A blog for The Chronicle to cover the 2008 presidential election, of which Hofstra University plays a unique part as host of one of the presidential debates. Students will cover the election in real time.

October 15, 2008

Chronicle Live-Twitters the last presidential debate

Follow The Chronicle's live Twitterfeed from inside the media filing center of the University's Physical Fitness Center during the last presidential debate, held in the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.

--Samuel Rubenfeld

The Chronicle and NassauNews liveblog and streamcast Debate '08

The University hosts the final presidential debate of the 2008 election cycle. Below are both the live-blog and the streamcast for tonight's debate:

The live-blog:


The streamcast:

New group tells students to 'vote for nobody'

Amid the shouts and cheers from supporters of both Barack Obama and John McCain, one group decided to take a different approach to voicing their opinions.

Vote for Nobody is a satirical, counter-activism group founded by sophomores Evan Harrison and Matthew Adams that strives to get people to stop shouting at one another, and start discussing using rational thoughts and ideas.

“The louder you shout, the more I think you’re an idiot. Shouting your candidates name out loud won’t change my mind as to who I am voting for,” Harrison said.

Adams added that they want people to break out of their “mob mentality” and have them converse with one another to form educated statements. “The whole process is becoming a spectacle and I don’t feel as though I am presented with enough information to make a decision,” he said.

Both Harrison and Adams held up hand made signs that voiced statements such as, “Vote for Nobody,” “Nobody will keep election promises,” “Nobody cares,” and “Nobody tells the truth.”

When asked about the meaning behind the signs, Harrison said the signs were saying that both candidates won't live up to their hype and they wont really accomplish anything. Adams added that the signs were supposed to act as a catalyst to get people to voice their own activism through intelligent thoughts and discussions with people of opposing parties.

--Taylor Paraboschi

Kenny Mayne requests song for 'Mayne Event'

ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne requested a group of acoustic musicians play a song about football players losing their helmets for a segment called the "Mayne event."

The segment, which is a fake news item attempting to raise awareness about football helmet safety, will air Sunday at 12:30 p.m., and the song will be in the segment, Mayne said.

Chronicle photographer published in Washington Post, again

Chronicle Senior Photo Editor Jacqueline Hlavenka was published on the Washington Post's Youth Vote blog for the second time this week.

--Samuel Rubenfeld

VIDEO: PSU pushes for alternative energy sources

The Progressive Students Union held a demonstration outside the Student Center Wednesday afternoon that emphasized the problems associated with expanded oil drilling, use of nuclear power and clean coal.

Video:

Photos: The MSNBC tent outside the student center

MSNBC set up its press tent outside the student center for debate night. Here's a glimpse at what's happening over there:


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

--All photos by Jaqueline Hlavenka

Democracy comes alive during series of performances

History came alive last Tuesday and Wednesday as faculty, students and professional actors came together to put on a series of performances depicting monumental figures and events in U.S. History.

Historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas were just some of many historical figures that came alive to discuss and debate their stances on important issues, such as women’s rights, civil rights and the Progressive movement.

George Frein, who portrayed Abraham Lincoln at the event, said the point of the performance was to “help people think about the democracy that they live in.” He added that the performance was also held to better educate and help people understand history by having them “think about it through the minds of historic figures.”

One event depicted a mock slave auction of an escaped slave, Pinky, who was just nine years old at the time. The slave auction was held in the Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, where Pastor Henry Ward Beecher won the freedom for a young Sally “Pinky” Diggs at a cost of $900.

After she was granted freedom, Beecher presented her with a ring that was placed in the collection box and said, “With this ring I thee wed you to your freedom.” Pinky later returned to the congregation in 1926 to return the ring and share her successes with the people that made them possible.

Lynn C. Miller, author of The Fool’s Journey and the Death of a Department Chair, said that the overall purpose of the performances was to act as a “teaching process for people.”

“Our job was to introduce a person of value to people. To show that history isn’t this dead thing, and that you can really interact with it. To educate people,” she said.

--Taylor Paraboschi

Brian Lehrer hosts a WNYC debate panel

WNYC's Brian Lehrer discussed college affordability and the presidential campaign in a two hour radio show taped in Dempster Hall's Studio A with an audience of high school students, University students, faculty and staff on hand.



Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.


--All photos by Erin Furman

Behind the scenes at the University's debate


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

--All photos by Jacqueline Hlavenka

Hofstra's College GOP volunteers in New York City

Ten members of the College Republicans spent the night before the debate in Midtown Manhattan, volunteering for the McCain-Palin campaign at a fundraiser.

Tickets for the fundraiser ranged in price from a minimum of $1,000 to a VIP ticket costing $50,000 that got a donor a private meeting with the Republican nominee.

Sean Nabi, the president of the College Republicans, and Anthony Lucci, president of Students for McCain, each helped out at the Grand Hyatt in Midtown.

"It's remarkable that something like the debate coming to Hofstra gave us the opportunity to meet some of the most influential people in American politics today," Nabi said.

Nabi worked the door with Secret Service, where he met VIPs like Donald Trump and Stephen Baldwin. Both Lucci and Nabi got to hear Cindy McCain, Sarah Palin and John McCain speak to the donors.

While shaking hands on the ropeline, Nabi handed Palin his "Debate '08" pin, and McCain thanked ROTC member Alex McHale for his service.

"I got to shake two of the most important hands in the world tonight because I go to Hofstra," Lucci said.

--Samuel Rubenfeld

PSU marches for the Iraq war dead

Progressive Students Union, in collaboration with the national groups Activist Response Team and Eyes Wide Open, performed a March of the Dead representing the civilian lives lost during the Iraq War.

Twenty-three volunteers, most of them students, walked from inside the Student Center entrance on North Campus to the front of CV Starr on South Campus embodying individuals and families who were victims of what they refer to as an illegal war. The men, women and children represented were killed in either Iraq, Afghanistan or the United States.

A steady beat boomed throughout the school as they walked single file; each wore all black, a white mask depicting a stoic face and a sign indicating the name, age and occupation of the person they symbolized. While they marched, students and teachers stopped to watch and take photographs, all wondering the purpose of the demonstration.

Although many dismissed the group as simple protesters, some were captivated by their somber and powerful message.

--Emily Cummins

Students learn about youth voting from MTV panel

A group of 13 students traveled to MTVu's studio Tuesday morning to take part in a panel on youth voting.

Panelists included Diablo Cody, who wrote the film "Juno," film star Rosario Dawson, Hilary Rosen, the political director of The Huffington Post, Luke Russert, a special youth correspondent for NBC News, Alex N. Vogel, a named partner in the firm Mehlman, and Larry Wilmore, an Emmy and Peabody-award winning correspondent for "The Daily Show."

MTVu is the college affiliate of MTV Networks, and they've spent the 2008 presidential campaign focusing on issues facing young voters. The panel presented a study it conducted about how young voters see issues such as
race, gender, and experience of the candidates.

After the presentation, the celebrity panelists discussed their impressions of young people today and young voters’ opportunity for profound impact on the nation.

--Caitlyn Gailvary

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