Nassau News and The Chronicle live blog Election 2008

--Samuel Rubenfeld

Students receive ticket notices

Students who got a ticket to the debate found out via e-mail late Tuesday evening.

More than 6,800 students applied for a chance to get in the hall, where Barack Obama and John McCain will debate economic and domestic policy Wednesday night. Only 250 made the first lottery, and 200 more were added in an alternate lottery last Friday.

Sandra Johnson, vice president of Student Affairs, said Tuesday afternoon that the number of tickets issued won't be available until after the debate.

Although the students who were not lucky enough to be chosen still have plenty of ways to be involved with the debate on Wednesday, including interactive displays and buses, those selected realize how fortunate they are. Joanna Little, a freshman who made it all the way through the lottery is looking forward to experiencing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“It is an honor to be a part of this monumental event at the University," Little said. "I understand how important this election is and I can’t believe I get to experience a part of it right here on campus.”

Another believes more tickets should have been available. "I'm really excited by the opportunity but I feel as if there are more deserving students out there," said Eryka Sajek, a junior who is a member of Progressive Students Union. "I think it's horrible for such an opportunity to come to a university, but not even open it up to the students who pay to go here. I don't see a point in saving over half the seats for party members.

"The canidates are trying to get our vote, not pledged party members."

--Megan McCloskey and Samuel Rubenfeld

A non-political political battleground

Students donned red and blue shirts on Sunday for a “Battle of the Parties” held in the Recreational Center on North Campus. It was the first time since the formation of Educate ’08 last spring that a political event on campus did not actually involve politics.

At the contest, Democrats were far outnumbered by Republicans, but that didn't seem to bother them much.

“The Democrats are too busy working to participate in such things,” said Robin Doublebower, the president of the College Democrats. “I’m glad the Republicans have nothing better to do.”

The "battle of the parties" included an assortment of athletic events. Participants first served volleyballs over a net in an effort to hit a variety of prizes on the floor, including “soda” bottle holders, t-shirts, bags and coffee holders. Next, the teams competed over who could score the most lay-ups after placing their forehead on a bat and spinning around it five times. The Republicans won that one. Then came the tug-of-war, won by the Democrats. The GOP won ping-pong spoon relay; the Democrats took the timed free-throw competition, tying the competition at two victories apiece.

After a break during which all interested participants could win individual prizes using Frisbees instead of volleyballs, Republicans won the overall two-hour tournament in a heated game of dodgeball.

With the focus of Sunday’s event on good old-fashioned fun and friendly competition, the politics of the upcoming debate, and the election, were put on hold. There was no campaigning during the tournament, no speakers to talk about the issues. Aside from the red, white and blue balloons, and the participants' t-shirts, there was not even a remote hint that the games were scheduled due to politics.

--Erin Furman

Issues debated amid music festival

During a free Jason Mraz concert on Saturday afternoon at the Intramural Fields, where he endorsed decriminalization of marijuana, ending all wars, eliminating handguns and calling for the U.S. to break its oil addiction, clubs with a political bent spent time lobbying students.

The Progressive Students Union, along with Students for a Greener Hofstra, planned six days worth of activism and protests during a Youth Issues Convention. They debuted green hardhats symbolizing green-collar jobs and had a graduate student dressed as Santa Claus decrying clean coal in the issues tent on Saturday.

"They talk about the economy, they talk about the war, they talk about the environment but they fail to see how they all connect," said Laura Comer, a junior who is president of Students for a Greener Hofstra. "Saturday was a push for us to inform the student body about the issues before the media gets here and asks questions."

Republicans tried to get out the University's Republican vote.

"We added about 10 more members to our roster," said Anthony Lucci, the treasurer of the College Republicans who is also president of "Students for John McCain."

"The point was to get our voice heard on a liberal campus, and to show there is a conservative side to Hofstra," he added.

The College Democrats gave students a "political quiz" so they could find out whether they were in fact Democrats or Republicans, and signed students up for a canvassing trip the club is taking to Pennsylvania in November.

"We registered 11 people for our club," said Robin Doublebower, the president of the College Democrats. "We got some good exposure. We were happy to be there to participate in the Jason Mraz concert because he holds ideals consistent to ours."

--Samuel Rubenfeld

Liveblog: The Town Hall Debate

The live blog of the second presidential debate, held at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. is a town hall-style debate where voters will ask the candidates questions:



--Samuel Rubenfeld

Liveblog of the first Presidential Debate

--Samuel Rubenfeld

Twitter the First Presidential Debate

Follow all the debate- and election-related posts on social-networking site Twitter here: Election.Twitter.com

--Samuel Rubenfeld

Obama And McCain Discuss National Service At Columbia

By Mike Manzoni
STAFF WRITER

John McCain and Barack Obama met for the first time onstage as formal nominees of their respective parties between back-to-back discussions at a forum on national service held at Columbia University coinciding with the seventh anniversary of Sept. 11.

