In the end, perhaps the most memorable line from the Oct. 8 presidential debate wasn’t even uttered by a candidate.
In addressing those inside the Field House just before the debate began, Executive Director of the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) Janet Brown said, “This campus is the gold standard for debates.”
Washington University was chosen to host a debate for the fourth straight presidential campaign, with three of those showdowns coming to fruition. And this most recent debate — the second of three in the 2004 campaign — was a good indicator of why the University is consistently chosen.
“As I said in my introductory remarks to the audience, an effort like this takes a great number of dedicated people, and the faculty, staff and students of Washington University have my heartfelt thanks for all that they contributed to making this event a huge success,” Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton said. “Under the leadership of Steve Givens, who effectively chaired the steering committee, the University has once again proven that it can do many things well.”
Millions of Americans watched the nationally televised town-hall forum, with many more millions tuning in worldwide.
What they saw was nearly 12 years in the making, from the very first time the University was selected to host a debate.
With that much time to practice, it was clear that this was one for the ages.
After remarks by Brown and CPD co-chairmen Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr. and Paul G. Kirk Jr., Wrighton made his welcoming remarks.
Then, in his opening comments, moderator Charles Gibson of ABC News received perhaps the most applause of the evening when he announced that the Boston Red Sox had won the deciding game of the American League Division Series in dramatic fashion.
Finally, it was on to the debate. Just after 8 p.m. Central time, President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry strode into the Field House, which had been transformed into a plush debate site and looked nothing like the home of numerous NCAA Division III national champions.
For more than three weeks, the Athletic Complex had been abuzz with activity, as 20 members of the athletic department gave up their offices, athletic teams “hosted” tournaments on the road, and people found other places to exercise and work out.
The football team held meetings in two racquetball courts, while SBC Communications Inc. used two other courts for work space and phone services. Four additional courts were used by the campaigns as various work spaces.
Some coaches lost their offices for candidate workstations and holding rooms, while the weight room was used as the town-hall participants’ holding room.
“It is a challenge to have the entire complex taken away for close to two weeks,” said T.J. Shelton, assistant athletics director and director of facilities, operations and special events, “but it is worth it as the entire University benefits from the national exposure.”
The candidates sat on stools at the north end of the Field House, while the 140 town-hall participants sat on tiered rows of seats surrounding the candidates.
Television lights bathed the stage, while the audience in the balcony sat in relative darkness. Six network television platforms had been erected at the south end of the debate hall, where the networks broadcast live before and after the debate.
Gibson had received questions from the town-hall participants before the debate, and he alone chose which would be asked. The candidates didn’t know what the questions would be, and the town-hall participants didn’t know if they would get to ask a question until Gibson called on them.
An estimated 325 students volunteered to help with the event. Their numerous assignments included checking tickets and handing out programs in the Athletic Complex and working in the media credentialing center in the Arts & Sciences Laboratory Science Building.
In the debate, Bush and Kerry sparred on a variety of issues, tackling such hot topics as the war in Iraq, jobs, health care and abortion. There were sharp exchanges, but neither candidate delivered a proverbial knockout blow.
All the while, watch parties were going on around the University, including one hosted by CNN in Brookings Quadrangle. CNN aired Crossfire live from the Quad both the day before and the day of the debate; and then after the debate it went live again to deliver analysis.
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews went live with his show, Hardball With Chris Matthews, both the day before and the day of the debate, giving numerous students an opportunity to participate during the broadcasts.
Seating in the debate was limited to the town-hall participants and some 900 guests — including 183 winners of the student ticket lottery and an additional 50 student volunteers — who were asked to be, and were, silent during the course of the debate.
The media filing center, which included the now-famous “spin alley,” was set up in the Recreational Gymnasium of the Athletic Complex. The 18 rows of tables running the width of the gym had Internet access and telephones, and were accompanied by more than 50 televisions.
As would be expected, security was tight. Secret Service agents patrolled the grounds around the clock, and a secure perimeter was set up around the parking lot in front of the Athletic Complex.
Much preparation work had been done since Nov. 7, when the University — along with sponsors A.G. Edwards, Bank of America, BJC HealthCare and Emerson — announced that it would host a debate.
But after all was said and done, when everyone could take a step back and look at what had been accomplished in the previous several months, most viewed the results in a manner consistent with Brown’s opening proclamation.
“In many ways, this felt a lot like the debate four years ago,” Givens said. “I won’t say it got any easier, but we at least had the luxury of our memory.
“We knew we could do this. We knew the day would come and go. We hoped that the event would happen successfully and safely. By all accounts, we succeeded in doing those things.”