Students Turn to Politics at Mock Conventions, Debate in Cleveland
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Students Turn to Politics at Mock Conventions, Debate in Cleveland


Erik Michaels-Ober
Six Carnegie Mellon students, headed by Student Government President Erik Michaels-Ober, will turn their attention to politics this weekend when they participate in mock Democratic and Republican conventions and a political debate at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

The debate, scheduled for 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 4, comes on the eve of the vice presidential debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards on the Case campus.

Michaels-Ober and fellow Carnegie Mellon students Joe Arasin, Maureen Burns, Mark Egerman, Jean Lester and Nick Scocozzo, will join more than 60 students from 15 peer universities from around the country in the weekend activities.

Participating schools are Carnegie Mellon, Case Western Reserve, Cornell, Duke, Emory, Fisk, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Ohio State, Rochester, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Miami (Fla.), Florida and Washington (Mo.).

"The events at Case provide the leaders of tomorrow an opportunity to debate the issues of today," Michaels-Ober said. "The stakes of this election are higher than ever for students, many of whom will be voting for the first time. I am looking forward to meeting and debating student leaders from other top universities around the country."

Each university will function as a state in a national political convention, and the student delegates will create signs, banners, buttons and other campaign materials to rally in support of their schools at simulated Republican and Democratic conventions on the Case campus Saturday, Oct. 2, and Sunday, Oct. 3.

As the student delegates organize their political parties, create their own political platforms and organize their conventions, they also will elect four students from each party to participate in the final debate Monday evening, Oct. 4. The debates will focus on four topics: the economy, national security, social issues and domestic policy.

The activities will conclude with students watching the actual vice presidential debate from a VIP reception area with public officials, business leaders and other special guests.

Bruce Gerson


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