Presidential Primary Debates Postponed to June

CNN, Hearst Argyle’s WMUR-TV and the New Hampshire Union Leader have moved their back-to-back Republican and Democratic debates from the first week of April to the first week of June. The debates will be held at Saint Anselm College.

The change was made to accommodate candidates' schedules and offer the public the best possible presidential primary debates. New Hampshire plays a pivotal role in presidential elections, and CNN, WMUR-TV and the New Hampshire Union Leader say they are committed to providing voters with this important opportunity to evaluate candidates. The exact dates of the events will be posted as soon has they have been determined.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer will moderate the debates with questions from WMUR-TV Political Director Scott Spradling and New Hampshire Union Leader Senior Political Reporter John DiStaso. Both debates will be broadcast live throughout New Hampshire on WMUR and nationally on CNN, CNN Radio, CNN.com, WMUR.com and UnionLeader.com.

Additionally, WMUR and CNN Pipeline will create multiple real-time web components including off-air camera angles and additional real-time analysis in an unprecedented effort to enhance the on-line experience for the people of New Hampshire and the country, CNN anncounced.

These debates will provide candidates an important opportunity to introduce themselves and answer direct questions on the many challenges facing New Hampshire and the nation.

"As a liberal arts college with a mission to engage students and citizens in the civic life of our nation, we are thrilled to showcase once again our great college and our Benedictine hospitality on a national stage," Fr. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B., president of the college, said.

The Final Grassroots Frontier: From N.H. Living Rooms to the White House

The New Hampshire Democratic Party is sponsoring a discussion on Wed., March 14, 2007, at 6 p.m., in NHIOP Auditorium that will highlight the historical and political significance of the Granite State's first-in-the-nation primary tradition.

Governor Lynch will open the discussion that will feature Carl Cameron, chief political correspondent, Fox News Channel; John DiStaso, senior political reporter, Union Leader ; Ovide LaMontagne, former Quayle for President N.H. Chair; Bill Shaheen, former State Chair to Sen. John Kerry's New Hampshire presidential campaign; and Dante Scala associate professor of politics, Saint Anselm College.

The event will be moderated by Jennifer Donahue, senior advisor for political affairs at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.  Admission is free and open to the public.

Damon Linker Discusses Role of Religion in American Presidential Politics

Dr. Damon LinkerIn this podcast, we feature a recent New Hampshire Institute of Politics lecture by Dr. Damon Linker, author of the book, The Theocons. Dr. Linker’s essays and reviews have appeared in The New Republic, The Wall Street Journal, National Review, and The Weekly Standard. Previously, he served as a speechwriter for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The subject of Dr. Linker’s lecture is "Taking the Religious Test: The Case of Mitt Romney.” For a related news item, please visit the NHIOP Web site.

Saint Anselm to Host Presidential Debates With CNN, WMUR-TV, and Union Leader (Updated)

Update 2: The debates have been scheduled for June 3 and 5, 2007. For more information, visit this blog entry.

Update: The debates have been moved to the first week in June 2007. Debate sponsors CNN, WMUR-TV, and the New Hampshire Union Leader decided to move the dates to better accommodate the schedules of presidential candidates and to provide the best possible program for a nationwide audience. The exact dates of the debates will be posted to this blog when they are known. [see related blog entry]

Saint Anselm College will once again take a leading role in the election of the next President of the United States, college President Fr. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B., announced recently.

This spring, in partnership with CNN, WMUR-TV (our local ABC affiliate), and the New Hampshire Union Leader, Saint Anselm will host two presidential primary debates at the Dana Center. Each production will be televised live on CNN and WMUR, and will feature Republican candidates Wednesday, April 4, and the Democratic field Thursday, April 5.

"As a liberal arts college with a mission to engage students and citizens in the civic life of our nation, we are thrilled to showcase once again our great college and our Benedictine hospitality on a national stage," Fr. Jonathan said.

"We hope these debates are a preview of many more campus events designed to help voters navigate the important vetting process that characterizes New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary," he said.

Although the debates will occur during Holy Week, they will not interfere with liturgical or spiritual obligations.

"One might see this convergence of events as an opportunity to highlight two of Saint Anselm College's greatest strengths: its Catholic identity and its commitment to democracy in action," he said.

In 2004, Saint Anselm was the venue for the last Democratic presidential debate before the New Hampshire Primary, in partnership with WMUR, the Union Leader , ABC News, and Fox News Channel.

To get a feel of what hosting a presidential primary debate is like at the college, watch the video included below from the 2004 New Hampshire Primary.

Media Coverage:


Click To Play

"The Way to Win," Mark Halperin Talks Politics at the NHIOP

Mark HalperinOn December 5, 2006, the New Hampshire Institute of Politics hosted a lecture by Mark Halperin, political director of ABC News. As political director, Halperin is responsible for the planning and editorial content of all political news on the network. He works with correspondants and producers for all ABC News programs, including World News With Charles Gibson, This Week With George Stephanopoulos, Nightline, 20/20, and news specials.

Halperin's recent book, The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008, examines the personal lives and political histories of some of the biggest names in recent presidential politics.

Podcast Opening Music by Van Davis, "One Question at a Time." Available on the Podsafe Music Network.

N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson Talks Politics With Humanities Students

Gov. Bill RichardsonNew Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson meets with about 20 Saint Anselm College humanities students and discusses negotiating prisoner releases with Saddam Hussein and Fidel Castro, improving schools in New Mexico, and ending the war in Iraq, among many other topics.

Take 5 With Gov. Bill Richardson

An audio interview with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. Interview conducted by Jennifer Donahue, senior advisor for political affairs, NHIOP.

Fox News Analyst Bill Kristol

Bill KristolFox News analyst Bill Kristol discusses presidential and congressional politics, the outlook for the 2006 and 2008 elections, and current political issues on the minds of voters.

Take 5 With Bill Kristol

An audio interview with Bill Kristol, Fox News analyst and editor of The Weekly Standard. Interview conducted by Jennifer Donahue, senior advisor for political affairs, New Hampshire Institute of Politics.