November 3, 2020

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November 3, 2020

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The ballot holds the power to change lives on a national and local level As presidential campaigning comes to an end, the significance of voting should not be forgotten during local elections.

A

s election season winds down, it’s important to recognize how vital it is for us as Americans to take advantage of the rights we’ve been given, voting being one of the most important of all.

And while it is good to pay attention to presidential elections, it is also pertinent that people participate in local elections at all levels: state, city and town.

First, local elections can have a major impact on you as an individual, due to the fact that decisions made by local governments will more directly affect your life. Second, when talking about presidential elections, many people tend to say “your vote doesn’t really matter,” but

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when concerning local elections, your vote could have a major impact. Statistically, only one in five voters participate in local elections, making every vote even more impactful.

Local elections have the power to influence court systems, education and overall infrastructure. Chances are if you want to see change, the more you participate in local elections, the better the chances are change will happen. Change can also happen at the federal level, but it would take much longer than at the local level, since local governments don’t have so many hoops to go through and have fewer people to account for than the federal government. at that time to be the truth and reveal only that to their readers, but rather to report as completely and impartially as possible all verifiable facts so that readers can, based on their own knowledge and experience, determine what they believe to be the truth.

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ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES A sign for the voting location inside Squires Student Center, March 3, 2020.

Shanzeh Umerani, a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in multimedia journalism and minoring in international studies, commented on the power of local elections.

“Local elections hold more precedence than people think, and it’s so important to know who your local officials are, whether that’s your sheriff, senator or representative, governor, etc.,” Umerani said. “Without fully understanding the scope of their importance, we are willfully ignorant to state level decisions and wonder why we don’t know who’s in charge of the state when we’re in control of it the entire time.”

Umerani also spoke about why it’s so important for our generation to be politically active.

“With this generation, I feel like this is going to change; we’ve seen a lot of political turbulence over the past four years, and I think younger people are beginning to understand just how powerful their voices and actions are, which older politicians should be wary of because we’re growing more aware and

irritated with how things are being handled,” Umerani said.

Umerani makes a good point; many people don’t know who their local elected officials are and therefore don’t understand the why or how of the decisions being made. In 2011, only 21% of voters turned out in data covering 144 of America’s largest cities. Imagine, if this number was doubled, the impact we could have on our local government. This past year has been a year calling for change; if we want that change, we first need to change our voting habits. Pay attention to both local and federal elections and look at who your local representatives are and what they stand for. Find out what you want to see done in your community and how that change could impact neighboring communities. Let’s take advantage of the fact that we can vote, both federally and locally.

ABBY DURRER • junior • communication science and social inquiry

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November 3, 2020 PAGE 3

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Students and professors critique Trump and Biden’s first presidential debate performance College Republicans question the validity of fact-checking while Young Democrats see why Biden leads the post-debate polls.

JANE PARK news staff writer

After President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden debated in front of 73 million viewers on Sept. 29, the Virginia Tech community has weighed in with their thoughts.

Karen Hult, Ph.D., a political science professor at Virginia Tech with an area of research focused on the U.S. presidency, was surprised with how the debate unfolded.

“I think it was an embarrassing performance (for Trump),” Hult said. “I don’t think Biden contributed to it, but the kinds of norms, and the way that Trump started and continued through the debate is simply unprecedented. I’ve never seen anything like that on a televised debate.”

During the televised debate, various media outlets, such as the The New York Times, fact-checked the debate. Most of Trump’s claims were labeled as false or misleading, according to the Times.

Andrew Vail, the chairman of College Republicans at Virginia Tech and a senior majoring in political science and national securities studies, felt that Trump’s claims were mostly true, and said he was not purposefully misleading. He also expressed that fact-checking done by an outside party is questionable.

“I don’t think anything he said was deliberately misleading. I also don’t put much stock in fact checking generally — I think it’s kind of a nonsense institution,” Vail said.

“Some random person working for some third party says this is mostly true, or this is partly false. I don’t necessarily think that we should put total belief in that.”

Liam Barlow, a senior political science major who is also president of the Young Democrats at Virginia Tech, said he was not shocked by Trump’s performance. He also noted a resemblance between Trump’s strategies from the 2016 debate to this one.

“My initial takeaway during the debate was that Trump was performing exactly as

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I expected him to; it wasn’t a major deviation from his behavior during the last four years of his presidency. Personal targeted attacks are a big part of his brand,” Barlow said. “He uses it as a way of deflecting his own problems from the fact that he’s trailing in the polls by about 10 points now. And, to a certain extent, in 2016, it worked, so he thinks he can try it again.”

On the contrary, Vail saw a change in Trump’s performance. He felt that Trump’s strategy in 2016 led to his win for presidency, but his strategy now needs to change.

