Local students watch and learn during first presidential debate - WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader

Local students watch and learn during first presidential debate

They've got the first one under their belt.  As President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney make pitches for the presidency.  Students, some for the first time tune their ears to the TV.

Getting a college student to sit in one spot for 90 minutes is an accomplishment in and of itself.  But it didn't take extra credit or bonus points to get a handful of Rockford College students to watch this first presidential debate.

Zach Draves is a junior at Rockford College.  Politics peak his interest.  He has planned on this night for some time.

As a soon to be graduate, he's got a lot on his mind.  What will the job market be like when he's looking?  How will he repay mounting student loan debt?

Watching this debate motivates him to be more involved and learn about those big issues they're talking about.  He says its important to realize which candidate best represents you as an individual.

But what about a winner in these debates?  Political analysts call that a tough decision to make.

"Young people don't really seem to care about what's going on in our nation and there are a lot of issues out there that affect young people whether it's tuition, student loans, even in times of war," said Draves.

"Ya know, it's tough to measure winning or losing objectively.  What confounds it is, someone can be a very good debater and you could say that's okay I'm not voting for a debater, I'm voting for a President of the United States," said Ruckman.

The next debate will be for the vice presidential candidates that will take place October 11th.  After that there will be two more presidential debates, one on the 16th and the last on the 22nd of October.