CEDAR FALLS (KWWL) -
Monday night's debate is Tuesday's hot topic on social media -- and in college classrooms. Many young voters are talking about the one-liners which came out of the debates, like Obama's "Horses and Bayonets" quip. But will a clever comeback matter when it comes time to vote?
We conducted an informal poll about the debate in an "Introduction to American Politics" class at the University of Northern Iowa. The vast majority of students in the class have either voted early, or are planning to vote in this election. They are paying attention to what happened in Monday night's debate -- even if they didn't watch firsthand.
"Everyone should be, as far as I'm concerned. It's the future of our country," said freshman Sam Krull.
Krull watched the final debate, along with a third of his classmates. About half of the people in the room said the debate influences their vote. Carly Pasker, for one, was hoping Monday's face-off would sway her decision.
"I definitely think I'm an undecided voter. I look more at the candidate themselves, not the party," said Pasker.
She has yet to commit to a candidate -- unlike Bernard Pollmeier. He voted early, but is still paying attention to the debates and the subsequent TV and radio reports.
"I've been following it pretty close. I try to listen to both the Democrats side and the Republican side," said Pollmeier.
As for the "big bird" and "bayonets" lines?
"I've definitely heard some stuff about the bayonets and horses deal," Pollmeier said.
"Definitely on Facebook. A lot of my friends talk about that," Pasker agreed.
But the vast majority said it's the facts they care about -- not the zingers.
"I like to pay more attention to the facts, not the headliners," said Pasker.
"I think, when they go up to vote, they're going to think about who's going to fix the economy. They're not going to remember the one-liners like "Binders full of women"," Krull added.
We asked the students where they get their political news, whether it's through social media, mobile apps, television, newspaper, or radio. The majority say they depend on both television and social media for information.
