ASP Presidential Candidates Square Off in Final Debate

By RACHEL KRAMER

While the first ever Advanced Studies Program Twitter Presidential debate held two weeks ago was a scripted skit of near total agreement, the live debate held last Monday night might be considered a real dispute between the candidates, even without the promised boxing match. Candidates Carolyn Keyes, representing the American Solutions Party, and Molly Kepner from the Block party, went head to head in a front of a live audience in Memorial Hall. They debated issues that ranged in topic from abortion, Keyes as pro-life and Kepner being pro-choice, to the death penalty, which Keyes supported and Kepner did not.

Monday’s debate did not have anywhere near the amount of agreement on issues as the first debate hosted by the Mass Media class. Keyes said in preparation for the live debate that she worked with her team, splitting up the research so “everyone’s involved.” She knew her stance on all the issues, but practiced the question and answer style to become more comfortable articulating her answers. “We have no idea about the questions for Monday’s debate,” she said in an interview last Tuesday. When asked what she would change about the first debate if she could, she said she would have liked to “elaborate on [her] views,” to differentiate herself from Kepner because they agreed on the social issues in which they were allowed to pick their stance.


Many students are not aware that certain viewpoints were assigned. Keyes was assigned by John Phillips, the Law and Government Master Teacher, to be pro life, pro death penalty, pro welfare, and pro large government over small government. Phillips wanted to avoid having the candidates choosing their views so the debates would contain discussions of different ideas.

Kepner really wanted to “hammer home [her] values,” in Monday’s live debate. She also spent her time talking with Keyes and going over their views to make sure they have different opinions rather than give a repeat of the first debate. Yet in an interview prior to the live debate, Kepner said if she could choose her views, she would make choices that are “better for everyone else,” which is very similar to what Keyes said about her polices. Her preparation has been the same as the last debate, spending most of last week going over her policies with her team.

When Michael Ricard, director of the Advanced Studies Program, first heard about the plans for the Presidential election, he thought it was “really cool,” and although Phillips gave no specifics, Ricard told him to run with it. Over the nine years Ricard’s been a part of the Advanced Studies Program, an election like this has never taken place. The election process, he said, “is a great opportunity to force students to research issues.” Regarding the subject of the candidates being forced to defend a side on certain issues that they may not personally believe, he said that “the best way to learn more…is to defend that [other] position.” He said that it brings a “better understanding and level of respect” for the other side. Prior to the debate, Ricard sat in on Law and Government’s debate prep meeting, and he said he’s interested to learn more about Keyes because he hadn’t heard her views before that night.

The event held two weeks ago couldn’t be deemed a true debate. The candidates dressed in similar attire, and had similar views on nearly ever topic, from the right to die, to illegal immigration, to minimizing the country’s deficit. Yet preparation for the live debate seemed to have worked, and although the candidates both attended the live debate in floral patterned outfits, students are now going to have a hard time choosing which candidate to vote for.

Keyes believes that her “policies are what’s best for the United States as a whole,” and that’s why the students at the ASP should vote for her. From her stance of large government over small government, she says that the government should run healthcare because “healthcare is a right.” She wants her views to be what’s “best for everyone, not just the wealthy,” while still keeping in mind the deficit and “being efficient with spending.”

Kepner said that the students at the Advanced Studies Program should vote for her because she’s a “people person,” and “loves being a voice for a group.” As well as claiming to be “more down to earth,” she also believes that she “can communicate her views better than Carolyn.” She’s been the class president for her grade for the past three years at her school, while Keyes has only been president for two.