RSU to Offer Public Viewing and Discussion of Presidential Debate

Rogers State University will serve as a “Debate Watch 2008” site for the public to view and discuss the third and final presidential debate between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.

Members of the public are invited free of charge to join RSU students and faculty in Room 131 of the Health Sciences Building, on the RSU campus in Claremore, to view the debate and participate in a post-debate discussion, moderated by Dr. Jeff Gentry, RSU associate professor of communications and head of the Department of Communications. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. and the 90-minute debate will begin at 8 p.m.

Gentry, who hosted two previous Debate Watch events, has conducted research on presidential debates and has organized and moderated two U.S. Congressional debates. He is the author of several publications on college debate.

Debate Watch is a program coordinated by the Commission on Presidential Debates, which has sponsored each presidential and vice presidential debate since 1988. The October 15 debate, which will provide the most in-depth discussion of all the 2008 debates, will be moderated by Bob Schieffer of CBS News.

“This year’s final debate will offer the candidates one last opportunity to make their case to such a large slice of the American population, so I think it’s likely to be an event that will draw heavy voter interest,” said Dr. Ken Hicks, RSU associate professor and head of the Department of History and Political Science, who also participated in previous Debate Watch events.

For more information on Debate Watch 2008 at RSU, call (918) 343-7742.