Debate unspun

GAMBIER, Ohio (November 1, 2004) Plenty of college students have enjoyed analyzing the presidential and vice-presidential debates this season, but only three were approached by PBS to share their thoughts with the nation. First-year Kenyon student Mike Frick, an Oklahoma state debating champion who finished in fourth place at the National Forensics League national competition, was invited to critique the debate between Vice President Dick Cheney and vice presidential nominee John Edwards for NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Frick offered his expertise to the PBS program's "NewsHour Extra" Web pages. You can read his assessment of the candidates' style and rhetoric, responsiveness to questions asked, and argumentation at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/vote2004/.

Though his commentary made national news, Mike is not the only one getting involved in the election. The Kenyon community is engaged in the process, enjoying the opportunity to explore important issues of the day and taking seriously Ohio's role as a key "battleground" state. Numerous guest lecturers have visited campus to discuss foreign policy topics, Kenyon's Department of Political Science has presented panels on "Issues in the 2004 Presidential Campaign", and both the Kenyon Observer and the Voice, news magazines which provide opinion and criticism, have devoted their October issues to sharing faculty and student perspectives on the election.