Calvin students ready for debate
Calvin College has picked its 175 students who will attend in person Monday's GOP debate. The school held a lottery and drew names today at 2 p.m. Calvin also has selected nine student questions (see below) for the third round of the debate, during which debate moderator Tim Russert is slated to pose the questions to the candidates on behalf of the students. The students who submitted the winning questions will attend the debate.
The night of the debate Calvin will hold an event in its Gezon Auditorium on campus. There the debate will be shown live. After the debate students will be able to munch on sub sandwiches and take part in a discussion on the debate, to be lead by a political science professor and a communications arts and sciences professor. Calvin also has a crew of 12 students who are interested in journalism slated to work as Media Center volunteers.
Republican candidates for President will come to Calvin College on January 10, 2000 for a 90-minute debate (to be aired live on Grand Rapids NBC affiliate WOOD TV). The Michigan Republican Presidential Debate is being hosted by WOOD TV, the state and West Michigan Republicans and Calvin College. The landmark event will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium on the Calvin College campus. That Auditorium seats a little over 1,100 for an event of this nature.
Confirmed for the debate are GOP candidates Gary Bauer, George W. Bush, Steve Forbes, Orrin Hatch, Alan Keyes and John McCain. WOOD TV (the Grand Rapids NBC affiliate) will televise the debate live and MSNBC will pick up WOOD's feed for live, national distribution.
STUDENT QUESTIONS
Question #1: Dave DykhouseHometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.Major: BusinessYear: Sophomore
As we saw in New Hampshire, religion is an issue with the candidates. If you were elected to office, to what degree would your religious convictions influence the manner in which you conduct affairs in office?
Question #2: Joshua GabrielseHometown: Lexington, Mass.Major: BusinessYear: Freshman
Negative campaigning gives our political system a terrible image. I propose that all of you agree not to run negative ads about each other. One by one will you agree or explain why you won’t?
Question #3: Melissa KeeleyHometown: Midland Park, New JerseyMajor: Political ScienceYear: Freshman
In light of the recent involvement in Kosovo, what is your stance in regards to further American action taken for “humanitarian” causes?
Question #4: Gina ThorpeHometown: Ft. Wayne, IndianaMajor: Social WorkYear: Junior
What plans of action will you take to prevent the problem of school violence that this country has experienced in recent years?
Question #5: Rachel BosscherHometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.Major: PsychologyYear: Freshman
In spite of the moral crisis that has occurred in the presidency, why has the U.S. economy continued to flourish? Do you really believe that the character of our next president would make an impact on the U.S. economy?
Question #6: Jeff AppelHometown: Denver, Colo.Major: EducationYear: Sophomore
What are the candidates planning, if anything, to do about the rising cost of tuition in colleges across America?
Question #7: Michael WrightHometown: Grandville, Mich.Major: Political ScienceYear: Sophomore
As of late, some have criticized, or merely observed, that the Republican Party is undergoing a bit of an identity crises (i.e. who should be included in the Republican Party? who should not?). What do you see as the fundamental beliefs of the Republican Party? Specifically, what defines a Republican?
Question #8: Troy CokHometown: Bozeman, Mont.Major: Electrical EngineeringYear: Sophomore
One issue that has not been dealt with extensively in the debates is the government involvement in the internet. The internet has remained the last place of nearly limitless free speech. What are your views on censoring indecent or otherwise harmful material available online? There has also been talk of some lawmakers attempting to place a tax on the internet. What are your views on this?
Question #9: Christi TalenHometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.Major: Elementary Education MajorYear: Sophomore
What are you planning to do, if anything, to improve the education of inner-city children, or those who have been labeled “at-risk”?