I attended the campuses of all 3 Presidential debates. By far, Ole Miss was the most organized and welcoming. They were ready for their guests, had public restrooms and food available and provided them ALL with a wonderful place to WATCH the televised debate: on their lawn after a day of bands and speakers. It was very hot outside but there was shade, or the cafeteria with AC and tables where so many people and students dined. The college provided 2 huge TV screens and we brought the lawn chairs or blankets and thousands of us watched and cheered Obama and McCain together. Ole Miss students were respectful, the campus mostly open to the public and looked lovely!
Belmont sent their students away on a week long break. None of their campus buildings were open for the public, including their bathrooms. It RAINED all day, and the only restrooms
available were port a potties. My beautiful shoes were ruined by the mud, and there was no place to check my makeup and wet hair. No place to even warm up! The alley had some vendors like Ole Miss but the school cafeteria was locked tight and there was NO SEATING OUT OF THE RAIN (or even in it) to eat. The bands were all Christian, and the cold wet outside weather didn't invite anyone to listen. Obama supporters crowded around the MSNBC tent and watched them make their news broadcast, including Chris Matthews doing HARBALL, while standing in the rain and mud. Presidential debate watching on campus was only for those who wanted to STAND IN THE RAIN, and watch MSNBC's 2 small flat screen tv's behind a metal fence.Hofstra University was by far THE WORST! The entire campus was CLOSED TO VISITORS. I drove 1105 miles to attend and was threatened with arrest after I lawfully parked my car at 8:30 AM. The campus and local police had NO IDEA where the public could go and when I finally got an answer, THE "FREE SPEECH SONE" was a gated and locked parking lot that didn't open until 3PM. NO RESTROOMS NOR FOOD was available for guests on campus. I had signed up in advance on Hofstra's website to watch the debates on TV's in a building with the students. When I asked about this, I was told definitely not. Only students were allowed, I wasn't even allowed to stand at the GATE of the University and ask about entry because a Hofstra official demanded that the campus policeman stop talking to me because that wasn't his job. The campus imposed the needed restroom and feeding of 1000+ people onto the McDonalds and other surrounding small businesses. No Viewing of the debate was supplied to the public, and I was left with a forever negative impression of Hofstra University.
The American Presidential debate was for the World to see, and for a few to participate, not just for students of 3 campuses. I applaud Ole Miss who really understood their role as HOSTING a debate and delivered a PREMIER experience for those who wanted to be a part of this historic occasion. The other 2 campuses, shouldn't have bothered.
