With the first two Republican Presidential Debates past us, eyes are moving to Boulder, Colorado for, “Your Money, Your Vote: The Presidential Debate on the Economy,” which will be hosted by CNBC and the University of Colorado Boulder on Oct. 28.
Though the debate is set to attract millions of viewers nationwide, the seating for the live broadcast is now limited to 1,000 seats. This leaves the representation of CU students relatively low.
The debate will be held at CU’s Coors Events Center, a venue that can hold up to 11,000 people.
While university officials said earlier this month that the RNC and the campus administration would allot a certain number of tickets exclusively for CU students, it is now being reported that the university is only entitled to a few seats. The president of the entire CU system, Bruce Benson, was given only two tickets for himself and a plus-one of his choice.
“One of the things people need to keep in mind is that this is a television production more than anything else,” said Sean Spicer, spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, in a statement to the Boulder Daily Camera.
“It’s a major, major event, but it’s mostly focused on being seen by the tens of millions of people who are watching,” he added.
Aside from the select thousand to be in the audience, CU also expects over 300 journalists from all over the United States, and abroad, to set up camp at the event center. Each candidate is also expected to bring an entourage of around 20-40 people.
“We are delighted to host the first of the Republican presidential candidate debates to be held on a university campus,” said Philip P. DiStefano, CU Boulder’s chancellor, “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with CNBC and feel this debate will be a memorable experience for our students and the entire community.”
The debate at CU will follow an appearance of the Dalai Lama one week prior. The event will be broadcasted on CNBC, nationwide, on October 28th.
This article is from Red Alert Politics’ Campus Correspondent Program. Would you like to contribute a story from your school? Apply here to be a Campus Correspondent for RAP!
