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/republ...9#.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.