Spring Break
Students prepare for Super Tuesday
Stephanie Takach
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: News
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Activities for the watch party include prizes and student analysis on specific candidates and issues as the 21 Republican and 23 Democratic primary results come in on a giant screen TV.
"We want to have kind of a town hall forum and allow students to speak to issues that are important to them," Scott Knowles, assistant professor of history and politics, said.
One of the main focuses of the event is to have students' comments and questions to the panel of students and professional pundits.
"It's always the case where students will share experiences, express concerns and ask questions that I value because it's a learning experience no matter how much you know," William Mulgrew, former chairman of the College Republicans, said.
"Any student that wishes to speak will have the opportunity," Knowles added.
Event organizers said that they hope the watch party will help engage students in the presidential primaries for the upcoming election.
Sean Miller, president of the Drexel Democrats, said that he hopes students get involved in the watch party.
The results of the Super Tuesday primaries could enhance the Pennsylvania primary in late April, according to Knowles.
"Super Tuesday is going to be a big day for Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton, and if there is a not a knockout punch, [the candidates] will go on to Ohio and Texas, and it could very well be that the candidates are still fighting or competing for the Pennsylvania primary," Knowles said.
Because the Pennsylvania primary comes towards the end of April or early May, a candidate has usually taken a lead in the race, leaving the Pennsylvania primary to be less influential.
Mulgrew referred to the upcoming Pennsylvania primary as "exciting and cautiously optimistic."
Not only are the pundits optimistic about the Pennsylvania primary, but also about Super Tuesday.
"This campaign for the Republicans and Democrats is going into a phase that we haven't seen in a while; Super Tuesday actually matters," Knowles said.
"Students who attend the Super Tuesday watch party will see history in the making," Richard Levinson, spokesman for Hagerty Library, said. "While this national primary won't tell us who the next president will be, we think that it will provide major clues about who the nominees of the Democratic and Republican parties will be."
The Drexel Democrats, the College Republicans and the Drexel Votes 2008 team said they are looking forward to primarily interacting with students and engaging students in the political primary race.
"It will give students the opportunity to see the political history being made in both parties," Knowles said. "And an opportunity with not just one, or two, but with a lot of students."
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