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FURMAN
CO-HOSTED NATIONAL DEBATE
Peace Center for the Performing Arts
January 29, 2004
Furman University
served as a co-host for the Democratic Presidential Debate in Greenville
on January 29, 2004. Furman joined the South Carolina Democratic
Party and the South Carolina Young Democrats as hosts for the debate
that was held in the Peace Center for the Performing Arts. The 7
p.m. debate was televised nationally and moderated by "NBC Nightly
News" anchor Tom Brokaw.
"Furman was very
pleased to have been invited to serve as a host for this important
political event," university president David E. Shi said. "Our tradition
has been to engage the political process in South Carolina and the
nation, and Furman has a strong track record of hosting a variety
of prominent political events."
The debate in
Greenville took place two days after the New Hampshire Primary and
just five days before South Carolina's "First in the South" Primary.
Seven Democratic presidential candidates participated - General
Wesley Clark (Ret.), Governor Howard Dean, Senator John Edwards,
Senator John Kerry, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Senator Joe Lieberman,
and Reverend Al Sharpton. Approximately one hundred and thirty Furman
students were directly involved with the debate as volunteers. Some
students had the opportunity to work with the candidates at the
Peace Center while others worked with the media inside the media
hub at the Westin Poinsett hotel.
Furman's "Debate
Week" began on Wednesday, January 28th with two addresses given
by Riley Institute Fellow in Residence, Dr.
Merle Black, nationally prominent expert on Southern Politics.
Both addresses, "The Rise of Republicanism in the South"
and "The Democratic Party in the South," were to create
the context and frames of reference to understand the Presidential
Primary in South Carolina.
The Riley
Institute hosted NBC anchor, Tom Brokaw, on campus, January 29th.
He spoke
to over four hundred Furman students, faculty, and staff for forty
minutes and entertained questions from the audience. Brokaw emphasized
the importance of young people becoming involved in the political
process "as decisions made today have a direct impact on their
lives in the future."
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