The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) has announced that Case Western Reserve University will host the U.S. vice presidential debate on October 5, 2004.

"Case's tradition of open inquiry and civic involvement makes it the perfect venue for one of the highlights of the 2004 presidential election," said Case President Edward M. Hundert.

Hundert, along with Barbara Byrd-Bennett, chief executive officer of the Cleveland Municipal School District, and Dennis Eckart, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association, will serve as co-chairs of the event.

Case was selected from 14 formal proposals submitted to the CPD last March.

"Each election cycle, we hear from a growing number of communities interested in hosting a debate," said Paul G. Kirk Jr. and Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., co-chairmen of the CPD. "Taking the debates to campuses around the country allows the CPD to engage thousands of young people in the political process through firsthand participation."

Hundert agreed. "Hosting the debate will be a great teachable moment," he said. "It presents an opportunity to inspire the thousands of students in the region who will be following the election in schools and across college campuses in Cleveland, Northeastern Ohio, the Midwest and the country."

Cleveland has not hosted a presidential debate since 1980 when former U.S. President Ronald Reagan faced then-President Jimmy Carter.

The CPD also announced all sites and dates for the 2004 general election debates.

In addition to the vice presidential debate at Case October 5, a first presidential debate will take place September 30 at the University of Miami, in Coral Gables, Fla.; a second will be October 8 at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.; and a third presidential debate will be conducted October 13 at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz.

The CPD also selected two backup sites, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, N.Y, and the University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.

All debates will start at 9 p.m. ET.

The CPD is the nonpartisan, nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation that has sponsored all presidential and vice presidential debates since 1988.

The commission, which conducted a site visit at Case earlier this year, will announce format recommendations for the 2004 debates early next year. For more information, go to the CPD's Web site at http://www.debates.org.

Return to the online edition of the 11-13-03 Campus News.