MoBlog: Students debate foreign policy

Right now in Ahmanson Hall, students are gathered to discuss the candidates' stance on foreign policy. Each Wednesday until the election, a similar forum will be held to debate a variety of issues that will change weekly.

Clare Doody (first picture above) , representing Students for Barack Obama, focused on withdrawing the troops from Iraq and turning Iraq back over to the Iraqi goverment. She also talked about restoring America's position in global leadership through diplomacy.

Joshua Sharp (second picture), representing USC students for McCain, talked about the importance of experience in assuming the role of commander-in-chief. He noted that Obama voted against the surge in Iraq, which ultimately proved beneficial. He also discussed the need to rebuild international alliances.

Catherine Lyons (third picture), a politics reporter for the Daily Trojan, discussed the lack of activism on campus with regard to foreign policy and the Iraq war. She said that although students know about the candidates' positions on the war and take that into consideration when voting, students are more concerned about enviromental issues.

Guest panelist Cathy Decker (fourth picture), the state politics editor of the LA times, talked about how the candidates' unchanging positions on the Iraq war helped them to secure the presidential nomination within their respective parties. However, she noted that the economy has taken over as a more prominent issue.

After the panelists discussed their viewpoints, students in the audience were encouraged to ask questions and participate in the discussion (fifth picture). For more insight into student views on the candidates, check out the opinion section of the Daily Trojan.