The Great Debate: Socastee Style
News Director (aka "news coach") David Hart half-heartedly mentioned to me a few weeks ago that Fox News Channel may want a "local Fox anchor" to moderate the GOP Presidential Debate coming to Myrtle Beach in January.
The prospects of stepping up to the mic in front of the likes of Senator John McCain, Governor Mitt Romney, or Mike Huckabee and his best friend Chuck Norris, all the while on national television, made me very nervous.
Good thing it probably won't happen.
In fact, I am supposed to be out of town that night.
Seriously.
Anyway, my wife's friend and co-worker, Allie Hilliard, an english teacher at Socastee High School, asked me to moderate a debate in her junior english class on Tuesday.
The format was pretty straight-forward: the students had been assigned and/or picked a candidate, either Democrat or Republican, and studied up on that person's stance on the issues.
Then, I showed up and asked questions to each party, to see who is most convincing.
Who knew these students would be so prepared?
The students, for the most part, dressed the part, and addressed each other accordingly, saying something to the effect of: "Now, Senator Obama, don't say...." or, "Chris Dodd, you are incorrect to say..."
But these students, for the most part, knew each candidate's position, and delivered opinions on demand and, for the most part, on time.
It was a great learning experience for them, I am sure.
I say this because I learned a whole bunch.
I have to admit, politics is not my strong suit, especially this far out in a still-to-be-determined presidential race.
I only wish my high school teachers, english or otherwise, had devised exercises like this one.
Kudos to Allie Hilliard, and kudos to her students.
Especially the guy who wore the clip-on tie.
Posted by on 12/11 at 09:10 PM