The candidates appeared separately, meeting only briefly after Obama's introduction following McCain's question-and-answer session with journalists Judy Woodruff and Richard Stengel. Obama and McCain each answered questions for about 45 minutes.

The appearance marked the second time today the two candidates appeared together. They first appeared side-by-side at a ceremony at Ground Zero in Manhattan this morning to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The candidates gathered specifically to addresses two issues: civic engagement and national service.

McCain said he plans to expand volunteer organizations, but noted that the government does not necessarily have to be involved.

"Let's not have government do things that the private sector can do," McCain said, repeating his theory on government activism. "Volunteering starts at the grass roots level, not necessarily at the federal level."

McCain said it has not been his experience that rich people do the most volunteer work.

He stopped, saying "with all due respect to rich people," in a moment that drew light chuckles from the crowd.

Obama pledged to make community service opportunities available to high school and college students – he added the key was to "start early."

Asked if he might have to curtail his ambitious national service plan once in office - as President Bill Clinton had to - because of unions, he said no.

"The spirit of unions is coming together," Obama said, "because we are stronger together than we are individually."

The Chronicle covers the conventions

The Chronicle will be in Denver to cover the Democratic National Convention and in St. Paul, Minn., to cover the Republican National Convention. See it all here.

Former rival John Edwards endorses Obama

Former presidential nominee Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) at a rally in Michigan, after saying for months he would not choose a candidate. (Video courtesy Youtube.com.)

By Mike Manzoni
Staff Writer

In the months after withdrawing his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, John Edwards said he was keeping his pick for his party's presidential candidate to himself, but at a campaign rally Wednesday in Grand Rapids, MI, that all changed when Edwards stepped on stage with Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), and offered his endorsement.

"The reason I'm here tonight is because the Democratic voters have made their choice, and so have I," Edwards told the crowd. "There is one man who knows in his heart there is time to create one America, not two ... and that man is Barack Obama."

He also congratulated Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-N.Y.) campaign for the nomination.

"What she has shown ... is strength and character, and what drives her is something that every single one of us can and should appreciate," Edwards said.

"She is a woman who, in my judgment, is made of steel, and she's a leader in this country not because of her husband but because of what she has done."

Obama spoke at the event, thanking Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth.

"I am so grateful ... for John Edwards to come to Michigan tonight," he sad. "I'm grateful for his support ... but more importantly, I want to thank John for everything that he has already done to make us one America," Obama said.

The late endorsement immediately caused the chairman of the Republican National Committee to question the effectiveness of the endorsement.

Republican National Committee Chairman Robert Duncan released a statement asking, "Why didn't Edwards endorse sooner?"

After coming in third place in most early contests, Edwards withdrew from the race on Jan. 30.

Democrats duel in Austin

By Mike Manzoni
Staff Writer

Taking a break from recent verbal attacks on one another, Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) drew differences between their views on foreign policy and health care--as well as other issues--as they took part in a 90-minute debate at the University of Texas at Austin on Feb. 21.

Responding to the resignation of Cuban president Fidel Castro, Clinton, addressing the night's opening question, said it "gives Cuba a chance to change direction."

"If Cuba moves toward democracy and toward freedom for its people, the United States would welcome that," she said, after saying she would not meet immediately with Cuba's presumed new leader, Raul Castro, only after "it demonstrated" change in direction.

Obama disagreed, restating his position that he would be willing to meet without preconditions, adding, "I think it's important for the United States to not just talk to its friends, but its enemies."

"We've got to restore a sense of fairness and responsibility," Obama said of the economy as he was reminded by one of the moderators it was a primary concern of voters.

The debate also featured sharp disagreement and contention between the candidates. Regarding the charge the Clinton campaign made about Obama allegedly plagiarizing speeches, Clinton said: "Lifting whole passages from someone else's speeches is not change you can believe in, it's change you can Xerox."

Clinton was showered with boos, and Obama mumbled under his breath as she made the allegation.

The candidates largely agreed on many issues throughout the first half of the debate, including their approaches to immigration reform.

"We are a nation of laws," Obama said, "and we are a nation of immigration and we can reconcile those two things."

Clinton agreed to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the country as long as they paid fines, back taxes and learned English.

The Texas primaries, which occur the same day as contests in Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont, is on March 4.