Students weigh in on primary

Despite the generalization that college students care little about politics, a few Boston University students turned out last night to watch the first Democratic gubernatorial debate at the Tsai Performance Center.

State Treasurer Shannon O’Brien, State Senator Warren Tolman, Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, and Senate President Thomas Birmingham debated in front of a packed crowd, while some students who weren’t able to obtain tickets to the debate were directed to the media room to watch it on television.

While many attendees were supporting their favorite candidates, some said they were unsure of whom to vote for, like BU Acting President and Chancellor John Silber.

“I don’t have any opinion on that,” Silber said. “Wait until the end of this debate and you’ll have a better idea on that. Tonight’s debate will be very important for the four contenders for the Democratic nomination.”

Silber said that even though the Democratic candidates were slinging mud at each other now, all would be forgotten in two weeks.

“The Democrats kick the hell out of each other as a matter of ancient custom,” Silber said. “After the primary, they’ll usually unite behind the winner. Everybody will discount that stuff.”

Ethan Clay, the Student Union president and College of Arts and Sciences junior, said he was “just [at the debate] to observe.” Clay said he was unsure of a candidate he would select if voting in Massachusetts.

However, many students did support candidates last night, with a majority saying they were in favor of Tolman.

Rory Gill, a CAS freshman from Chelmsford, said he supported all four candidates, but said he believed Tolman was the best choice for office.

“I believe he is committed to ending corruption in state government,” Gill said. “I think Tolman will be the biggest change Massachusetts has had in a long time.”

Carl Woog, a member of the College Democrats and the Union VP of student affairs, said he was also behind Tolman because of his dedication to students and his Clean Election candidate status.

“Tolman is the only candidate to contact the student body and has taken interest in student affairs,” Woog said. “He’s a Clean Elections candidate. I think students can relate to such a gentleman.”

Adam Boyajy, a College of Communication graduate student, said he hoped Tolman would win the primary.

“I’m kind of rooting for Tolman,” Boyajy said. “He came to my block and he asked me my name. He’s the only one [who did that].”

Reich also garnered popularity with the student voters. Todd Crawford, a second-year BU law student, joined fellow Reich supporters and held signs in front of the Tsai Center.

“I support him because he’s the best voice of reform,” Crawford said. “He seems the most sincere in eliminating backroom deals that have represented state politics in Massachusetts for awhile.”

Bobh McNamara said he wasn’t voting in Massachusetts, but if he were, he said Reich would get his vote based on his far left views.

“I’m fairly sure Reich won’t win, but at heart, I definitely lean left,” McNamara said. “He’s the left-most candidate.”

Shawn White, the president of the College Democrats and a CAS junior, said he wasn’t behind any one candidate, but supported them all.

“Our stance as the College Democrats is that we support any candidate and encourage our members to join a campaign of their choice,” White said. “After [Sept. 17], whomever is the candidate that’s chosen will be our candidate.

The candidates debated for approximately one hour, trading blows. Reich took heat when asked to respond to allegations he had called Tolman a “political hack.”

“I said Warren was acting like a political hack,” Reich insisted. “There is a distinction.”

Reich later made a statement to Shannon O’Brien while asking her a question that mimicked White’s view on the primary.

“Certainly you’d be better than Mitt Romney,” Reich said. “Any of us would be.”

Clay, who was unsure of the issues and candidates before the debate, said if he were voting in Massachusetts, he would throw his weight behind Tolman.

“I like his style,” said Clay, who is a registered independent. “We seemed to share similar values, really speaking on behalf of people who aren’t always speaking for themselves. He’s championing a cause that seems almost impossible, and I can relate to that.

“He was like the grassroots campaigner,” Clay said of Tolman. “You could tell it was in his heart, and he was talking about going straight through to Romney. I respected his resolve.”

While he said he thought Tolman won the debate, Clay said O’Brien performed the best and Reich the worst.

“[O’Brien] diverted a lot of negative publicity and handled the questions very well,” Clay said. “Reich did the worst in the debate. He came across as very unprofessional and was very egotistical.”

However, Clay said he felt he was choosing between the “lesser of the four evils.”

“I felt that none of them were free of doing the dirty campaigning and none of them stood out as a star,” Clay said.