By Rachel Richardson

513-556-5219

Oct. 4, 2016

With five weeks to go until Election Day, the high-stakes presidential debates could be crucial in swaying voters who have yet to decide on their choice in what has been one of the most heated and polarized political matches in decades.

Following a fiery first debate, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will face off again Sunday, Oct. 9, at Washington University in St. Louis.

As the political rancor reaches a fever pitch, the University of Cincinnati aims to infuse civility and a nonpartisan perspective to the conversation with a Debate Watch party .

The event, which is free to attend and open to the public, features a pre-debate panel discussion with political science experts, a televised viewing of the live debate and a post-debate question-and-answer session with UC faculty.

“You can stay at home and watch the debate and get the partisan spin or come out and enjoy a civic event and be part of democracy at work,” said Richard Harknett, a UC political science professor and head of the political science department, which is sponsoring the event.

Follow the UC Debate Watch online and ask questions at @UCDebateWatch. Be sure to use #UCDebateWatch in your comments. Are you a UC alum? Use #UCDWAlumni in your questions to receive a priority response!



This is the third Debate Watch party for the department, which is part of UC’s College of Arts and Sciences. A similar 2012 event between Democratic incumbent president Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney drew nearly 600 people.

Many of the attendees are students, some of whom are voting for the first time in a presidential election, but Harknett says the crowd also includes others in the community who appreciate a spirited — but civil — discourse.

“We’re going to have a neutral panel of experts who look at this from the political science standpoint,” he said. “We don’t allow partisan speeches at the microphone. We’re going to learn what these two candidates are presenting to the country as a possible president.”

More than 80 million people — the largest audience in televised debate history — tuned in to the first Clinton-Trump debate on Sept. 26, in which the candidates clashed on issues of temperament, character and policies.

Harknett said the second debate could draw an even larger viewership.

“Traditionally, the second debate is the highest-rated debate,” he explained. “Somebody lost the first debate, so the narrative going into the second debate is if that person can recover or if the winner can seal the deal with the American population.”

But, he acknowledged with a laugh, “this has not been a traditional year.”

“There’s a lot of angst out there, and we’re at a high level of partisanship as American cycles go,” said Harknett. “This is an important public service that the university does.”