MOCK PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Lander University students will portray presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama in a mock debate scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m., in Lander’s Carnell Learning Center, Room 300.

Assistant professor of political science Dr. Lucas McMillan will serve as debate coach and moderator. He said the aim is to have a real debate that focuses on best issues not the best insults. “The debate will be a great opportunity for students to learn more about the two candidates as represented by fellow students.”

A panel made up of individuals from Lander and the Greenwood community will pose questions to the debaters, and two groups of five students each have been selected to represent the viewpoints of McCain and Obama. The 90-minute debate will be divided into segments dealing with domestic and foreign policy issues and will include questions from the audience.

Lander’s chapter of the American Democracy Project (ADP) is sponsoring the debate. Dr. Robert Stevenson, assistant professor of mass communication and chair of the ADP, said students who volunteered to participate are very enthusiastic about the event.

The ADP is an initiative of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in partnership with the New York Times. With a membership of 430 schools, ADP’s goal is to produce graduates who are committed to being active, involved citizens in their communities.

The organization hosts a number of events during the year including voter education and registration drives and specific days of action such as Constitution Day.

Lander’s ADP chapter has been recognized nationally for its activities. Last year, the chapter was awarded a $1,000 prize for registering a higher rate of new voters than any of the 77 colleges and universities across the country that participated in the Electoral Voices Project.

The Lander ADP conducted the month-long registration drive as part of the university’s Constitution Day observance. When the registration period ended, ADP had enrolled 268 new voters, nearly twice the goal of 136 registrants that campaign sponsors established for Lander based on its student enrollment.

Stevenson said the mock presidential debate will be open to the public.