“I came down here to check it out. I grew up in Berkeley and this is like a community spot. Local food, local people… ” said Emeryville resident Yes Duffy. “It’s a funky weird community spot.”

The first nationally televised debate between the two presidential contenders was a popular event in Emeryville and spectators at the food market said they were glad it wasn’t cancelled. “On one hand it was true that there was some pretty relevant issues going on that maybe could cause someone to consider suspending the debate,” said Emeryville resident Nicki Bush. “But I like Obama’s response to that in his press conference that the president of the United States is gonna need to be able to juggle a lot of things at once.”

The debate, which was supposed to focus on foreign policy, dedicated more than 30 minutes to the economy. Moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS opened the debate with the most pressing question: Where does each candidate stand on the proposed $700 million bailout for Wall Street? Obama and McCain both said that action needs to be taken by Congress, but neither specified how.

Sitting in a spacious hall surrounded by food stands selling noodle soup, kebabs and burgers, people listened distractedly to the candidates while eating. The crowd strongly favored the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama. Though Ken Guerrero, 16, isn’t old enough to vote in the upcoming election, he said he supports Obama. “It is not because of his ethnicity,” he said. “I think he is very admirable in the way he presents himself.”

The debate did not appear to change anyone’s position, but it did make some unexpected impressions. “I was surprised,” said Bush. “I thought McCain did a little better job than I had expected. I thought that he would fall on his face.”

The next presidential debates will be Oct. 7 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., and Oct. 15 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. Both candidates will have the opportunity to discuss other national issues; it remains to be seen if they can change more positions.

EMERYBAY FOOD MARKET

BY ALBA MORA// The cook and the young waiter at the Asian food restaurant looked bored. The clean wok pans indicated there wasn’t much work going on. On Tuesday night, the Emerybay Food Market was emptier than the previous two debates of the election season. In front of one TV screen, a handful of people were eating their dinner of noodles and tempura. When it came to thoughts about the presidential debate, the second of three, no one seemed to have any strong opinions, in fact, many seemed disappointed in what they were watching.

“I felt like it was pretty much the same as they did before,” said Shayla McDaniel when the debate finished. “Nothing surprised me.” McDaniel, an Emeryville resident, came here to watch the past two debates.

Although foreign policy was an issue in the conversation, Senators McCain and Obama spent most of time talking about the economy, the bailout and health care.

“I think everybody knows now we are in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression,” said Obama. “And a lot of you I think are worried about your jobs, your pensions, your retirement accounts, your ability to send your child or your grandchild to college.”

McCain, for his part, said he had a plan that would include promoting energy independence so the United States could stop “sending $700 billion a year to countries that don’t… like us very much. We have to keep Americans’ taxes low. All Americans’ taxes low. Let’s not raise taxes on anybody today.”

Certainly the economy is the center of many Americans’ concerns and a main concern heading into the polls.

“What called my attention was health care and economy… I see my healthcare go up,” said Zeph Biggs, an Oakland resident. “And I believe this election is the most important in the U.S. history.”

But not everyone in the Emerybay Food Market thought the same way. Some 30 people were sitting far away from the screen and showed no interest on the second presidential debate.

“I don’t watch the debate because it distracts me from my real life. It makes you worry about things,” said Matt L., an Emeryville resident who has not registered to vote yet. “They are both [Obama and McCain] saying the same things in different words.”

Matt L. is not the only person feeling disconnected. According to the U.S. Census, one in four Americans are not registered to vote yet. With voter registration deadlines less than a week away in most states, Hollywood celebrities featured on a YouTube video remind people about their right to vote and the need to register soon.