| Obama vs Romney: Denver To Host First Presidential Debate |
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by Paul Kashmann If you think the current tornadic bluster that is the 2012 presidential campaign has been a bit too in-your-face, prepare yourself – the whole dog and pony show is headed straight for the Mile High City. The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) has declared that the first of four face-to-face meetings of the candidates for our nation’s highest offices will take place Wed., Oct. 3, 7p.m., at the University of Denver. President Barack Obama will square off with Republican challenger Mitt Romney in Magness Arena at the Ritchie Center For Sports & Wellness for a 90-minute discussion digging into matters of domestic policy. Vice President Joe Biden will debate Romney’s running mate Paul Ryan, on Thur., Oct. 11, at Centre College in Danville, Ky.; while Romney and Obama get two more chances to distinguish themselves – Tues., Oct. 16 at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, N.Y., and Mon., Oct. 22, at Lynn University, in Boca Raton, Fla. The first organized debate between presidential candidates was the historic 1858 meeting between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Such events were intermittent until 1976 when Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter went head to head in a series of debates, with the tradition continuing every four years since that time. Before you start planning your own campaign to wrangle a ticket to the DU event, you should know that they simply aren’t out there. The university has been granted a limited number of tickets that will be given to students through a lottery system. Staff and faculty – and the curious public – are not invited. While additional tickets have been given to the Republican and Democratic campaigns, it is anticipated that the total live audience will be far below the 7,000-10,000 people Magness Arena has seated for similar events in the past. Martin Slotsky, executive director of the CPD explained that the live audience is of little consequence to the debate. “This is a made-for-TV event,” he stated. “It will truly be a documentary. That’s our aim.” There will be no lights on the audience, and any applause, cheering or heckling will result in removal from the arena. The vast majority of the 3,000 journalists expected to attend will be relegated to “Spin Alley,” set up in Hamilton Gymnasium, across the corridor from the debate hall. The moderator for the DU debate will be Jim Lehrer, host of the PBS Newshour. The evening will be divided into six segments of approximately 15 minutes each devoted to topics selected by Lehrer. He will open each segment with a question, to which the candidates will have two minutes to respond. The balance of the time in the segment will allow for more free- form discussion. There will be no opening statement, but each candidate will have two minutes for a closing statement at the end of the evening. The DU campus will be closed for normal business on Oct. 3, with only essential staffing in place. The U.S. Secret Service is expected to establish a fenced security perimeter extending well past the 400,000-square-foot Ritchie Center complex. For those in the DU community not chosen to attend the debate, a “Debate Fest” celebration will take place on Carnegie Green, just west of University Blvd. and south of Evans Ave., 3-9p.m. This celebration will feature speakers, music, food trucks and a debate-watch party where participants can view the main event on big-screen TV. “Issues Alley” (the gateway to Debate Fest) will provide supporters of a wide variety of social causes and beliefs the chance to educate and inform “in a climate of civility and mutual respect,” according to a DU communique. Debate Fest is open to the student body, faculty and staff of DU as well as neighbors in the nearby University Park, West University and Platt Park neighborhoods. DU spokesman, Chase Squires, toldThe Profile that “Neighbors who would like a ticket (free, but limited) should request them through their neighborhood association, who can then request them through us. This is a way for us to at least offer a small token of appreciation to our closest neighbors who may be directly inconvenienced by the road closures, etc.” Traffic disruptions in the area surrounding the university could begin as early as a week prior to the debate. For security reasons, details as to the exact location of detours and road closures has not been announced. The RTD light rail system will continue to run on Oct. 3, but University Station will be closed from approximately 8a.m.-10p.m. (these times are subject to change). RTD has agreed to provide special bus service Oct. 3 from Colorado Center Station (S. Colorado Blvd. at E. Evans Ave.,) and the Louisiana/Pearl station (S. Pearl St. at E. Louisiana Ave.) to the DU campus. DU is hosting a number of free events before the debate featuring expert and celebrity speakers who will focus on topics relevant to 2012 campaign issues. Free Public Events Revitalizing the Citizen Voice Science and Antiscience in the
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21st century diplomacy David Sanger, New York Times White House correspondent Registration information: Debate2012.du.edu. Questions, call 303-871-4672 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |