State party officials speak at SJMC-sponsored event
More than 100 students and community members gathered in the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library room in Thomas Cooper Library to watch last night’s presidential debate at an event sponsored by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications and Patch.com.
Before the debate began, Matt Moore and Amanda Loveday, executive directors of the S.C. Republican and Democratic parties, respectively, addressed the crowd and discussed main issues in both parties’ platforms.
After the debate concluded, Charles Bierbauer, Dean of the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies noted the significance of student engagement in this stage of the political process.
“I’m impressed and pleased that this many students came out in the middle of the week ... To me it reflects on the fact that there are 100, 150 students who saw the value in sitting down for an hour and a half and listening to what the two candidates had to say,” Bierbauer said. “Everybody’s got a stake in this. It’s not just for your parents; it’s for you. I’m very pleased with the students who came out.”
Bierbauer, who formerly served as CNN’s senior Washington correspondent, said he expected analysts in inevitable win-lose discussions to credit Republican candidate Mitt Romney with a strong showing.
“I like to avoid winners or losers. That’s like giving a third-quarter football score,” Bierbauer said. “The question is who positioned himself better moving forward over the next few weeks — including the remaining debates — and I think, in that regard, Romney probably helped himself.”
— Compiled by Sarah Ellis, Staff Writer