Sources: Belmont lands major presidential debate

Music City to host big time political event

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse

NashvillePost.com has learned that Belmont University will host one of the 2008 presidential debates. The event will be held at Belmont's Curb Center on October 7, 2008, less than a month before the 2008 presidential general elections.

Belmont, along with 16 other organizations formally applied to host a debate earlier this year with the Commission on Presidential Debates. The CPD is a bipartisan organization led by former Republican National Committee chairman Frank Fahrenkopf, Jr., and former Democratic National Committee chairman Paul Kirk, Jr.

According to the CPD's website, the organization was "established in 1987 to ensure that debates, as a permanent part of every general election, provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners. Its primary purpose is to sponsor and produce debates for the United States presidential and vice presidential candidates and to undertake research and educational activities relating to the debates." The nonprofit CPD has sponsored presidential debates since 1988.

While Nashville voters may think hosting a debate is not that big of deal, it is a major coup for Belmont and the city. Though there were plenty of mayoral debates in the past year and there seems to be an endless number of presidential primary debates on television these days, competition for general election debates at the presidential level is intense.

Belmont is expected to announce the event formally soon.