Brian Manzullo

Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain are scheduled to hold the first of three presidential debates at 9 p.m. Friday at the University of Mississippi.

The candidates are scheduled to discuss issues of foreign policy and national security. The debate will be aired on CBS affiliate WNEM-TV and NBC affiliate WEYI-TV.

However, McCain announced Wednesday that he may not attend the debate, saying he is suspending his campaign to work on solving the economic crisis on Wall Street.

Obama said he will also return to Washington, but has rejected McCain’s request to delay the debate Friday.

Chris Owens, a political science assistant professor, said that the topic was picked before the economic crisis, it is likely the economy will still be worked into the debate.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they start with the global economy and work from there to Wall Street,” Owens said.

Owens also expects Obama to stress that he opposed the war in Iraq.

Owens said it is important to watch how the candidates handle themselves.

“A lot of times debates are more about how candidates react to questions than the debates themselves,” Owens said.

Owens said a good debater is concise and easy to understand, and that is a problem for Obama’s long answers.

On the other hand, Owens said, McCain is known for his temper, and Owens is interested in seeing whether Obama will attempt to provoke him.

Brad Helber, a Kenton senior, said he is more interested in the economy than foreign policy, but that he probably will still watch the debate.

“I don’t really have anything else planned on Friday,” Helber said.

Helber said he wants to know how the candidates will handle foreign hostilities.

“Diplomacy first or just send in the soldiers?” Helber said.

The second debate will be Oct. 7 at Belmont University in Tennessee, using a town hall-format in which citizens will ask the candidates questions.

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