With speakers shouting above constant cheers and jeers from the audience, Friday night’s debate between Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and Fox News personality Sean Hannity often seemed more like a sporting event than a serious discussion of conflict in Iraq.
Both debaters strayed from the agreed-on format as talk grew heated inside a near-riotous Kingsbury Hall. The sold-out venue was filled with audience members from across Utah — many of them loudly voicing their discordant opinions.
“The liberals won’t let me talk,” Hannity jibed after one raucous response.
Each debater was given 30 minutes to present his side, followed by 30 minutes of participants questioning each other. With all of the interruptions from the audience and personal attacks from the debaters, experienced moderator Ken Verdoia (director of production for KUED-TV) struggled to satisfy his hope that the discussion would become more than a “shouting match.”
Speaking to Anderson and then Hannity, Verdoia demanded, “I want you to ask a damn question about Iraq, and I want you to answer it.”
Despite Verdoia’s efforts, many thought the event became chaotic.
“It was like a WWF (wrestling) match — the crowd was uncontrollable and you couldn’t really pay attention to the issues,” Brian Moss, a biology graduate, said.
Elizabeth Henrikson, an English graduate, agreed.
“Every question was cut off by ‘Get to the answer.’ It was less civilized (than a presidential debate) — but immensely entertaining.”
Brandon Dalley, a senior at Brigham Young University wearing an “I love Ann Coulter” T-shirt, did not share Henrikson’s approval.
“People were just yelling and screaming,” he said. “Mayor Anderson would not stick to the format proposed.”
Anderson called for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq and the impeachment of President Bush, saying his actions constitute crimes against peace.
“If we do not call for accountability, we are complicit,” Anderson said.
Conservative pundit Hannity, co-host of FOX News’ “Hannity and Colmes,” responded to Anderson’s request by blasting “Rocky’s liberal friends” — Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Hillary Clinton, D-NY — as “equal” culprits for problems with U.S. occupation in Iraq, leading him to charge that “Rocky should be impeached.”
When Hannity accused Anderson of voting for John Kerry in 2004, Anderson contended, “You don’t know who I voted for,” and said his choice was actually Green Party candidate Ralph Nader.
Hannity called Anderson’s criticism of the war “toxic,” and mocked his recent anti-war efforts as an “‘I Hate George Bush Tour.'”
“Stop the obsession with President Bush and help the troops,” he said.
Anderson countered, “The best way to support the troops is to get them home.”
Anderson described the war as an “unprovoked, devastating war of aggression,” and asked Americans to stand up for key values.
To Anderson, Hannity replied, “You believe we are occupiers. I believe we are liberators.”
The only moments of quiet came when Hannity showed film clips of mass graves of Iraqis killed by Saddam Hussein and Anderson followed with a slide show depicting the torturing at Abu Ghraib.
U Dean of Students Annie Nebeker said the debate was a “rollercoaster” but was glad it took place.
“The fact that it was a student-generated event was the best part,” Nebeker said.
The Associated Students of the University of Utah sponsored the debate. ASUU President Jake Kirkham thought it was exciting.
“The crowd was into it and (there) were good topics of conversation,” Kirkham said. “(The debate) was a great way for the 2006-2007 ASUU administration to go out — it couldn’t have ended on a better note.”
Lindsey SineMayor Rocky Anderson thanks the crowd after his “debate” with Fox News personality Sean Hannity
Lindsey SineSean Hannity