Kucinich hosts students' debate
Originally published by the Miami Herald
Kucinich hosts students' debate
Student debaters tackled political issues in front of a U.S. presidential candidate -- and, via webcasting, an audience worldwide, too.
Posted on Thu, Sep. 13, 2007
BY JOSE PAGLIERY AND JOHN KIMBERT
When little-known Democratic and Republican students from Miami's two largest universities met for a debate on the University of Miami's Coral Gables campus Monday, the world watched.
Or at least, it could have, according to the Open Student Television Network, which showcased the event on its website, ostn.tv. The company, whose programming is entirely produced by students, hopes to launch a new age of interactive media.
WFOR-CBS 4 anchor Eliott Rodriguez, who moderated the event, noted that technological advances have reshaped communication.
In the past, "we did not have any of the amenities you have today," Rodriguez said.
U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, also a presidential candidate, hosted the hour-long debate on current political issues. Filmed at the UM's Studio C, it was simultaneously broadcast in 46 countries.
"This is better than some exchanges I see in Congress," Kucinich said after the cameras stopped rolling.
"CNN, NBC, ABC . . . they all say the same stuff," said Maria Mendieta, a UM student in the studio audience before the webcast began. "Hopefully, this is another flavor of media."
Mendieta has been disappointed by what she perceives as the media's lack of criticism in recent years. She hopes these kinds of productions will revive the media's role as a protector of public interest.
"Journalists are supposed to ask tough questions, not sit there and placate" political interests, Mendieta said.
Minutes later, UM Democrats Jesse Ward and Carrie Hanson began firing away at FIU Republican Juan Carlos Robaina and UM Republican Aaron Scott.
Moderator Rodriguez asked the panel to address a 2007 audit revealing that one in six dollars spent by contractors was "questionable."
Robaina, a political science major, said people should instead consider that five in six dollars were spent properly by contractors.
"That's pretty successful," he said.
Online viewers sent questions by e-mail. Joe, a university student in North Carolina, asked if the country was safer because of the Patriot Act, which some have criticized for its intrusions into citizens' privacy.
"What is safer? Americans feel very violated," said Hanson, 19, an English major and captain of UM's debate team. "I'm not so sure Congress had the American people in mind. Special powers are necessary. Unchecked powers are problematic."
As the 25 audience members left the studio, UM pre-law student Stephen Pellicia gave his assessment.
"The Republicans seemed a little unprepared. The Democrats were quicker and more to the point. The Republicans seemed to be skating on some issues," he said.
Eurora Martinez, 28, a UM history and political science major from Colombia, disagreed: "It was kind of even."
After the debate, the network reported that 161 colleges and universities logged in. The network did not disclose how many individual computers logged on.
Kucinich -- who was elected mayor of Cleveland in 1977 at age 31 -- hopes student media will expand the nation's heavily two-party system.
"The institutional memory for activism has receded," he said, recalling the politically activism of his younger years. "This could make it work again."
OSTN president and CEO Prashant Chopra, who attended the broadcast, encouraged young people to think for themselves.
"We are sick and tired of what the media wants us to believe," Chopra said to his student audience. "You are the YouTube generation, the Brave New World generation."
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