Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Have a Goo Goo with your thoughtful political analysis

Belmont debate coordinator Pamela Johnson spoke to the Exchange Club of Nashville today and hit the basics of the debate. Here are some of my notes of things maybe you and I didn't know:

• The price tag for the debate could creep to $3.5 million, which the school says it has covered from private donations. Belmont initially pegged the cost around $3 million.

• Passengers on flights from St. Louis to Nashville -- which will likely include lots of media members coming from the vice presidential debate at Washington University -- will be treated to performances from Belmont students when they come in to Nashville International Airport.

• The big boys -- ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN and C-SPAN -- will get prime real estate for their satellite trucks in the parking lot north of the Belmont soccer field, where the media tent now sits. The local affiliates will have space nearby, Johnson said, but nobody's parking on 15th Avenue South next to the school. So don't try it!

• The hospitality tent -- you know, the one sponsored by Anheuser Busch -- will feature local goodies like Little Debbie snacks, Tennessee Tea Cakes, and Goo Goos! I can't wait to see the looks on the faces of international media turn from bewilderment to ecstasy.

2 comments:

ec said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ec said...

ccsledge@tennessean.com,
Doesn't it seem to be a problem that this "debate" is sponsored by a partisan commision bent on limiting access to any other political party other than the Democrates and Republicans.

And reading about this sponsorship deal seems to raise even more red flags. It is like this is now a rock concert co-sponsored by a private company.