From left, Seth Masket, Ved Nanda, Lisa Martinez and Sharon Lassar were part of a panel discussing political issues in “Political Realities One Year After the 2012 Election: The Debate Continues.” Photo: Wayne Armstrong
The University of Denver commemorated the 2012 presidential debate at DU with a special event on Oct. 3 — the first anniversary of the historic showdown on campus.
In “Political Realities One Year After the 2012 Election: The Debate Continues,” a panel of political experts discussed the impact of the debate on the 2012 election and on future elections, and examined some of the issues raised in the DU debate and how they have played out one year later — including health care, taxes and small business. The panel was composed of Seth Masket, associate professor in the political science department and expert on campaigns and political parties; Lisa Martinez, an associate professor of sociology and expert on Hispanic voters; Sharon Lassar, a professor in the School of Accountancy at the Daniels College of Business; Ved Nanda, a professor of international law in the Sturm College of Law; Chuck Plunkett, political reporter at the Denver Post; Dick Wadhams, campaign consultant and Colorado Republicans chair; and Rick Palacio, Colorado Democrats chair. Serving as moderator was Cynthia Hessin, award-winning host and executive producer of “Colorado State of Mind” on Rocky Mountain PBS.
Last autumn, more than 3,000 journalists, including nearly 800 journalists from abroad, gathered at the University of Denver’s Hamilton Gymnasium to listen to then-candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney discuss issues impacting the American public during their race for the White House. Many of the same issues discussed that day are still being publicly debated.
The Oct. 3 event also included the premiere of a documentary film showcasing the University’s rigorous preparation for the debate.