NBC Debate 1/23: Students barred from attending

[rp2012win]

The NBC debate hosted by the Univ. of South Florida has barred students from attending and will only allow sponsers such as the Tampa Bay Times, and NBC and the National Review. This is despite USF hosting the event. NBC is allowing a "watch party" outside the theatre where some 800 students can watch it on TV. This is the kind of crowd control that is working against Ron Paul. Party establishment is filling the crowds and RP supporters are being shown the door. This is a disgrace. The students are continuing to lobby for tickets and protesting the decision.

Article: http://www.usforacle.com/news/republican-debate-to-bring-parking-closures-lack-of-student-tickets-1.2685829#.TxUSTm9SR2C

EDIT: debate crowd consists of the national review which did not include Paul in their front page poll. Meanwhile, Univ. S Florida students have been denied tickets.

[NoPants]

Just say you aren't a student and get a ticket. What are they going to do?

[jersdream]

Students won't be barred from attending, there just isn't student tickets. Big difference. I've seen this happen on campus many times where I went to school. For big time, popular events, you can't always get student tickets.

[rp2012win]

Students won't be barred from attending, there just isn't student tickets..umm...WTF?

[jlaker]

Oh well! Younger people have fire in there belly. This will only make them mad and work harder.

[truthhope]

according to the article they said the only tickets to be available to the public would be determined by any tix left over after the sponsors have had there way with them.

from the article:
Though USF will provide the stage for the Republican National Debate, most students and faculty won't have a firsthand look at the potential presidents.
Because of limited space, the debate, which will be held at 9 p.m. Jan. 23 in Theatre I, will not be open to the public, University spokeswoman Lara Wade-Martinez said.
"Between the sponsors and the candidates, there are no public tickets available (as of now)," she said.

Tickets will be distributed by sponsors such as the Tampa Bay Times, NBC and the National Review, though some public tickets may become available to USF after NBC finishes setting up the theater this week.

For those unable to attend the debate, Student Government (SG) will host a watch party in the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza outside the theater, where a live stream of the debate will show in a tented area with 800 seats. The tent will open at 7:30 p.m. and free food will be provided.
Lindsay Lewis, SG director of Governmental Affairs and watch party organizer, said SG has not given up on obtaining some, though likely few, tickets for students.
"We have pushed and we still are pushing for student tickets," Lewis, a senior majoring in political science, said. "NBC is working out the details for the theater, and until all the staging and setup is completed, we won't know how many seats will be available."

[JoshS]

WOW.

They really ARE filling the seats. This is unreal.

[cindy25]

there will only be 3 or 4 candidates (Perry surely gone, maybe Santorum gone also) so each candidate should have enough tickets

[LibertyEagle]

No way Santorum will be gone by then.

[rp2012win]

Keep this in mind tonight. The univ is only allowed to do a "watch party" outside in a separate building. Students are barred from attending the debate.

[thoughtomator]

sponsors such as the Tampa Bay Times, NBC and the National Review

The same National Review that posted a poll today that leaves Paul off it... for at least the second time in a week?

[Drex]

THAT'S BS!

[thesnake742]

there will only be 3 or 4 candidates (Perry surely gone, maybe Santorum gone also) so each candidate should have enough tickets

Hahah is anyone expecting Santy to drop out in the next few hours?

[sailingaway]

No way Santorum will be gone by then.

If Santorum comes in 4th with Ron not even campaigning there, he might.

[ghengis86]

Hahah is anyone expecting Santy to drop out in the next few hours?

Frothy is difficult to remove.

[nobody's_hero]

"This debate is sponsored by:

The people who want to destroy this nation.

Thank you for watching."

[Justinfrom1776]

If the crowd goes nuts for Newt when he throws a temper tantrum and lashes out at the moderator, perhaps tonight when Ron gets asked some ridiculous question (probably from National Review) he should just pick his podium up over his head and heave it at them.. Then walk over to Newt, throw a hay maker and walk out. Go outside and talk to those kids!

[ctiger2]

Good. I want the mods to ask Ron about the TSA and I want Ron to vehemently admonish the TSA for continual violation of civil rights and I want the crowd to loudly boo.

[DogLover2113]

Of course they don't want the Ron Paul supporters in there. They might actually point it out when Ron Paul does not get equal time. God forbid they make the debate fair.

[ZENemy]

Good. I want the mods to ask Ron about the TSA and I want Ron to vehemently admonish the TSA for continual violation of civil rights and I want the crowd to loudly boo.

INDEED!

[rb3b3]

Hopefully some of the students who are for Ron Paul can somehow sneak in there!!! It would be nice to have a few supporters there
... But nothing in this election process will be easy for us....we have to continue to bust our butts to get this man elected.... We can do it!!!!!!!!!! No matter how much the media blacks Ron out we will prevail!

