This is the election year in the US and candidates from the two major parties have been campaigning hard to get heard and picked to be the presidential candidates. For the Republican Party, the running candidate was clear, while the one for the Democrats, it is still far from conclusive, seesawing between Obama and Hilary. Hence, the Graduate Institute of American Studies (GIAS) saw this as a fantastic opportunity for their students to practice some real politics by organizing a mock debate among these three heavyweights. With the help of AIT (American Institute in Taiwan), the debate will be open at noon on May 16 at Taipei Campus, moderated by Dr. Huang Chieh Cheng, the director of GIAS and Mr. Thomas Hodges, the spokeperson from AIT. Over 10 scholars on US-Taiwan affairs have been invited for a round-table discussion prior to the debate.

At the debate, TKU grad students will represent the Obama camp, students from Cheng-chi University will speak for Hilary, while those from Tsing-hua University will argue for McCain. The entire debate will be in English and synchronized interpretation will be available. Winners are selected by the audience attending the debate. ( ~Ying-hsueh Hu )