“Contrast from 2016 to now — in 2016, the strategy for the debates was, ‘everyone on this stage is a career politician, and I’m not, like the American people haven’t been helped by all these career politicians for decades, and I’m a radically different option.

I’m not like these people — I’m different; I’m exciting,’” Vail said. “I think now, his strategy for debating should be relaxed, take a step back, don’t be quite as boisterous as he normally would be.”

One of the key moments in the debate was Trump’s response to moderator Chris Wallace’s question regarding the condemnation of white supremacy. Trump replied by addressing the Proud Boys, a neo-facist, far-right extremist group, and told them to “stand back and stand by.”

Since then, President Trump’s controversial comment has been open to interpretation; an online forum revealed that the Proud Boys saw the President’s comments as a call to arms against antifa.

“Now, one could interpret that in a couple of different ways. One could certainly interpret it the way that the president’s campaign interpreted it after the fact, and said it basically was asking the Proud Boys and similar kinds of groups to stay out of the violence, and to not contribute to the violence,” Hult said. “On the other hand, if we especially see how the Proud Boys interpreted after the fact, it sounded more, as though it could be interpreted as the president saying, ‘Okay, just cool it for now, but you’re on my side.’ So that was a really ambiguous part of the debate.”

For Barlow, he was not thrown off by the

president’s remarks, as it seemed very on brand for him. However, Barlow acknowledged that Trump may not have been fully aware of the effect of his statements at the time. However, he felt President Trump did not condemn white supremacy nonetheless.

“Trump knows it’s not his political best interest to condemn white supremacy.

They’re his base, they’re his supporters –– I don’t know whether he’s happy about that or not,” Barlow said. “I won’t preclude judgment to that, but he knew in 2017 that condemning these people wouldn’t help his poll numbers. And he knows now in 2020, it probably won’t help his poll numbers.”

Meanwhile, Vail expressed that Trump denounced white supremacy countless times, especially the day after Charlottesville’s Unite the Right rally in 2017. He also felt that the president being quoted about there being “fine people on both sides” has always been taken out of context.

As for Trump’s remarks about the Proud Boys, Vail viewed it not as an invitation, but as a threat.

“Because to me, if you’re a kid misbehaving, and your dad is like, ‘just stand by, I’ll be right back.’ To me, that sounds like a threat,” Vail said. “It sounds like he’s telling them like ‘back off, and just you wait,’ you know what I mean? And people are trying to make it like it was a call to arms of some kind. I think they’re twisting what he meant into what they wanted him to mean.”

Another highlight of the debate was Biden’s lack of patience with the president’s interjections. He proceeded to ask Trump, “Will you shut up, man?” and also referred to him as a clown.

Nicholas Goedert, Ph.D., a political science professor at Virginia Tech with an area of research focus in American politics, felt that Biden’s disrespect toward the president went largely ignored due to the controversy around Trump. However, if Biden was debating another candidate, then his insults would have made headlines.

Goedert also noted that it was clear Biden came prepared for the debate.

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November 3, 2020 PAGE 5

DEBATE: Hokies react to first 2020 presidential debate from page 3

“Biden did clearly come into the debate with a clear strategy in terms of how he addressed so many answers directly to the audience and their personal experience — it was undermined a little bit by Trump’s constant interruption. There were definitely parts of the beginning of the debate where Biden was a little bit lost as he does tend to do in some of these debates,” Goedert said.

“I think (Biden) performed reasonably well, again being distracted by the interruptions by Trump, which I think did hurt the message of both candidates, but it probably did hurt Trump more than it hurt Biden.”

Moderator Chris Wallace also came to the center of attention. He faced criticism from both liberals and conservatives for his inability to keep the two candidates from speaking over each other, and struggling to move through the questions. Conservatives also called him a “third debater” against President Trump.

Vail appeared to agree with the criticisms, as he felt that Wallace indeed did not do a good job as the moderator, as he did not maintain the debate well.

“I don’t know if it’s an issue of the debate format — people need more time to talk or bounce back and forth quicker between

people or something, but in general, I don’t think he did a great job,” Vail said. “As far as him becoming like a ‘third debater,’ like people are saying, I feel like he went after President Trump talking over Joe Biden, probably more than he went after Joe Biden talking over President Trump. To be fair, President Trump (was) talking over Joe more than Joe (was) talking over him.”

Nonetheless, Hult felt that Wallace did not do a poor job as a moderator because he was put in a difficult position. She also thought that the moderator should have the power to cut the microphone of the candidate whose turn is up and move on.

“He was trying as best he could to adhere to the rules that both sides have agreed on,” she said. “In terms of the range of questioning for the debate, Chris Wallace said ahead of time, he would act as a fact checker throughout the debate, and that made some of the back and forth even more misleading, uninformative, and so on.”

