Fort Worth Star Telegram Logo

A pair of undecided Arlington voters evaluate the debate | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters

    • Local
    • Fort Worth
    • Arlington
    • Northeast Tarrant
    • Texas
    • Crime & Courts
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • Bud Kennedy
    • Databases
    • Nation and World
    • Cowboys
    • Rangers
    • TCU
    • Mac Engel
    • Colleges
    • Mavericks
    • Motorsports
    • Stars
    • High School Sports
    • Scores & Schedules
    • All Sports
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Boys Basketball
    • Girls Basketball
    • Editorials
    • Letters
    • Submit a letter
    • Cheers and Jeers
    • Submit a Cheer or Jeer
    • Bud Kennedy
    • Michael Ryan
    • Cynthia M. Allen
    • Other Voices
    • Business
    • Growth
    • Restaurants
    • Arts & Culture
    • Movies
    • Things To Do
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Party Pics
    • Horoscopes
    • Comics
    • Contests
    • Puzzles and Games
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts
    • Health & Fitness
    • Indulge
    • The Keller Magazine
    • Neil Sperry
    • Social Eyes
    • Dear Abby
    • Weddings
    • Arlington Citizen-Journal
    • Keller Citizen
    • Star-Telegram Northeast
    • Mansfield News-Mirror
    • Weatherford Star-Telegram
    • La Estrella
    • Locales
    • Noticias
    • Deportes
    • Entretenimiento
    • Contáctenos
    • Media Kit
    • Today's Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Submit an Obituary

    • All Weddings
    • Announcements
    • Bridal Show
    • Contact Us
    • Inspiration
    • News & Advice
    • Vendors
    • Hispanic Heritage
    • Cancer Awareness
    • Healthy Lifestyle
    • Dining, Entertaining
    • Breast Cancer Awareness
    • Think Green
    • Money Matters
    • All About Pets
    • Careers and Business
    • Health and Wellness
    • How To...
    • Women Today
    • Family and Parenting
    • Easy Living Tips
    • Lawn and Garden
    • Giving Back
    • Men Today
    • On the Road 1
    • On the Road 2
  • Public Notices
  • Local Deals
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Mobile & Apps

Latest News

A pair of undecided Arlington voters evaluate the debate

By Gordon Dickson - gdickson@star-telegram.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

October 03, 2012 11:46 PM

ARLINGTON -- Patty and Klaus Driessen scribbled feverishly on their notepads Wednesday night in their living room, jotting notes and hanging onto every word presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Barack Obama made during their first televised debate of the general election season.

They are proud, undecided voters -- something of a rarity in these partisan times. But while he tends to vote Democratic and she leans Republican, the Driessens both relish the campaign itself, and the educational process of waiting until the last moment to decide which candidate deserves a vote.

"We're probably more toward the middle, both of us," he said. "I'm going to listen to both debates and make my decision. In 2008, I supported Obama. But I'm still open."

Klaus Driessen, a retired school superintendent, nodded with approval as Obama voiced opposition to offering older Americans vouchers, as an alternative to using the federal Medicare program .

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Star-Telegram

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

"The voucher system is not going to work," he said. "Insurance companies are in business to make money, and if you give them vouchers they're going to make money."

His wife also opposed vouchers for Medicare, and she frowned disapprovingly as Romney pitched his support for the concept.

"There's not going to be quality of Medicare service, if you're using vouchers," she said.

A retired high school teacher, Patty Driessen said she has seen voucher programs fail in schools.

"They can't pay their bills," she said. "They don't hire qualified teachers. They end up folding. It's too loosey-goosey."

The Driessens may be just the kind of family that will tilt the 2012 presidential election one way or the other. With a little more than a month to go before the election, they say they still haven't decided who deserves their ballots. They are using the televised debates to forge their opinions about the candidates and their stances on what the retired educators consider the important issues of the day.

Wednesday evening, they sat side-by-side in cushioned chairs and watched the first presidential debate on television, their poodle-terrier mutt Charlie at their feet.

Each brandished a notebook, with an outline of the handful of issues they care about the most: education, health care and some foreign policy topics that the candidates are expected to tackle in a future debate.

'Liberal' not a bad word

Outside, their one-story, red brick home in Arlington's Trails East neighborhood, a sign proclaiming support for Democratic state Senate candidate Wendy Davis, a Democrat, is stuck in the grass. Davis is in a hotly contested race with Republican candidate Mark Shelton.

