Daniel Petty

RICHMOND, Va. — The New York Times recruited 20 editors college publications from around the country to share their thoughts in real time for the final presidential debate. I provided observations and analysis for the debate, in addition to the vice presidential debate and the first debate. Read the full stream of entries from other student editors and me here.

12:30 a.m. — The two issues students were most pleased to hear about were education and abortion — issues that until now students said hadn’t received much attention. The possible crisis in higher education isn’t limited to one class. For those still in school, will the economic policies of either candidate allow the credit markets to unfreeze so students can obtain private loans? For those graduating: Will the job market be robust?

On secondary education: Another student, who tutors inner-city students, said he thought McCain’s idea of introducing competition in the public school system was fundamentally a better approach than Obama’s vague calls for “reform.” More students from our school in recent years have joined the ranks of Teach for America, so it’s an issue that will affect them. I was approached myself by the program.

On abortion, many were happy to see the candidates embrace a controversial issue like that and talk about it. One other student argued abortion’s not an issue the president should consider anyway because the Supreme Court’s decision is not likely to be overturned under either candidate.

10:27 p.m. — The entire specter of an abortion has fundamentally changed on campuses since emergency contraception (Plan B has become widely available in this country over the counter.) It’s more-or-less anonymous and not terribly expensive. Officials at our health center have reported seeing fewer people for emergency contraception, likely because it’s so readily available. Still, the abortion debate shows no signs of subsiding, at least among students here. There’s a strong debate about women’s rights going on in our opinion section right now. I think it’s an issue that many people at college are still struggling to reconcile: pro-life or pro-choice?

10:09 p.m. — Candidates are pledging a strong commitment to reducing foreign oil imports. But it’s realistic to assume that this economic crisis is going to seriously derail or at least delay those plans, including Obama’s 10-year commitment to ween us off foreign imports. Again, it’s an issue that’s urgently important to college students. Some energy experts argue we’ve already reached peak oil, so it’s admirable to see both candidates at least acknowledge energy independence is a priority. But whether they’ll follow through — unlike so many presidents before them — remains to be seen.

Obama is making an effort to equate the energy revolution with an economic revolution, which should appeal to many college students who are fearful they’ll be unemployed when they graduate college.

9:28 p.m. — I’m glad Bob Schieffer asked the question about the federal budget deficit. Students here trust Obama more — but not by much — to handle it. When Sarah Palin came to Richmond Monday, she declared McCain would balance the federal budget by the end of his term. “We cannot afford another big spender in the White House,” she said.

Both candidates are trying to divorce themselves from the polices of President George W. Bush. The deficit is a serious issue college students have to care about, because if this generation doesn’t take care of it, it’s our generation that’s going to have to. There’s a good number of students who don’t think either candidate can balance the budget. It’s going to require raising taxes, cutting spending, or both — and those aren’t popular to talk about when you’re trying to get elected as president.

8:35 p.m. — Absent from the presidential debate so far has been detailed discussion about the Second Amendment. When 33 people were killed at Virginia Tech in April 2007, and more were killed at Northern Illinois University, college campuses began seriously contemplating how best to prevent another massacre. Should we arm students? Arm professors? Bolster security? Candidates also need to talk about whether to renew the assault weapons ban and whether to close the gun show loophole.

RICHMOND, Va. — The New York Times enlisted 20 student newspaper editors from around the country to weigh in on the vice presidential debate in real time for the Times’ Caucus Blog. Below are the entries I filed from a watch party on the campus of the University of Richmond throughout the evening. Read the full stream of posts here and my reactions from the first debate here.

11:40 p.m. — About half the people in the room stayed behind for a post-debate discussion. Some students said they thought that Palin partially redeemed herself, now that she’s been given a chance to speak directly to Americans. Others said Palin was talking to them as if they were 12-year-old children and merely proved she’s too inexperienced.

Students were also criticizing her for failing to answer questions. “It bothers me if she can’t answer a straight question,” one female student said. Another brought up the problem of sexism: What Palin said wasn’t being taken as seriously because of her gender.

