Tagged: Vice Presidential Debate

Centre College officials say their moment in the national political spotlight was worth the Kentucky school's investment in hosting last week's vice presidential debate.

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.

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.

Even though the candidates for vice president met at Centre College in Danville for their debate Thursday night, Kentucky issues such as coal and the auto industry weren’t heavily addressed.

Kentucky is affected by many of the national issues that were discussed, but Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan had little to say on topics specific to the commonwealth, such as coal and the auto industry.