But the Driessens say they don't vote along party lines.

"I don't like liberal being a bad word," Patty Driessen said.

Klaus Driessen, a retired Lake Worth superintendent who still teaches German classes part-time at the University of Texas at Arlington, said he isn't satisfied with Obama's first four years in office, but he also isn't ready to blame him for the nation's continued economic and fiscal problems.

"One of the complaints has been the recovery hasn't been fast enough. I don't think everything should be blamed on the president," said Klaus Driessen, 64. "A lot of it has to do with Congress. I feel positive. He has done the best he could. We were in a pretty bad recession. It's just taking awhile to get out of it. All signs are pointing to it continuing to improve."

A German's worldview

Klaus Driessen is a naturalized citizen. He is originally from Germany, and immigrated to the United States when he was 9 years old.

"I'm from Germany. I grew up there. I have a little bit more of a world view."

Patty Driessen, 60, was raised in the Texas Panhandle.

The couple has a grown son, who now lives in Colorado. His political beliefs are different from that of either parent -- and are perhaps a byproduct of the conservative area of Texas in which he grew up.

"He leans way to the right," Klaus Driessen said.

Patty Driessen said she also supported Obama in 2008, but was impressed with Romney's ability to debate.

"Right now, I'm leaning toward Obama. But I'm seeing Romney in a much more favorable light. He came across very well tonight. The way he presented himself, he came across as much more personable. It was a good debate."

The Driessens also noted that moderator Jim Lehrer at times seemed to lose control of the debate, with both candidates expounding upon their answers beyond the allotted time.

But they appreciated that Romney and Obama were reasonably polite to each other.

"I like this where you just let them talk," Klaus Driessen said.

The Driessens also say they're looking forward to watching the next debate, where foreign policy issues are more likely to be discussed. Klaus Driessen was in the Army during the Vietnam era and said he supports removal of troops from Afghanistan.

Gordon Dickson, 817-390-7796

  Comments  

Videos

Rangers manager Chris Woodward preparing for Choo to be his leadoff hitter

1999: 3 firefighters killed in Precious Faith Temple fire

View More Video

Trending Stories

TCU’s Schlossnagle rips new NCAA rule: ‘It’s a dumb rule. It’s dumb. It’s horrible.’

February 22, 2019 10:00 AM

The Cowboys may have the most salary cap space ever. Here’s what they could do with it

February 22, 2019 01:03 PM

The NFL MVP is in town for training, but his puppy is the real winner here

February 22, 2019 06:25 PM

This is the reason why the Cowboys have not gone all in with DeMarcus Lawrence... yet

February 22, 2019 06:30 AM

Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic to miss Friday’s game vs. Nuggets with injury

February 22, 2019 06:25 PM

Read Next

Tale of two halves leaves UNT scratching its head in trip to Louisiana Tech

UNT

Tale of two halves leaves UNT scratching its head in trip to Louisiana Tech

By William Wilkerson

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 23, 2019 09:16 PM

If there was ever a game more defined by two halves, it would have been the one played between North Texas and Louisiana Tech on Saturday at Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, La.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Star-Telegram

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LATEST NEWS

Moore dominates once again, but it wasn’t enough for Frogs in tough loss vs. Kansas State

TCU

Moore dominates once again, but it wasn’t enough for Frogs in tough loss vs. Kansas State

February 23, 2019 08:13 PM
Warren’s season-high just enough to lead UT-Arlington past ULM in double overtime

UTA

Warren’s season-high just enough to lead UT-Arlington past ULM in double overtime

February 23, 2019 07:51 PM
TCU hangs on for much-needed victory over No. 19 Iowa State

TCU

TCU hangs on for much-needed victory over No. 19 Iowa State

February 23, 2019 03:07 PM
So what’s the Rangers’ identity? Baseball expert says it will be built by these two guys

Texas Rangers

So what’s the Rangers’ identity? Baseball expert says it will be built by these two guys

February 23, 2019 07:01 PM
High school star cruises to 5K win at The Cowtown; men’s 10K winner now 3-time champ

Health & Fitness

High school star cruises to 5K win at The Cowtown; men’s 10K winner now 3-time champ

February 23, 2019 01:04 PM
Police ask for help finding 16-year-old girl missing for nearly a week in Fort Worth

Fort Worth

Police ask for help finding 16-year-old girl missing for nearly a week in Fort Worth

February 23, 2019 05:43 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story