It’s already begun.
Light kits and boom microphones are being set up as anchors and reporters prepare for their live shots.
This is the Spin Room, home to the nearly 500 print, radio, digital and broadcast journalists that have made the trip to Boulder for today’s ’Your Money, Your Vote’ GOP Debate, hosted by CNBC.
Tonight’s debate will feature Republican candidates polling over 2.5 percent nationally. In the lead is former surgeon Ben Carson, whose four-point lead over Donald Trump is a first since the former real estate mogul entered the race. The focus of tonight is primarily economics and in a state like Colorado, the topic of marijuana is expected to come up. Since it was legalized in 2014, the state has collected nearly $70 million in taxes during the 2014-15 fiscal year.
Some other topics that students at the university are listening for will be student debt, healthcare (specifically, the subsequent debate over Obamacare) and taxes. The main debate begins at 6 p.m. MST, and will run for two hours in order to give the University’s constituents, and the nation, a chance to hear these candidates make their respective cases.
For now, the Spin Room is in a rotational pattern, moving at the speed of a carousel. In other words: it’s slow right now. But throughout the day, various debate events will be occurring at different campus locations. Democratic candidate Martin O’Malley will be on campus at the University Memorial Center, protests will take place on the east side of the Koelbel building throughout the day and an immigration rally will be held on Farrand Field from 5-7 p.m.
The CU Independent will have coverage of all that and more throughout the day, online and on other social media.