[dillo]

what channel is this on

[pacelli]

No way Santorum will be gone by then.

You said it, deserve some + rep for that.

[pacelli]

Of course they don't want the Ron Paul supporters in there. They might actually point it out when Ron Paul does not get equal time. God forbid they make the debate fair.

The charade is that they are trying to duplicate the demeanor, antics, and reactions of the SC crowd.

That's how they are stacking the deck for the crowd tonight.

I really hope we have at least a few Rp supporters in the crowd that will cheer Dr. Paul.

[RickyJ]

"This debate is sponsored by:

The people who want to destroy this nation.

Thank you for watching."

Everyone can complain and they just black it out, they don't care. The elite have their way every time. The USA is not any more democratic than China now. Until people are willing and ready to fight the elite and actually do so, nothing will ever change.

[Jingles]

Everyday it feels like I'm living in some Orwellian dystopian nightmare, but I can't wake up.

[MsDoodahs]

sad...very sad....

[KramerDSP]

If booed massively, Ron Paul should say "You know, this debate audience is stacked, and I wonder why NBC, in conjunction with the University of South Florida, did not allow for tickets to be released to USF's own college students" or something like that.

[RickyJ]

Ron Paul should make note of this in the debate tonight. Tickets should be first come first serve for a national debate like this. It is only the fair way to do it.

[Dr_SCN]

I was scared of something like this... the next move would be to say that he is no longer welcome at future debates because he is last in Florida.

[KramerDSP]

Everyday it feels like I'm living in some Orwellian dystopian nightmare, but I can't wake up.

Yep, it is more blatant and in your face every day we go. And the majority of the American people are oblivious to this. It's sad. I said in another thread that if we can't turn the heat off altogether (frogs in a pot of water that will boil soon), we need to do Plan B, and force the heat to go faster than expected, so that the frogs realize it and jump out in time. That's going to mean acts of civil disobedience.

While we're here, how would the country react to a Ron Paul supporter having jumped onstage during a debate with a sign that says "The media is LYING to you!" or "The Corporate Media = Pravda! WAKE UP!!" before getting tackled by security and hauled off stage?

[Moebedda]

duplicate post

[Moebedda]

Everyday it feels like I'm living in some Orwellian dystopian nightmare, but I can't wake up.

+rep for that. I feel the same way.

[BUSHLIED]

let's see if Ron Paul stands up for the student at the University by shaming the host for not allowing a percentage of student tickets....if he is smart, he will do it. If he doesn't well, Ron is an old dog and you can't teach him new tricks....

[dannno]

If the crowd goes nuts for Newt when he throws a temper tantrum and lashes out at the moderator

I hate it when that happens. It always looks so staged.

[Carole]

Students must engage the stealth mode. :D

[millercards]

Might have to do something with the fact that other supporters are unsure of their candidate and won't stand up shouting "President Paul President Paul" for most of the debate because we are SURE of our guy.

[No Free Beer]

I used to be a student at USF, and all my friends who are still there say they couldn't get any tickets. go figure

[Wolfgang Bohringer]

Go outside and talk to those kids!

This is going to be ugly. I don't think I can watch.

I agree, Ron should really use this opportunity to gracefully--yet contemptuously--leave the stage while announcing that he's going to go and have a serious Q&A session with the barricaded kids outside. And Ron really needs to show some contempt for these people.

[joshnorris14]

I just got my tickets to the debate in Jacksonville on Thursday from CNN. That one should be better.

[Sematary]

I just got my tickets to the debate in Jacksonville on Thursday from CNN. That one should be better.

You saw the way CNN treated Dr. Paul LAST TIME, right?

[pacelli]

I'm not religious but let's pray for Dr. Paul to be assertive and clear tonight.

[rb3b3]

Someone help me out here, we are not supposed to do well in Florida, so my question is why won't Ron just call the media out on every single question he gets????? What does he have to lose by doing so? I'd love to hear him go off on the media during a live debate!! I mean really lace into them!! Just maybe it will wake people up!!!

[Phyxrgon]

he should call out the media and get a firestorm brewing that they aren't being fair giving no admittance to the students... i would be really mad if i was prevented without a good reason just like that, not watch it like a joke theatre performance where they give the other puppets time and ignore ron. :mad:

[IterTemporis]

Someone help me out here, we are not supposed to do well in Florida, so my question is why won't Ron just call the media out on every single question he gets????? What does he have to lose by doing so? I'd love to hear him go off on the media during a live debate!! I mean really lace into them!! Just maybe it will wake people up!!!

It may be a Florida Debate, but it still airs nationally.