because they are trailing in the polls," New added.
