Prepare to party: bipartisan style
By: Sarah Bleau
Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: News
News of Republican presidential candidate John McCain wanting to postpone tomorrow's presidential debate hasn't changed plans for a campus debate watch party.
A watch party, held by the Department of Political Science and Pi Sigma Alpha honor society, is scheduled to go on as planned at The University of Memphis in the Michael D. Rose Theatre at 7:45 p.m. Friday.
McCain suspended his campaign and pushed for organizers of Friday's presidential debate at the University of Mississippi to delay the event, saying he wants to return to Washington to focus on the "historic" economic crisis the nation is facing.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama responded later that afternoon that he wants to continue with Friday's scheduled presidential debate.
"I think that it is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once," he told reporters at a press conference in Clearwater, Fla.
"The University of Mississippi is going forward with the preparation for the debate. We are ready to host the debate, and we expect it to occur as planned," the University released in a statement on their presidential debate Web site. "At present, the University has received no notification of any change in the timing for the venue of the debate. We have been notified by the Commission on Presidential Debates that we are proceeding as scheduled."
Canceling the presidential debate Friday would be "pretty unusual," said Robert Blanton, Interim Chair of the Department of Political Science.
If debate plans are postponed, Blanton said, "We'll do the same thing, different day. We'll just roll with it. What else can we do?"
Assistant Professor of political science Heather Larsen-Price coordinated the watch party with the good of students in mind.
"I want to encourage not just political science majors, but also bring in some students who haven't been as involved in the political process," Larsen-Price said.
A watch party, held by the Department of Political Science and Pi Sigma Alpha honor society, is scheduled to go on as planned at The University of Memphis in the Michael D. Rose Theatre at 7:45 p.m. Friday.
McCain suspended his campaign and pushed for organizers of Friday's presidential debate at the University of Mississippi to delay the event, saying he wants to return to Washington to focus on the "historic" economic crisis the nation is facing.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama responded later that afternoon that he wants to continue with Friday's scheduled presidential debate.
"I think that it is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once," he told reporters at a press conference in Clearwater, Fla.
"The University of Mississippi is going forward with the preparation for the debate. We are ready to host the debate, and we expect it to occur as planned," the University released in a statement on their presidential debate Web site. "At present, the University has received no notification of any change in the timing for the venue of the debate. We have been notified by the Commission on Presidential Debates that we are proceeding as scheduled."
Canceling the presidential debate Friday would be "pretty unusual," said Robert Blanton, Interim Chair of the Department of Political Science.
If debate plans are postponed, Blanton said, "We'll do the same thing, different day. We'll just roll with it. What else can we do?"
Assistant Professor of political science Heather Larsen-Price coordinated the watch party with the good of students in mind.
"I want to encourage not just political science majors, but also bring in some students who haven't been as involved in the political process," Larsen-Price said.