Tuesday’s debate between Vice President Dick Cheney and Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., promises to add more tension to an already heated presidential race.

The debate, which begins at 7 p.m. at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, is the country’s only chance to see the two candidates square off before the Nov. 2 election.

Daniel Asencio, freshman in political science, said he thinks the debate favors Edwards and suggests that a good performance from one of these two candidates could sway and retain enough uncommitted voters to decide the election.

“Certainly John Edwards is energetic, young and charismatic, and Cheney is getting battered around by the media because of his connections to Halliburton, but people already know these things,” Asencio said. Asencio said he believes, however, in order for people to make up their minds, the vice presidential candidates will have to put away the re-used talking points and the standard rhetoric of the campaign trail.

“The thing is, people have been hearing the same stuff from the campaigns over and over again for the past six months,” Asencio said. “If one of the candidates shows good poise and presents new and excellent points, this could have a longer lasting effect on the polls than just a morning-after bounce.”

Catherine Swoboda, sophomore in agriculture, said she believes tonight’s debate is important for the presidential election.

“I think for this election, people are very concerned, and I would think that people would be more likely to watch tonight and become informed. That’s the only way that they can find a candidate that shares their views,” she said.

Swoboda downplayed the effect the debate would have on polls.

“If Edwards does well, it won’t affect things as much as much as if Bush or Kerry does well when they face off next,” she said. “Also, if any of the parties have anything amazing, earth-shattering or incredible, I think they will probably save it for Friday’s presidential debate, when it will have much more impact.”

Frederick Schuster, a freshman in civil engineering, said he thinks undecided voters will be even less likely to watch this event than the regular presidential debates.

“I don’t think too many people will tune in tomorrow night,” Schuster said. “It’s like picking the second-place finisher for Miss America — its sole purpose is just to keep the audience in suspense for a little while longer.”