Students filled the Shapiro Theater Thursday night to watch the first presidential debate between President Bush and his Democratic challenger Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.The debate, held at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., was moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS. Questions focused on foreign affairs and national security, particularly the war in Iraq.

The Shapiro Theater filled with applause when Kerry walked on stage, drowning out Lehrer's introduction of Bush when one person said, "you suck."

In the opening minutes, Bush explained how he acted to protect America after Sept. 11 and that unlike his opponent he has never changed his mind on how to conduct the war.

"I think Bush did a great job exposing Kerry's waffling on many issues, like he was for the Iraq war and now he's against it," Vincent Capanelli II '06, a leader of the Brandeis Republicans, said after the debate.

Kerry said the president made a mistake in invading Iraq instead of focusing efforts on trying to capture Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. He said it would have been just as wrong for America to attack Mexico instead of Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

"This president has made, I regret to say, a colossal error of judgment," Kerry said. "And judgment is what we look for in the president of the United States of America."

Sam Siegel '06, the president of Brandeis' chapter of the College Democrats, said Kerry made clear there was a right way and a wrong way to go into Iraq, and that "the president chose the wrong way."

Bush, in response, said that Kerry wants people to forget that he too authorized the use of force to invade Iraq. He then questioned his opponent's campaign statement, "help is on the way," saying the senator voted against an $87 billion supplemental package to provide equipment for U.S. troops in the line of fire.

The crowd applauded this remark.

"I'd like to see Kerry get out of this one," one student said.

Herschel Simon-Hartz '07 said two days after the debate that Bush repeated certain points to remind viewers that Kerry is a "flip-flopper" and lacks a consistent position on the war.

"When it comes to the $87 billion, it's just another example of how Kerry just is incapable of speaking clearly about the war," he said.

The senator countered by reiterating that Iraq had not been the focus of the war on terrorism and that Bush invaded the country without a "plan to win the peace." When asked if the war could be won, Kerry said: "We can win in Iraq, but I don't believe this president can."

According to Kerry, the United States went to war without enough allies. He said the U.S. has suffered 90 percent of the causalities and has funded an equal proportion of the war-$200 billion that should go toward schools and prescription drugs for seniors.

A few people here booed Bush when he corrected the senator in saying that there are four countries involved in the alliance against terrorism, not three. The president chided Kerry for not mentioning Poland as a member of the coalition of nations in Iraq.

Bush said he understands the consequences of putting troops in danger. He said he went to the United Nations, hoping the world would work together to encourage Saddam Hussein to listen to demands and let U.N. weapons inspectors into his country.

"I believe when an international body speaks, it must mean what it says," Bush said. "But Saddam Hussein had no intention of disarming."

Prof. Peter Woll (POL), who specializes in American politics and government, said he did not watch most of the debate.

"Everyone seems to agree, both Democrats and Republicans alike, that Kerry 'won' the debate," Woll said in an e-mail to the Justice.

Woll also said that Bush slouched during the debate and Kerry stood tall. He said the taller candidate always wins.

"I thought that [the debate] was refreshingly focused on substance and that the electorate was well served in that the people came away with a clear understanding of the candidates' ideas of foreign policy," Prof. Eileen McNamara (AMST), who is also a columnist for The Boston Globe, said Friday.