Oct 15, 2008 7:19 pm US/Eastern
Hofstra Students Buzzing Over Presidential Debate
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBS) ―
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Hofstra University student Eric Pahlke holds up a sign for "Hofstra Pride" before the final presidential debate on October 15, 2008.
CBS
With Hofstra University preparing to host the last, and perhaps most important debate this election season, there's plenty of campus buzz flying around.
At the campus' Student Center, some lucky students were elated to find out they'd been cleared by Secret Service, and will part of the select few attending the debate.
"The email said, 'Congratulations, yes you've made it, calm down and breathe!'" Hofstra student Eric Pahlke told CBS 2. Pahlke is one of the lucky 250 or so students winning a presidential debate seat by lottery. Journalism major Steven D'Ambrozio was picked too, his heart thumping as he phoned his family in Poughkeepsie to tune in to CBS 2 to watch!
"I'm not sure about audience views, but if they do, I'll be waving if I can, saying 'Hey!'" he said.
With just hours to go, the campus is buzzing. Playing host live to a national and international audience, with media members, politicians, historians, and dignitaries from across the globe converging on Long Island, the nation's first suburb.
"[National Public Radio] has called in, BBC is literally coming over here to do an interview, even Martha Stewart," said Hofstra School of Communications Professor Bruce Avery.
The finishing touches are going up in the grand debate hall, with floors of red carpet fitted down, and a bald eagle fixture reigning over the debate table and moderator Bob Scheiffer's chair.
The setting is certainly giving law student Evan Gotlob A lot of inspiration
"There's much you can learn from both of them. They're both excellent debaters and public speakers," he said.
Gotlob himself says one day he'd like to be Commander in Chief, but at Hofstra University, only one of two men on campus Wednesday will have that privilege, a privilege that could rest on what they have to say in this final 2008 debate.
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