O-A News article: "Democrats, Libertarians tackle issues in debate"

Amy Weaver / Staff Writer
October 27, 2006

The political debate at Auburn University Thursday night between the College Democrats and College Libertarians started with an apology.

Brandon Costerison, campaign director for the Democrats, apologized for “not being able to offer a comprehensive debate” before the Nov. 7 election. Both the Libertarians and Democrats were unable to convince the College Republicans to participate.

Republican President Kristy Cottrell has said her group is against a three-party debate because the party felt the three-party debate last year didn’t run well, and the party didn’t feel an urgency to debate the Libertarians before the election when the Libertarians don’t have a candidate on a statewide ballot.

Libertarian candidate for governor Loretta Nall is running as a write-in, while Libertarian Dick Clark is on the ballot for the state House District 79 seat against Democratic challenger Carolyn Ellis and Republican incumbent Mike Hubbard.

“This organization (College Republicans) is doing a disservice to you for not coming and sharing their views,” Costerison said.

The Republicans were scheduled to discuss politics with the Democrats earlier this month, but the Democrats pulled out a week prior in protest of the Republicans’ refusal to take part in a three-party debate or a debate with the Libertarians before the election.

Russell Biser, one of two Libertarians who took part in Thursday’s debate, said the Republicans were willing to debate but not until February. To his knowledge, the Libertarians will not participate because it is months after the vote.

“The Republicans shouldn’t have hidden,” Costerison said.

“They missed an opportunity to education voters.”

Costerison believed he, Democratic president Jeffrey Ioimo and Damon Mims got their message out, but without a Republican voice, he felt voters will rely on the negative stereotypes of current Republicans and that could hurt the party.

Biser said the South is typically conservative and therefore expects a lot of students to follow the majority, without learning the party’s stance on the issues.

“We both believe we have better options,” he said.

Neither side was displeased the event drew approximately 100 people, the vast majority of which were students.

“These people will vote,” Costerison said. “They have a vested interest in the election.”

Since the Libertarian Party is the lesser known of the three parties, Biser said some people may have attended out of sheer curiosity to learn more about them.

Issues debated included school vouchers, drugs, open borders and the Patriot Act and Military Commissions Act.

(Read the original article here.)