With the Republican primaries just around the corner, we wanted to find out whether Juniata students are really paying attention.  Several students were asked whether they have been watching the Republican debates.  The responses were varied.

“Yes, because Republicans have a pretty big decision in who they are going to nominate.  A serious Republican candidate has a very good chance at beating Obama. So far, Obama hasn’t been able to deliver on his promise of change in terms of national confidence and effective leadership.”

–Jacob Messer ’14, Kennebunkport, Maine

“If by following the Republican debates you mean watching the Daily Show and listening to Jon Stewart’s commentaries about the whole thing, then yes. Otherwise not really.”

–Laura Lou Delehanty ’13, Homer, Alaska

“I haven’t been watching the debates, mostly because I don’t have a TV in my room.  At any rate, I’m not sure I would watch the debates even if I could.  As much as I would love to watch all of the candidates talk about slightly different versions of the same thing week after week while everyone ignores Ron Paul, I have better things to do.”

–Roman Acri ’14, Harrisburg, Pa.

“I watch a majority of the Republican debates in the form of Saturday Night Live mockery.  I’m not a huge fan of any of the nominees, so I figure that I’ll just wait until after the primaries to start really paying attention.”

–Katrina Biglin ’14, Burlington, N.J.

“I have been following the Republican debates relatively closely because the debates at this point in the campaign process show the true ideologies of the candidates. Debates later next year will be all for show and simply to get ahead in the polls.”

–Michael Weintraub ’15, Hayward, Calif.

Kelsey Molseed ’14, Juniata Online Journalist