President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney will face off for the third and final presidential debate at 9 p.m. tonight. The event will take place about 300 miles away, but the impact will resonate everywhere — especially on the Internet.
From binders of women to Obama’s initial lack of energy, the candidates’ performances have been picked apart post-debate and put online, turning politics into pop culture.
Physics sophomore Cody Bronnenberg, 20, doesn’t have a Twitter account, but he follows the memes that often trend after the debates. He said the jokes and parody videos are even better when they’re true.
“It’s pretty funny and interesting to see how each candidate has people who like to make fun of them,” Bronnenberg said.
On a more serious note, he said he doesn’t think the debates are a good way for undecided voters to choose.
“The bad thing about debates is candidates can say whatever they want, and there’s no real way to check what they’re saying while the debate is going on,” Bronnenberg said.
Li Massie, a 19-year-old international studies freshman, said she doesn’t watch debates in full. But her politically active friends keep her informed by posting opinions on Facebook.
The debates are a valuable opportunity for candidates to show their passion for specific issues, said health science junior Rachael DeViese, 20. She said younger viewers might be more interested in watching videos or scrolling through Twitter feeds to find out what the candidates said.
“A lot of young voters aren’t going to watch a debate,” she said.
Bronnenberg does but still can’t resist watching a parodied Romney dance to “Gangnam Style.”
The Democratic National Committee bus sits outside of Turlington Hall on Sunday. Special guests including former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm and model Chanel Iman spoke to students about voting. “I’m here to urge Florida to vote,” Granholm said, “because the whole country is watching and everything you are doing is so significant to the rest of us.”
