Debate memories
Rather than pay for its football team at a cost of $4.5 million per year, Hofstra University eliminated the team in 2009. The school spent that same amount of money to host tonight's presidential debate, reports Vivian Yee of the New York Times.
Learning that fact reminded me that when I attended the 2008 debate at Hofstra, I filmed a scene of angry people outside the debate hall. More memories from my trip to all four debates that year:
- For a brief minute, it looked like the debates were going to be canceled due to John McCain's busy schedule.
- People at Hofstra like pot.
- The Hofstra campus features a confusing sculpture of a hitchhiker.
- It rained and I got wet in my dorky polo shirt.
- There's a cool place in Nashville called Hatch Print Show. If you've been to my desk at work, you've seen what I came home with.
- I learned that the Mississippi Delta isn't particularly proximate to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
- It turned out that the St. Louis skyline is pretty lame when you're inside the one cool part of it.
- I stayed in a super cool hotel in St. Louis.
- Washington University removed two holly trees by the tennis courts to make room for TV reporters to do "stand-up" shots outside the debate hall.
- I had fun with Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots.
- The political signs were pretty funny.
- I toured Sun Studios and got to belt out some lines while cradling the very Shure 55 microphone Elvis Presley used.
- I met the folks behind Rednecks for Obama.
- Students at Old Miss left campus to go home rather than sticking around for the debate.
- The sororities at Old Miss love Katie Couric.
- But not everyone likes Katie Couric.
