The University of Notre Dame, near South Bend, Indiana, has Withdrawn from Hosting the First 2020 Presidential Debate, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced Monday, July 27th.
The Debate, scheduled for Sept. 29th, will instead will be Co-Hosted by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic, and will be held at the School's Health Education Campus in Cleveland, Ohio, the Commission said.
Notre Dame said it decided to Withdraw as Host because the Public Health Risks of Holding a Live Presidential Debate during a Pandemic Outweighed the Potential Benefits. The School is the Second to Withdraw from Hosting a Presidential Debate this year.
In a Statement, Notre Dame President, Rev. John I. Jenkins, said that after Consulting with the County’s Public Health Officials and the School’s Board of Trustees, “This difficult decision because the necessary health precautions would have greatly diminished the educational value of hosting the debate on our campus. The inevitable reduction in student attendance in the debate hall, volunteer opportunities and ancillary educational events undermined the primary benefit of hosting — to provide our students with a meaningful opportunity to engage in the American political process. In the end, the constraints the coronavirus pandemic put on the event — as understandable and necessary as they are — have led us to withdraw.”
The new Site is Home to the School’s Medical, Dental, and Nursing Students, as well as Students in other related Fields.
Last month, the University of Michigan Withdrew from Hosting the Second Presidential Debate, scheduled for Oct. 15th.
The Commission didn't Specifically say, at the time, that the Coronavirus Threat was the Reason why the University Withdrew as the Host, but Reports in Late June suggested that the School was Concerned about bringing a Large Gathering of Campaign Personnel, Supporters, and Media to its Campus.
The Debate will instead be held in Miami, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, the Commission announced in June.
The Third Presidential Debate is still Scheduled to be held Oct. 22nd at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Vice-Presidential Debate is still Scheduled for Oct. 7th at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, the Commission said.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
No comments:
Post a Comment