Learn from MTV how NOT to throw a party

The level of interest in tomorrow night’s Presidential debate in Nashville isn’t near the level of the first one in Mississippi on Sept 26th, but that doesn’t mean people don’t care about this election. For the campaigns, keeping people engaged in the process is their lifeblood. The all-volunteer armies can turn an election with their carefully targeted voter registration drives. One of the ways political parties drum up enthusiasm is to hold debate watching parties. I bring this up, because I’m wondering if watching a debate with total strangers would be entertaining. But even good intentions don’t always add up to a “party.” You would think that, If anyone should be able to throw a great party it would be be MTV right? As part of their Rock the Vote campaign, they held one here in Philly at the Hard Rock Cafe. So what happened?

It’s Our City’s Amiekay Richcrick has this report.

So hopefully your debate watching party will be a little more lively. My advice would be make sure you have both Obama and McCain supporters in the same room with nothing breakable in sight.

The Debate: John McCain vs Barack Obama

Where: Belmont University in Nashville, TN

When: Tuesday, Oct 7th @ 9pm eastern

You can see it live on WHYY TV12, hear it on 91FM and whyy.org

This video was produced by Amiekay Richcrick, an intern for It’s Our City and a Senior at Temple University where she is on staff with Temple Update.

3 Responses to Learn from MTV how NOT to throw a party

Dennis
October 6th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Debate watch party at a house is cheaper and Hard Rock Cafes suck.
Roger
October 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
MTV viewers minus booze equals no fun.
When I was a youngster going to debate parties, there was one thing we had, that this MTV party did not: underage drinking. MTV’s target audience is mostly people under 21- people who are not allowed to drink but usually do. If they want to have a successful debate party, I suggest they have it at a venue that does not ask for ID. Or in Cancun, where the legal age is lower and their target would be allowed to party like rockstars.
I respect MTV for trying to get its viewers interested in politics, but this “party”, if you even want to call it that, shows that they are out of touch with what their viewers really care about: getting wasted. Next time MTV, try “MTV’s Debate ‘08 in Tijuana”.
Amiekay, good story.
Alan Tu
October 6th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Do you think a bi-partisan debate party is possible in Philly? Wouldn’t there be one McCain supporter for every eight Obama supporters?