University students study presidential election/debate | Press Releases

Students who have been studying both American politics and the journalism of politics at Fairfield University, will meet at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business on Thursday, Sept. 30, to watch and critique the first presidential debate between President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry.

The students are part of a "cluster course" in which together they study two related subjects. Teaching the courses are Dr. John M. Orman, professor of politics and an expert on the U.S. presidency, and Dr. James Simon, director of the journalism program and a former AP bureau chief.

Simulation of election
In another class that Dr. Orman teaches, an honors class on the Presidential Election of 2004, students will spend Thursday, Sept. 30, in their 2 p.m. class, simulating the election by taking on roles in the campaign, including those of President George W. Bush, V.P. Dick Cheney, Senator John Kerry, Senator John Edwards, Ralph Nader, Bill O'Reilly and others.

The class will follow what is happening in the blue and red states, and study special interest groups, before casting their votes, using the latest polling data, to determine their votes.

The Vote tour
For media following the Vote tour, led by Bruce Springsteen and opening Oct. 1 in Philadelphia: Dr. John Orman, an expert on the U.S. presidency, is the author of a book, "The Politics of Rock Music," which he is in the process of editing for republication later this year.

For more information, please call (203) 254-4000, ext. 2647; after business hours: (203) 259-1884.