Carleton College has been selected as the site for a proposed 2004 televised general election presidential debate sponsored by the Citizens’ Debate Commission, as announced at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Monday, May 24.
The Citizens’ Debate Commission is proposing to sponsor non-partisan presidential debates as an alternative to the standard debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates. The Citizens’ Debate Commission will invite current presidential candidates to participate in a series of debates on college campuses. If the candidates accept, the debate hosted by Carleton will be held on Monday, October 11, 2004.
“Carleton is pleased to be part of the Citizens’ Debate Commission’s effort to get all the presidential candidates to agree to a debate under its set of engaging formats,” said Joe Hargis, director of college relations at Carleton. “The likelihood of this happening at Carleton or at any of the other proposed sites is uncertain, but we would be honored to have the opportunity to host.”
The Citizens’ Debate Commission is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to hosting general election presidential debates that maximize voter education. According to Open Debates, the organization promoting the Citizens’ Debate Commission, Carleton was selected as a site because of its academic reputation, facilities, location and commitment to the discussion of ideas and issues in the spirit of voter education.
The other sites for proposed debates sponsored by the Citizens’ Debate Commission are: Canisius College, Buffalo, N.Y.; Capital University, Columbus, Ohio; Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa.; and Willamette University, Salem, Ore.