Presidential Debates Planned For Ohio

As Ohio voters prepare to cast their ballots in the March 4 primary election, they will be able to see the presidential candidates face off in a pair of debates somewhere in the state.

Alex Goepfert, Communications Director of the Ohio Democratic Party said CNN approached the ODP, along with the Ohio Republican Party about the event.

In an interview with WHIOTV.COM, Goepfert said the debates are scheduled for Feb. 27 for the Democrats and Feb. 28 for the Republicans.

“It is extremely exciting for us to have the debates here and for the voters to hear directly from the candidates,” Goepfert said.

If CNN follows the format used in other states, the candidates of one party would face off on the first night and the candidates of another party would debate on the next night from the same location.

Goepfert said he said there has been some discussion of having some Ohio reporters on a panel asking questions of the candidates.

“This is an incredible opportunity for Ohio voters to have their issues, like the economy, put front and center, in the presidential campaign. For the last several months we have watched the candidates on both sides duke it out in New Hampshire and Iowa. This time in this election cycle Ohioans are going to have a chance to have that rare experience,” Goepfert said.

A spokesman for the Ohio Republican Party was not available for comment.

Goepfert said CNN has not settled on where the debates would be held.

Shelly Hoffman, Assistant Vice President for Media Relations at Ohio State University in Columbus, said the university has made it known that OSU would be available to host the event.

She said the school has not heard directly from CNN.

So far, CNN has hosted 11 debates with the presidential candidates in a multitude of formats. At some of the events, voters asked questions from the audience and via the video Web site YouTube.

The most recent debate was between Democrats Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama in Los Angeles.

Both candidates appealed to former backers of John Edwards, who dropped out of the race this week, to join their campaign.

Jim.otte@whiotv.com