Presidential Debate At CU Spurs A Different Kind Of Debate
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - The lineup is now set for next week's Republican presidential debate at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
The prime time debate starts at 6 p.m. next Wednesday. It will feature Donald Trump, physician Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina, Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.
The debate will be preceded by those who polled less than 3 percent -- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former New York Gov. George Pataki, and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
But there is a debate about the debate. It will be held at the Coors Events Center on campus which seats some 11,000, but only 1,000 tickets are being given out and the University of Colorado is only getting 100.
A petition has gathered approximately 1,300 signatures and will be presented to the university on Thursday asking that more tickets be allotted to students.
Amy Runyon-Harms of ProgressNow Colorado says there may be concern about letting more students in.
Somebody started a Facebook page called Student Voices Count: a Gathering for Inclusion at the CU GOP Debate and a Twitter page called Student Voices Count.
"I think the Republican National Committee might be making decisions about who is allowed in, and it's a televised debate and could cause some disruption if outside voices were heard," she said.
RELATED: Republicans, CNBC Come To Agreement Over Debate In Boulder
University Chancellor Phil Destefano says CNBC controls the audience size, adding the tickets for the university will be distributed to faculty and students who have a direct tie in with the election process and all that goes with it.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.
