Politics

The vice presidential debate at Centre College on Thursday night was viewed by millions of television viewers worldwide.  Two of our own reporters - WFPL's Political Editor Phillip M. Bailey and Kentucky Public Radio’s Kenny Colston - were there in person to watch the 90-minute debate between vice president Joe Biden and Republican nominee Paul Ryan. They were also part of the media throng at Centre College for several hours both before and after the debate. Bailey and Colston talked about their experience this past Friday on Byline.

A producer with MSNBC's award-winning prison documentary series "Lockup" says Louisville Metro Corrections Director Mark Bolton made inaccurate statements about the city’s contract with the cable news network.

The series began filming at the city jail earlier this year, and its season debut Saturday will feature footage from the corrections department. Bolton told WFPL in a telephone interview that Metro Corrections was given final edit approval and that his department had received $20,000 from the show for leadership development.

But MSNBC spokeswoman Wessie Vieria says Bolton’s claims are not true, and the cable network never gave Metro Corrections the rights to final editorial control of the show’s content.

"MSNBC does not ever give any editorial control to the people who appear in the stories and it was not different in this case. MSNBC and NBC News have final editorial control over every episode of Lockup and that is very, very clearly stated in our agreements with the jails and the prison," she says.

Green Party vice presidential candidate Cheri Honkala has been touring Kentucky this week to draw attention to issues that are not being discussed in the campaign as well as speak out against the debate at Centre College.

Several demonstrations were held before the debate in Danville, Ky. on Thursday, including rallies to draw attention to access while others addressed issues of poverty and austerity measures. The Presidential Debate Commission barred Honkala and other third party candidates from participating alongside Vice President Joe Biden and Republican Congressman Paul Ryan.

The commissions rules dictate that in order for third party candidates to be included they must poll at least 15 percent among registered voters.

Honkala says the commission is the problem and should include more perspectives so that all Americans can have their views represented.

"I was outraged when I found out that myself and (running mate) Dr. Jill Stein have not been allowed into the debates, especially because we worked really hard to get on the ballot in about 38 states and 85 percent is eligible to vote for us," she says.

As the dust settles on this year’s vice presidential debate at Centre College, local officials are saying the school is ready for the next step. 

Centre College has now held two vice presidential debates: this year’s and 2000's.

Those debates will be historically known for two different styles between candidates—Vice President Dick Cheney and Senator Joe Lieberman were cordial in 2000, while Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan were much feistier this year. But behind the scenes, both debates are known for how smoothly everything ran.