Students were craving for more discussion about social security, which threatens to be non-existent by the time we’re eligible for it, and health care. Many others criticized the lack of talk about the government’s fiscal responsibility.

10:25 p.m. — Education, particularly as it relates to college students, hasn’t been addressed so far. Biden mentioned it in passing, Palin talked briefly about No Child Left Behind and its failures. But about 70 percent of students here trust Obama to handle education the best, according to a survey by our newspaper. Ten percent said McCain.

Students are nervous about whether they’ll be able to obtain private loans to finance their education, and it’s an issue the candidates need to address more forcefully. Obama has talked about a tuition credit for students, but it’s unclear how he would pay for it.

I’m watching the debate with about 110 students — just as many as there were for the first presidential debate. Most students here have an unfavorable opinion of Gov. Palin, and many say they don’t know who Joe Biden is. This debate should set up clear differences between where both candidates stand.

9:53 p.m. — Most students here probably agree that global warming is a man-made phenomenon. Both candidates are offering similar plans related to the environment. But absent so far has been any specific plan about how to reduce carbon emissions. Mass transit infrastructure in this country is woefully underfunded and not nearly as comprehensive compared to systems in other countries. In Richmond, the city’s only mass transit system might have to cut routes because there’s not enough money to fund them. Gas prices are high, and students and the rest of this country need relief.

8:12 p.m. — Unemployment claims are at a seven-year high, and I’m a senior in college planning to get a job when I graduate. What are the vice presidential candidates’ plans for ensuring a healthy job market? I’d also like to see them address that other big issue: the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Forget the past; what are our long-term plans for each country? Finally, a detailed discussion about how to cut dependence on foreign oil is important, both for our economy and national security interests.

RICHMOND, Va. — The New York Times enlisted 20 student newspaper editors from around the country to weigh in on the first presidential debate in real time for the Times’ Caucus Blog. Below are the entries I filed from a watch party on the campus of the University of Richmond throughout the evening. Read the full stream of posts here.

11:35 p.m. — A few of the undecided voters I talked to after the debate weren’t swayed by either candidate, and some left saying that neither McCain nor Obama presented clear solutions to our foreign policy problems. To be honest, I think we might see a much stronger reaction from our students once candidates debate domestic issues. The overriding concern here, especially for seniors is: How does this economic crisis impact my ability to get a job after I graduate and my ability to pay back student loans?

10:28 p.m. — Our campus has really been pushing to be more environmentally sustainable in the last year, when our first-term president signed the Presidents Climate Commitment. Our environmental group on campus is highly active. On Fridays, our dining hall is encouraging students not to use trays so we reduce the amount of food we consume. Next year, energy monitors are being installed on all of our residence halls. The city’s bus system has proposed cutting the only bus route between our university and downtown Richmond, a move that sparked a lot of outrage and concern from faculty, students and staff who use it to get to and from the city — particularly with gas prices so high.

10:23 p.m. — The debate about policies concerning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has been essentially a non-existent issue on this campus. We’ve got a small ROTC program — perhaps a dozen students — and two years ago we ran an article about ROTC students and what they thought about going into a war we weren’t winning. They considered it their duty to serve. But for the overwhelming majority of the students at this small, liberal arts college, they don’t have a direct stake in these wars. There may be small academic forums here and there about it. There’s a biology professor of ours working in Afghanistan for a year for the Wildlife Conservation Society. But there haven’t been ardent protests against the wars in the three years I’ve been here.

8:58 p.m. — I’m in a room with about 40 other students. A one-on-one student debate between the coordinator of students for Barack Obama and someone from the Students for McCain group is finishing up now.

Our newspaper just finished a three-day survey of 350 undergraduate students on campus (about 3,000 total). We’ve got a diverse representation of opinion. 71 percent of respondents said they were absolutely certain to vote in November. 52 percent said if the election were held today, they’d vote for Obama, 32 percent said McCain, 17 percent were undecided. More interesting: The people who identify as Democrat, Independent and Republican was virtually split. 35 percent said independent, 33 percent Democrat, 27 percent Republican. We’ve got a sizable number of religious conservative students on campus.