Students filled the Pioneer Room in the Memorial Union Thursday afternoon to watch four presidential contenders in a televised debate.

No, the candidates weren’t George W. Bush, John McCain, Al Gore and Bill Bradley. But their campaign promises and stances on issues that should garner just as much interest from ISU students.

The four slates for Government of the Student Body president and vice president — Wendell Mosby and Luke Howell, Rick Cordaro and Alex Olson, Ben Golding and Lisa Dlouhy, and Matt Welk and Kara Ladlie — should be commended for their thoughtful and respectful comments and for managing to attract such a large audience to a GSB event.

The debate, moderated by the Iowa State Daily editorial board, posed eight questions on campus issues to each slate and ended on a lighter note with a “lightning round” of quick-paced choices on a variety of topics with political and pop culture significance.

As the audience laughed at the candidates trying to rapidly choose whether they preferred Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera, we on the editorial board were just as entertained by the number of people interested enough in GSB to attend a debate.

When asked to name the most important piece of legislation passed by GSB this year, the candidates who are senators replied, not surprisingly, with bills they spearheaded or spoke out for.

Cordaro, at the heart of the electronic voting bill, explained how this new procedure will give students the opportunity to really be heard.

After listening to all the other candidates’ responses, Mosby removed his glasses and excused himself for getting emotional as he described his bill to bring closure to the Catt Hall issue as the one with the most impact.

Golding, who lobbied for the bus shelter in the commuter lot, emphasized the concrete effect it will have on students.

Welk, who has not yet been directly involved with GSB, chose GSB’s resolution-in-the-works that would support the faculty petition to evaluate ISU President Martin Jischke’s performance.

For those of you who missed out on the action and would like to see the executive candidates perform on command before casting your votes next week, don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of chances to catch up — five, in fact.

ISU9 will be airing the debate today at 5 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m., Monday at 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 9:30 p.m.

Be sure to tune in so you’re not in the dark when you vote next week.

Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Sara Ziegler, Greg Jerrett, Kate Kompas, Carrie Tett and David Roepke.