[CUA Office of Public Affairs]           

                                                                                    March 5, 2004

 

Republican and Democratic Party Chairs

to Face Off in Their First Debate

 

McAuliffe and Gillespie Will Return to Alma Mater; Stephanopoulos to Moderate

 

The heads of the nation’s two dominant political parties will meet at their alma mater for a debate that may foreshadow the campaign issues on the agenda for the 2004 presidential election.

 

CUA alumni Ed Gillespie, chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will engage in a debate hosted by the university on March 18, 2004, at 8 p.m., in the Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center.

 

It will be the first time the two leaders of their respective parties have met for a formal debate. George Stephanopoulos, anchor of ABC’s Sunday morning program “This Week,” will moderate the event.

 

Gillespie graduated from Catholic University in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in politics. He was elected chair of the Republic National Committee in July 2003.

 

McAuliffe, who earned a bachelor’s degree in politics in 1979, was elected chair of the Democratic National Committee in February 2001.

 

This is the first time in U.S. history that the nation’s two major political parties have been led at the same time by alumni of the same university. It may also mark the first time in history that the Democratic and Republican party chairs have engaged in a formal debate.

 

Media Information

 

Coverage of this event is welcome but media representatives MUST contact the CUA Office of Public Affairs to register. An overflow crowd of more than 700 CUA students, faculty, staff and alumni is expected; space inside the hall will be reserved only for media outlets that pre-register and is subject to availability. Call Chris Harrison or Katie Lee at 202-319-5600 to reserve space for the event and to determine technical needs. A mult box and pool (D/A) video feed will be available. Print reporters who pre-register are welcome to attend the debate; others may watch it live over the Internet at: http://digitalmedia.cua.edu/debate/.

 

 

Ticket Availability: Tickets to the debate are reserved for Catholic University students, faculty, staff and alumni. No tickets are available for the general public, but the debate can be viewed live at: http://digitalmedia.cua.edu/debate/.

 

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Any questions or comments? cua-public-affairs@cua.edu

 

Revised: 2/23/2004

All contents copyright © 2004.
The Catholic University of America,
Office of Public Affairs.