Election
Above:Democratic vice-presidential candidate Lloyd
Bent sen speaks with supporters following Wednesday's
vice-presidential debate in Omaha.Above right: Republican
vice-presidential candidate Dan Quayte speaks with panel
member Tom Brokaw of NBC and Brit Hume of CBS after
Wednesday night’s viee-presidential debate in Omaha.
UNL students gather to watch debate
STUDENTS from Page 1
mining who would be a better vice
president.
“I think that the debate gave me a
good chance to see the vice-presiden
tial nominees for who they are,” said
Qiii Malone, a junior advertising
major. “So far, the public has not
heard from the vice presidents.”
David Hrdy, a firth-year biology
major, called the debate “just a media
event.”
“One candidate is trying to look
better than the other,” he said. “They
don’t show who they really are.”
A few students felt that the debate had
caused them to favor one party over
the other.
Hrdy, a registered Republican, said
he is now in favor of Benlsen because
he feels Bentsen showed that he de
serves the office more.
Freshman psychology major Ch
erie Cooks, who watched the debate
in the union, hails from Benlsen’s
home state.
“I’m from Texas and my loyalties
are split as to who I’m going for,”
Cook said.
But no consensus on the winning
candidate was found among students.
“Well, I’m a strong Democrat and
I think Quaylc is winning it,” said
Anne Stratker, senior social work
major, i think ttentsen has been put
on the defensive. I think there has been
a tola) turn around in the debate.
Quayle is coming out on top.”
Bub Lisa Twiestmeyer, a senior
journalism major, disagreed.
“My opinion had already been
made up before I watched the debate,”
Twiestmeyer said. “1 think Bentsen
has blown Quayle away in every as
pect. Quayle has not even responded
to the questions asked by the panel”
But Jay Anderson, senior business
major, said he thinks everyone makes
up their own minds.
“It depends on their own judg
ment,” Anderson said. “That’s just
part of living in America.”
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&aS8BUSi" —
Downtown Omaha bustles with predebate hype
By Victoria Ayotte
Senior Reporter
OMAHA — Red, white and blue greeted
visitors to Omaha's vice presidential debate
Wednesday as balloons, banners and 1,500
journalists filled the city.
Downtown Omaha bustled near the Red
Lion Inn, the Marriott Hotel and the Civic
Auditorium debate site.
Spectators gathered in hopes of gaining a
vice presidential-eyeful as candidates departed
from their hotels for a pre-debale practice
session in the auditorium.
At the Red Lion Inn, about 50 Omahans
gathered to watch the departure of Sen. Lloyd
Bentsen. D-Texas. Benucn pave a few waves
as the crowd cheered before he departed down
Capital St, which was lined with Dukakis/
Bentsen possenhung from light posts. Sen. Dan
Quayle, R-tad,, stayed at the Mpniou Hotel
‘it’s excising to tee all the people around.”
said Chmyl Williams of Omaha, as she stood
across the street from the Red Lion Inn.
Dick Ocren of Council Bluffs, Iowa, who
works in a downtown Omaha office building,
agreed that the debate had brought excitement
to the city.
“It’s a good idea for a change,” said Ocren.
"I’m interested in ii—wondering what’s going
on next. It gives you something to do on a
break.”
Some Omahans camped outside the Civic
Auditorium with cameras in hand.
MI made an extra trip to town for Ibis,” Ellen
Rasmussen of Omaha said, as she snapped a
photo of the police cars, barricades and limou
sines outside the auditorium.
Meanwhile, campaigners worked inside the
Red Lion and Marriott
At the auditorium, excitement mounted.
More journalists—local uaiionid and inter
naiional, poured mtc the auditorium hoping for
seats in the crowded delate haM Omy idOsea*
were allotted fcrjfandig. A total of 2,660
seats were allotted in the hall for spectators,
including an equal number for members of the
Commission on Presidential Debates, the
Dukakis/Rentsen campaign and the Bush/
Quayle campaign.
Steve Gardner, a member of the commission
who sponsored the debates, said he thought
roost of to people in the auditorium would be
Nebraskans.
A large number of Omaha police also stood
outside the auditorium.
Deputy Chief of Police James Skinner
would not say how many extra police officers
were required, but said the number was “sub
stantial.
Gardner said about 100 Omaha police and an
equal number of Secret Service agents stood
guard in the auditorium,
^k maer said surrounding streets were
blocked off to allow greater access for police
cars, television satellite dishes and the
<*Atodaie*s motorcades. Skinner Mid there
were no major problems as of late Wednesday
afternoon. Police anticipated the biggest prob
lem would be parking.
Omaha city officials spent weeks sprucing
up the city, and the effort attracted the apprecia
tion of some of the out-of-town visitors it was
meant for.
Reiko Tam ura was one foreign journalist
who covered the debate. Tam ura was on her
first visit to Omaha, and said her first impres
sions of the city were favorable. Tam ura is a
Political correspondent for the Ftyi Evening
News in Tokyo, Japan.
"People in Japan are interested in the presi
dential race," Tam ura said.
Tam ura said that althrvgh Japan docsn t
Sad as much time electing a leader, she thinks
lime and money spent in America electing
a president is poaidve.
"Every tune, every yhete, people here are
talking about the ptHtionM election, she
seidL^l think this is good for America."