For the second and final presidential debate on Oct. 22, however, the Commission on Presidential Debates allowed the microphones to be muted when necessary.

Some of the issues that were touched on in the debate included the response to COVID-19, the economy, rising unemployment and climate change.

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However, Barlow felt that the conversations regarding these topics were not productive, and, as a young college student, he was worried that neither candidate truly understood the magnitude of these issues.

“When we talked about COVID-19, that felt like we’re still debating basic facts of a pandemic that’s been going on for six or seven months now,” Barlow said. “We’re still debating whether wearing masks is important or not — that debate should have been held months ago. I did not like the question (Wallace) asked: ‘Do you believe in climate change?’ I think we should be past that question. The time to debate whether climate change exists or is manmade, that was a debate for the 1970s. You know, this is 2020. We should be having a debate about what we can do to mitigate it and how quickly can we get it done. As a student who wants to see these issues addressed, it’s frustrating, and I think other people have a right to be frustrated as well about.”

Overall, Goedert believed that the debate benefitted Biden the most, especially because many started voting early around the time of the debate. “(The debate) did seem to help Biden a little bit in the post-debate polling,” Goedert said. “I think it is a relevant time frame because this debate also happened

around the time that a lot of cities starting early voting, and there are lots of states that require millions of early votes, which is very important, so the debate might have helped Biden bank a certain number of early votes that really can’t be taken away from him regardless of what happens.”

@CollegiateTimes

BASKETBALL PREVIEW

Hokies’ basketball set to tip off season on Nov. 28 Despite uncertainty in the ACC schedule, the Hokies have the potential to climb in the conference standings.

CLAIRE CASTAGNO sports editor

After months and months of uncertainty of what the college basketball season might look, or not look like, basketball games are set to be played this month. After what is probably the longest off-season in history, the 2020-21 college basketball season will tip off on Nov. 25.

Much of Virginia Tech’s schedule is still undecided, but its first four matchups are set, and they are more electric than previous seasons. The Hokies will need to hit the ground running if it has March Madness hopes.

Virginia Tech will travel to Uncasville,

Connecticut to compete in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. The games will be held Nov. 28- Dec. 4 at Mohegan Sun Arena, or what the tournament considers “Bubbleville.”

The Hokies have matchups lined up against Rhode Island, Temple and University of South Florida. Virginia Tech beat Rhode Island in 2012, and lost to Temple in 2009, but have not played USF since 1995, but the Hokies won that matchup as well.

On Dec. 8, the Hokies had an exciting matchup against Penn State as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The two faced off in the challenge in 2018, which resulted in a heartbreaking loss on the last play of the game in State College, 62-63. But, the two

will meet in Blacksburg this year, and with totally different teams. Coach Mike Young leads the Hokies, and Penn State coach Pat Chambers has recently resigned, and key players from last season have moved on. Tech is 2-0 versus the Nittany Lions in Cassell Coliseum. Last season, the Hokies were the lone team to sit out of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, so it is Young’s first year to contribute to the ACC standings.

Practice officially began on Oct. 14, and fans have been able to follow along with the team on Twitter.

“I think we have gotten off to a really good start so far,” said Tyrece Radford on Twitter. “It’s a whole new team, so we’re even more locked in when someone asks us

a question or when coaches are pinpointing something.”

The rest of the non-conference and ACC schedule will be announced at a later date, but according teh the NCAA’s Power 36 rankings, four ACC teams are considered in the top 36 teams of the country. This is less than previous years, and the Hokies have the chance to climb close to the top of the conference this season.

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PAGE 6 November 3, 2020

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Previewing the Hokies’ 2020 basketball rotation Sports editor Devin Shepard outlines possibilities for the men’s basketball team’s roster for the upcoming season.

DEVIN SHEPARD sports editor

Virginia Tech will tip off its 2020 basketball season this year Nov. 28 with the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. Let’s take a look at the Hokies’ roster and what the rotation could potentially look like this year.

The Starters

Wabissa Bede, G, Graduate Student - 31 mpg Bede is the longest tenured player on the roster and likely head coach Mike Young’s most trusted confidante. He is a great defender and a leader on both ends of the floor. If he has taken a step forward offensively this offseason, Virginia Tech may be able to reach new heights in the ACC. Tyrece Radford, G, Redshirt Sophomore - 27 mpg Radford is considered the best player on the team according to box plus minus. A unique player who does a bit of everything on the basketball court, he led the team in rebounding last season despite only standing 6-foot-2. Radford’s effort and skill on both ends of the floor should prove valuable to the Hokies this season.

