By Peter Shanley

Sen. John F. Kerry defeated President George W. Bush in the third and final debate, making it a perfect 3-0 sweep last Wednesday night in Tempe, Ariz.

According to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, 52 percent of registered voters thought Sen. Kerry won to 39 percent for Bush in the third debate. The second and the first were 47 percent to 45 percent and 53 percent to 37 percent, respectively, for Kerry.

“I think it says [Bush] is not able to verbally express himself,” said Heidi Buchanan, the president of Northeastern’s College Democrats. “It reflects very poorly on himself as an incumbent.”

Curtis Bergh, the co-chair of public relations for Northeas-tern’s College Republicans, ad-mitted Kerry performed better but questioned the impact the debates would have on the election.

“I don’t think the debate swayed many voters,” Bergh said.

He went on to say although Kerry bested Bush in all three debates because he “is a little more eloquent in his public speaking skills,” the senator lacked the substance behind his answers needed to impress voters.

The third 90-minute debate, which was moderated by Bob Schieffer of CBS News, featured the two candidates sparring over domestic issues ranging from health care to the economy.

Kerry admonished Bush for failing to do enough to boost the economy while giving tax cuts to the richest 1 percent of the country and for being fiscally irresponsible.

“Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order in this country,” Kerry said in the debate.

Bush laid blame on the fact that he inherited a recession from the previous administration and that the September 11 attacks further eroded the economy. The president also sought to paint Kerry as a liberal senator who would raise taxes and federalize the health care system if elected.

“There’s a mainstream in American politics, and you [Kerry] sit on the far left bank,” Bush said.

“[That was a] low blow,” Buchanan said. “We’re not calling Bush a right-wing conservative Nazi.”

Bergh said he felt Bush’s portrayal of Kerry was effective and it would influence voters.

But the remark that created the most publicity was Kerry’s response to whether or not homosexuality is a choice.

“I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney’s daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she’s being who she was,” Kerry said.

A firestorm consumed the national discourse for days following the debate and brought Vice President Dick Cheney’s wife to respond.

“The only thing I can conclude is he is not a good man. I’m speaking as a mom,” Lynne Cheney said during a stump speech at a rally. “What a cheap and tawdry political trick.”

Bush’s response to the same question was “I just don’t know” whether or not homosexuality is a choice.

Both candidates were pressured by Schieffer to answer religious questions —