National Irish Debate Team discussed President Obama’s moderate stance on domestic policies, such as his about-face regarding the closing of Guantanamo Bay, at a debate last Thursday in Sturm Hall.
The debate was attended by almost 100 people. The National Irish Debate Team, which won the debate, contended that Obama’s moderate stance on political issues made him a flip-flopper. During his 2008 run for the presidency, Obama said he would close Guantanamo Bay if he was elected, which he has not done yet.
The DU Debate Team agreed, and they also conceded that Obama has been somewhat vague about his views on the institution of gay marriage.
“When the best and most concrete step you can say he has taken for furthering gay rights is not defending the lack of gay rights, I don’t think that’s necessarily the best thing in the world,” said Irish National Team member and third-year medicine student Elizabeth Ahern-Flynn, referring to the Defense of Marriage Act.
The DU debaters featured junior and International Studies major Katherine Snow, freshman and International Studies major Cody Walizer and sophomore and philophy major Gabe Rusk. The National Irish Debate Team members included Erin Kelleher, Elizabeth Ahern-Flynn, medicine students at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and Michael Conroy, a fifth-year medicine student from University College in Dublin.
The two teams previously competed in a debate tournament in Dublin, Ireland, which was hosted by The Irish Times. Students that attended the debate were entered to win additional raffle tickets to the presidential debate in October.
The National Irish Debate Team’s visit to DU was part of a paid debating tour of America, a prize they received after winning the 2012 Irish Times Debating Competition. Kelleher and Ahern-Flynn won the team prize and Conroy took the individual prize at the Irish competion.
The two teams debated in British Parliamentary style. Each debater was given seven minutes to present their speech on each issue presented, during which a clap signaled that the opposing team could ask questions. The current speaker could wave down or accept questions from the opposing team.
Throughout the debate, the DU team said Obama has maintained strong foreign policy. Members of the crowd banged on their desks in affirmation as Snow pointed out that Obama is finally taking soldiers out of Iraq.
In addition, Snow said Obama fulfilled his promise to fight terrorism when he succeeded in killing Osama bin Laden, the long-time al-Quaeda leader.
“What’s most important to this debate today? It’s that Obama killed Osama,” said Snow, eliciting cheers from the crowd. “He should win re-election because of his execution of foreign policy.”
The DU team also argued that Obama’s re-election would benefit the country, continuing the “momentum” he had already established in his first four years.
“Second term presidents are unique in their ability to pass things like compromises because they don’t care about their political reputations,” said Rusk.
The National Irish Debate Team, however, said Obama’s history of big government bailouts will only lead down a road of “stagnation and death,” and cited Europe as a prime example.
“When you visit Europe, you go visit the past,” said Kelleher. “When I visit America, I come to see the present and the future.”
The National Irish Debate Team also said Ron Paul would be their ideal candidate, arguing that Obama is afraid of being radical.
“[Obama] has diluted what it means to be an American; he hasn’t given you a clearer message beyond hope,” said Conroy. “There’s no messing around with Ron Paul. He’s got traditional American values, very distinctive things like individualism and self-determination.”
Both teams pointed out after the debate that they didn’t necessarily agree with the side they were representing, just that they should present it the best they could.
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