Thursday, February 16, 2012

Let's Debate

Jordan Driggers
Jackson
Jour 271
13 February 2012 

         This fall will mark four years since the University of Mississippi 
was chosen by 
the Commission on Presidential Debates to be one of the campuses 
to host the 
debate. Unfortunately this fall will contain no such reoccurrence of the debate 
being on campus. Instead in 2012 the Commission on Presidential Debates has 
elected to travel to the University of Denver, Hofstra University and Lynn 
University. 
Since its establishment in 1987 the Commission on Presidential Debates has 
picked a total of 17 schools to hold the debates. The University of Mississippi 
has hosted the event only once, while a school like Washington University have 
hosted debates four times since 1987. There have also been numerous schools 
that have applied to be under consideration for hosting the debates but have 
came up short like Saint Mary’s College of California.
While the advantages of hosting the debate are likely monetary along 
with great publicity for the school. The event could have a deeper more 
profound effect on the inner programs inside the school. Hosting the 
Presidential debate could inspire a lot of undecided seniors in high school or 
freshman in college and motivate them to pursue a career in political science.
Even if the debate didn’t reach students on a level that deep, it could still 
possibly encourage intelligent voting and being active in local and national 
governments. 
An Ole Miss graduate Beau Windham who majored in political science was 
asked his thoughts on the Presidential debate returning to Ole Miss.
“I really wish the debate would return, I was a freshman when Obama and 
McCain traveled here and the atmosphere was unlike any other. It was cool to 
see so many people on campus without a sporting event taking place.”
Windham’s opinion on the debate attracting more Political Science majors.
“I don’t know whether it actually draws in Political science majors but it 
definitely gives Ole Miss alot of coverage. Its drawing students one major or another.”
The Presidential debate seems beneficial to a university in multiple ways. It is 
clear that universities are able to host the event multiple times. We are too late 
for this years debate but as a campus and a community we can prepare for the 
debates to come. 

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