Students watch Dems debates
May 3, 2016
De Anza Students for Bernie Sanders gathered in conference rooms A and B at De Anza College to watch former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders square off at the CNN Democratic Party debate on Thursday April 14, one of the most heated primetime events of the 2016 election cycle.
Students watched with great interest as Sanders and Clinton faced off on issues concerning Wall Street, gun control, university tuition and social issues such as reproductive rights. Students said they were eager to see Sanders touch on all of these topics and to see how he could counter Clinton’s positions during the debate.
No one appeared to be supporting Clinton.
Allison Ewing-Mcdonald, 22, medical assistant major, said she supports Sanders because of his stance on healthcare and how he supports a single payer system.
Other students said they supported Sanders because of his approach to fund raising.
“I think he’s the best candidate because I like all the issues that he cares about, but you know anyone can safely say that has been saying some of the things he’s been doing, but the real difference is the way they’re accepting money,” Said Thao Le, 19, liberal arts major with a focus on social and behavioral science and an organizer with Students for Bernie Sanders. “[His] average donation is $27, doesn’t take money from Super PACs. That’s the difference between them and that’s why I really support him.”
Many students said they hope to see Sanders make changes to the higher education system. During the debate, Sanders spoke about making free college a possibility for students across the nation. Clinton had a similar idea, although it was to make college more “affordable.”
Eddie Cisneros, 22, a biology major, and one of the organizers of Students for Bernie Sanders at De Anza, said he started his support from the moment Sanders declared his candidacy.
“We started organizing this club in this fall,” Cisneros said. “One of the biggest reasons I support Bernie Sanders, it’s because he can inspire the youth to take action to be involved with the political system.”