Cartier Diarra, G, Graduate Student - 30 mpg Diarra is a graduate transfer from Kansas State and seems likely to start after playing big minutes for his team over the past two years. He brings special athleticism and playmaking to the Hokies’ roster, and Virginia Tech should have a very strong group of lead guards when he, Bede and Radford are on the floor. Look for Diarra to possibly lead the team in scoring this season as he should have the ball in his hands a lot.

Nahiem Alleyne, G, Sophomore - 27 mpg Alleyne was a surprise starter as a freshman last season but proved his worth by being a knockdown shooter for the Hokies.

He brought spacing to surround the slashers on the team, hitting 38.9% of his threepoint shots in his first year on the team. If he improved his playmaking and ball handling skills over the summer, Alleyne has a chance to be one of the leaders on the Virginia Tech offense over the next couple of years.

Keve Aluma, F, Redshirt Junior - 27 mpg

Aluma was a starter on coach Young’s Wofford team that made the Round of 32 two years ago. He brings size and rebounding to a unit that lacks in those areas. Aluma may not be much of a three-point shooting threat, but he should fit nicely as a bigger version of what P.J. Horne was last season.

The Second Unit

Hunter Cattoor, G, Sophomore - 21 mpg Hunter Cattoor came in last season and got a lot of playing time as a freshman. He is mostly a shooter at the guard position, not doing much else. However, he is very good at what he does, as the young player hit 40.2% of his threes last year.

Jalen Cone, G, Sophomore - 19 mpg Cone, a highly touted prospect out of high school, may bring the most upside on the roster due to his athleticism and scoring skills. Like the other freshmen, he brought most of his value as a knockdown shooter last season, hitting 45.7% of his three-point attempts. At only 5-foot-9, he doesn’t bring much as a defender, but his confidence and ability to hit all kinds of shots could be big for Virginia Tech.

John Ojiako, F, Sophomore - 11 mpg Ojiako is a raw big man, but brings valuable size to the Hokies at 6-foot-10, 245. Last season it was obvious he needed more time before he could be a consistent contributor, but he showed flashes at times.

Another year sitting behind a veteran like Aluma will be helpful for Ojiako, and he may be a big time player as a junior.

Joe Bamisile, G, Freshman/Darius Maddox, G, Freshman - 7 mpg Bamisile and Maddox both come in as four-star recruits out of high school.

Bamisile brings athleticism and defense while Maddox is a knockdown shooter and scorer. Both are very talented, and Virginia Tech fans should not be surprised if one of them is starting by the end of the season.

CHARLIE ALEXANDER / COLLEGIATE TIMES

David N’Guessan, Grant Yates, Gill Williamson, Justyn Mutts and Cordell Pemsl are also on the team but aren’t likely to be part of the rotation this season.

@CTSportsTalk

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

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November 3, 2020 PAGE 7

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Virginia Tech women’s basketball team looks to continue its momentum

The schedule has not yet been released, but the upcoming season looks promising.

AMBER WILLIAMS assistant sports editor

This upcoming season is promising for the Hokies as they look to capitalize on the momentum created last year. Virginia Tech proved to be a dominating force on the court as they were poised to compete in the NCAA Tournament before the abrupt end of last season. This would have been the first time the team competed in the tournament since 2006.

This will be the Hokies’ fifth year with head coach Kenny Brooks; under his leadership the team’s overall record is 86-46 (.637). Tech has had four consecutive seasons with over 20 wins since his arrival to the school.

Last year the Hokies scored a total of

2,129 points with an average of 71 points per game. They had a shooting margin of 8.9.

Their record was 21-9 overall and 11-7 in the ACC. The scoring leader for the team last season was guard Aisha Sheppard with 443 points. The senior was First Team All-ACC for 2020 and set the program record with 84 3-pointers in one season for 2019-20.

Sheppard will definitely continue to be a dominant player for the Hokies.

Next for most points on the team was Elizabeth Kitley. The sophomore center totaled 375 points for the season. Kitley was the 2020 ACC freshman of the year and three-time ACC freshman of the week.

Kitley is very early in her career and will continue to improve her already elevated game. This year she is again going to be a

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Taja Cole (5) scores on a layup, Feb. 27, 2020.

key player for the Hokies.

The third leader for points last season, Dara Mabrey, transferred to Notre Dame during the off-season, but there are plenty of other strong players on the Hokies offense that have the ability to fill her shoes.

Along with their veteran players, the Hokies have promising freshmen, including 5-foot-5 guard Georgia Amoore who won

a gold medal at the U-16 Asian Cup. The Hokies have a chance with their strong offensive line to make it to the NCAA Tournament this season.

The 2020-21 schedule for the women’s team has not been announced yet. @CollegiateTimes

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