By Claire DeRoin–
Following Tuesday night’s debate between Steve King and Christie Vilsack, the audience was left with the sense that these two candidates couldn’t be more polar opposites in their personal and political viewpoints.
Before the debate, audience members reported wanting to hear about particular topics, such as immigration, traditional marriage, abortion, border patrol, and the relatively less controversial topic of the economy.
The audience was asked to withhold all comments and reactions during the debate so that the candidates could have more time to respond to questions.
The Iowa 4th District Congressional Debate took place on Tuesday, October 9, in Eppley Auditorium on the Morningside campus.
ABC news and the Sioux City Journal sponsored the debate aimed at Iowa’s 4th Congressional District. The moderators were ABC news anchors from Des Moines and Sioux City, and the panelists were composed of Sioux City Journal and KCAU news staff.
When asked why each candidate felt they could represent the 4th district, the answers were quite different.
“Every town in Iowa feels like my hometown,” Vilsack answered.
King answered not about representing the 4th District, but about his campaign, “I will learn things about myself I do not yet know.”
Early on in the debate, King took a derogatory front towards his opponent, at times calling her “the lady.” “I’m sorry if that offends the lady,” King said at one point, smirking in the direction his supporters were sitting.
Beth Norton, a senior, asked a question to Steve King during the debate. She wanted to know about financing college educations.
“You need to be a good shopper,” King answered. “Make sure that you go out there and have these colleges compete for you as a student. But also get the most value for your money.”
Vilsack mentioned that she promoted student loans.
Once, the moderators stepped in and told the King supporters to please withhold their comments, the Vilsack supporters burst into applause; irony at its finest.
Throughout the debate, the candidates clashed on issues and took jabs at each other at every opportunity.
Other topics that were covered included the state of the economy in terms of the current deficit, contraceptives, limited calorie school lunches, and higher education.
The audience grumbled at times, usually when Vilsack said something that portrayed King in a negative light. A loud outburst came when Vilsack brought up the fact that King voted for five pay raises for himself, and voted against a pay raise for the military. She then made clear that point she would refuse to take a pay raise until the debt was lowered, or the budget fairly balanced.
The only thing that the candidates seemed to agree on was the issue of gun control.
Closing remarks were as different as the candidates’ stances on the issues. Vilsack stated that she is pro small-town Iowa and pointed out that King has not done enough for Iowans. King redeemed himself with a crack at the Vilsack ad campaign, then briefly and energetically summed up his stance on issues.
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