Capital University Selected to Host Proposed Presidential Debate Sponsored by the Citizens' Debate Commission

5/24/2004

From: Nichole Johnson of Capital University, 614-236-6945; Chris Shaw of Open Debates, 202-628-9195

WASHINGTON, May 24 -- Today, the Citizens' Debate Commission announced that Capital University has been selected as one of six sites to host a proposed 2004 general election presidential debate on Wednesday, September 22.

Capital University President Dr. Theodore L. Fredrickson said: "We at Capital University are honored to be asked to serve as one of the sites for the proposed series of presidential debates sponsored by the Citizens' Debate Commission. We recognize that Ohio will be a key battleground for the White House in the upcoming election, and we are excited that our historic campus has the opportunity to host an event that will play a critical role in helping Americans make an informed choice in November."

The nonpartisan Citizens' Debate Commission is comprised of 17 national civic leaders from the left, center, and right of the political spectrum. It has an Advisory Board consisting of over 50 civic organizations that broadly reflect the composition of the electorate. Operating with full transparency, the Citizens' Debate Commission will reverse declining debate viewership by sponsoring presidential debates that address pressing national issues, feature innovative formats, and include candidates that the American people want to see.

The Citizens' Debate Commission is: John B. Anderson, former U.S. Congressman and chair of the Center for Voting and Democracy; Angela "Bay" Buchanan, president of The American Cause; Veronica De La Garza, executive director of the Youth Vote Coalition; Norman Dean, executive director of Friends of the Earth; George Farah, author of "No Debate" and executive director of Open Debates; Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch; Tom Gerety, executive director of the Brennan Center for Justice; Jehmu Greene, executive director of Rock the Vote; Ambassador Alan Keyes; Jeff Milchen, founder of ReclaimDemocracy.org; Larry Noble, former General Counsel of the Federal Election Commission; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council; Chellie Pingree, president of Common Cause; Randall Robinson, author and founder of TransAfrica; Dan Stein, executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform; Mark Weisbrot, co- director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research; Paul Weyrich, chairman of the Free Congress Foundation.