Centre
College and the 2000 Presidential
Debate: Questions and Answers
Q:
Why did Centre College apply to host a presidential debate in the 2000
campaign?
A: The college believes this would provide an exceptional
educational experience for our students while also energizing the campus,
the community, and the region.
Q:
How did Centre become aware of the process for applying to host a debate?
A: Centre President John Roush was deeply involved in the 1992
Bush-Clinton-Perot presidential debate held at the University of Richmond
(Va.), where Roush was serving as vice president. Roush's specific responsibilities
in that debate included negotiating the contract with the Commission on
Presidential Debates, setting the policy for tickets, and coordinating
the debate with the Democratic and Republican party leadership. He says
that preparing for and hosting the debate served to "energize and
transform" the university, and he believes it would be an excellent
experience for Centre and Central Kentucky.
Q:
What facility has Centre proposed as the debate site?
A: Centre proposed Newlin Hall in the Norton Center
for the Arts as the actual debate site. The Norton Center for the Arts
is a state-of-the-art 85,000 square-foot complex designed by architect
William Wesley Peters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Newlin Hall
is the main venue within the arts center, with tiered seating for 1,500
and exceptional acoustics and technical capabilities. The college proposed
nearby Sutcliffe Hall (in a separate building) for media headquarters.
Q:
How did Centre make its proposal?
A: The Commission on Presidential Debates has a stringent
process for making application, and Centre followed that process. A team
of college staff members prepared a comprehensive application packet that
included detailed descriptions of facilities that could accommodate the
debate and related media needs, information about hotel accommodations
in the region, cultural attractions, and local history. The deadline for
proposals was June 15 and Centre met that deadline.
Q:
Was there any particular theme in Centre's proposal?
A: Yes. Centre stressed the inherent value of having a presidential
debate in a small town. Small towns and rural areas play an important
role in American society, and they deserve some of the political spotlight.
Danville is that unique small American town capable of hosting a debate
because of Centre College's facilities.
Q:
Has Centre ever hosted a presidential candidate?
A: Yes, although it's been a few years. Warren G. Harding
campaigned on campus in 1920 as part of a campaign train through the mid-West.
(He spoke from a platform built on the football field, with the players
seated around him. Harding shook hands with each player before leaving,
wishing them well in an upcoming much-touted game against Harvard. Centre
subsequently lost its 1920 game with Harvard, but beat the Crimson in
1921 to make sports history. By that time, Harding was in the White House.)
More recently, Centre hosted a visit from former president Jimmy Carter, who came to campus in 1987 to deliver the Commencement address.
Q:
What is the Commission on Presidential Debates?
A: The Commission on Presidential Debates was formed in
1987 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington.
(Prior to the Commission's founding, the League of Women Voters sponsored
presidential debates, which were held in each of the elections from 1976
to 1984.) The executive director of the Commission is Janet Brown (phone
202-872-1020) and media director is John Scardino (phone 202-737-7733).
Q:
How does the Commission choose debate sites?
A: For this campaign cycle, the Commission accepted proposals
up until mid-June, 1999, and reviewed them through the summer. In mid-October
(Oct. 13), the Commission announced the sites that remained under active
consideration. Final selections will be made in December and announced
in January.
Q:
Would Centre students have the opportunity to attend the debate?
A: Decisions about debate tickets are made by the Commission
in consultation with representatives from the candidates and the major
parties. However, Centre President John Roush has indicated that the college
will expect to have a block of tickets available to students. He considers
this a crucial and indispensable part of the Centre's proposal to become
a host site.
Q:
Where could the region accommodate the number of reporters and visitors
who would come to the area for the debate?
A: According to figures provided by the Kentucky Department
of Travel and published in the Lexington Herald-Leader, there are close
to 8,000 hotel rooms available in the corridor that stretches from Boyle
County to the Bluegrass Airport in Lexington. In its proposal to host
the debate, Centre included plans to provide any necessary shuttle services
between the campus and lodging sites.
Useful websites:
Commission on Presidential Debates
Danville-Boyle County, Kentucky
Sites with historical details about presidential debates:
http://fly.hiwaay.net/~jmcmulle/450lec6debates.htm (brief historical synopsis) http://www.tcf.org/Task_Forces/Presidential_Debates/Foreword.html (historical detail)
Useful lists and links on from the Centre College website:
Seven facts about Centre College
Contact information at Centre College:
Patsi
Barnes Trollinger (606-238-5719)
News service
contact
Alternate phone numbers:
Diane Johnson (606-238-5717)
Vickie Glidewell (606) 238-5714
Mike Norris (606) 238-5718
Centre
College
600 West Walnut Street
Danville, Kentucky 40422
