MSNBC's Hardball Will Telecast Live From NCCU!

[Bro. Askia]

MSNBC'S HARDBALL TELECASTS LIVE AT NCCU
http://www.msnbc.com/news/hardball_front.asp

DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University will be the site of a live telecast of MSNBC's "Hardball College Tour" hosted by Chris Matthews on Thursday, February 6, 2003 at 9 p.m. in the LeRoy T. Walker Physical Education Complex.

The special guest will be presidential candidate and North Carolina Senator John Edwards.

In addition, there will be a book signing for Matthew's new book, "American: Beyond Our Grandest Notions" from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Alfonso Elder Student Union.

The "Hardball College Tour" began September 18, 2002 with Governor Jesse Ventura at the University of Minnesota and visits a different campus each week. Previous stops on the tour have included Fordham University with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the University of Pennsylvania with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Following the NCCU telecast, an NCCU student will sit in the "Hardball Hot Seat" for a one-on-one rapid-fire question and answer session with "Hardball's" Chris Matthews.

At the end of the academic year, "Hardball" will telecast a final tournament with the top 10 students from the dozens who have competed on the tour, to determine a "Hardball Hot Seat" winner. The final winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship award plus a $5,000 grant for their college.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/tvnews/hardball_collegetour/

The live telecast is restricted to NCCU students, faculty and staff. NCCU invites members of the public to view the taping in an overflow room adjacent to the gymnasium. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, please call the NCCU Office of Public Relations at (919) 530-6295.

 

[Bro. Askia]

Edwards plays ?Hardball? at NCCU
http://www.nccu.edu/Events

By Angela D. Forest, The Herald-Sun
February 6, 2003 11:51 pm
http://www.herald-sun.com/sports/nccentral

DURHAM -- The rapid-fire questions came on war in Iraq, affirmative action, gay marriage and Bill Clinton, but Sen. John Edwards hit almost all the pitches host Chris Matthews hurled during a live broadcast of MSNBC?s "Hardball College Tour" at N.C. Central University on Thursday night.

Seated in burgundy leather chairs in a Walker complex filled with thousands of NCCU students, employees and guests, Matthews and Edwards at times debated, with the Democratic presidential candidate trying several times to get a word in edgewise amid Matthews? questions/commentary.

"Will you let me finish?" Edwards asked as Matthews peppered him with questions about whether a war in Iraq would make America a greater terrorist target.

Edwards said he supports President George W. Bush?s plan to invade Iraq and take out Saddam Hussein. At the same time the country needs the full cooperation of its allies. Enough evidence of Saddam?s stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction existed before Sept. 11, 2001, to warrant an invasion, according to Edwards.

More than once Matthews asked if Edwards thought Bill Clinton was a good president.

Edwards? response: "Bill Clinton did a good job in moving the country forward ... the things he did personally we don?t approve of."

NCCU senior Michael Hargrove didn?t like Edwards? answer. Neither did some others in the audience.

"To me [Clinton?s] personal life doesn?t have to do with what he did as president," Hargrove said. "Most of the people in the Congress do the same thing unfortunately."

In response to Matthew?s question on how he would address the issue of gun control in the South during his campaign, Edwards said, "It is very important for Second Amendment rights to be protected," but criminals should not be allowed to own weapons.

While he opposes gay marriage, Edwards said anyone who enters the military should be treated equally, regardless of sexual orientation.

Late-term abortions should not occur unless a woman?s life is at stake, Edwards said.

And are you for affirmative action? Matthews asked. "Yes," was Edwards? simple reply.

When Edwards said he believed Bush was legitimately elected, the crowd threw out a few boos.

Toward the end of the show Matthews briefly lost his sense of place, referring to NCCU as UNC, his alma mater.

Perhaps the most pointed question came not from Matthews, but from a student who wanted to know how Edwards felt about equity in funding for historically black colleges compared to predominantly white ones.

"We are here at this historically black university because of me," Edwards said, referring to the fact that he agreed to appear on the "Hardball with Chris Matthews" show only at NCCU. "I think we need to pay more attention to historically black universities in this country. I think they need more funding than they are getting."

URL for this article:
http://www.herald-sun.com/durham/4-318144.html

 

[Bro. Askia]

From News & observer Friday, February 7, 2003 6:08AM EST

Edwards goes one-on-one at NCCU
http://www.nccu.edu/Events

U.S. Sen. John Edwards watches N.C. Central University's cheerleaders during Edwards' appearance on MSNBC's 'Hardball College Tour.' The Durham school was the first historically black campus to be featured on the program.

Staff Photos by Robert Willett

Chris Matthews checks the fit of an NCCU jacket. Earlier in the day, Matthews, the host of 'Hardball,' signed copies of his book at N.C. Central's Elder Student Union.

Staf Photo by Robert Willett

By JANE STANCILL, Staff Writer

DURHAM -- N.C. Central University, unaccustomed to the glare of national television, relished the spotlight Thursday night when political talk show host Chris Matthews interviewed presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. John Edwards in a live broadcast from campus.

About 1,200 students filled NCCU's gym, and a handful got the chance to ask Edwards questions on the hot issues of the day: war with Iraq, affirmative action, AIDS and the economy. They were decked out in the school colors, maroon and gray, and had been prepped on current events at a campus forum earlier in the week.

"It's an honor," Robert Johnson, a junior from Greenville, said about the attention. "It's going to put us out there."

NCCU students and leaders were vocal in their complaints last year after ABC's "Good Morning America" came to the Triangle and featured the three biggest campuses -- UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke and N.C. State -- but ignored NCCU.

"MSNBC's 'Hardball College Tour' coming to this university is the great equalizer," NCCU Chancellor James Ammons said. "It makes the students at this university feel like they're on par with other major universities across North Carolina and across the country."

NCCU was the first historically black campus featured on Matthews' "Hardball College Tour," which has made stops at campuses such as Georgetown, Seton Hall and the universities of Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Chicago.

It was Edwards, not Matthews, who chose NCCU. Some said the senator was reaching out to black voters with the appearance.

"He wanted to do it," Matthews said. "It's an interesting statement."

The brash host went one-on-one with Edwards on the senator's hawkish views on Iraq, his support for affirmative action and gun control and his opposition to caps on jury awards in medical malpractice cases.

Matthews said his college tour is aimed at engaging young people who often don't care about politics. He urged students not to hold back with tough questions for Edwards.

"As P.T. Barnum once said, if you want a crowd, start a fight," he said. "So if we have a fight tonight, all the better."

Before the show, NCCU officials and local leaders rubbed elbows with Matthews at a reception featuring music from the university's jazz ensemble along with sushi, shrimp, carved turkey and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Mayor Bill Bell gave Matthews a key to the city. Ammons later presented him with a golden eagle statue and an NCCU jacket.

Damien Ruffin, NCCU's student body president, said his classmates were energized by the "Hardball" tour and anxious to see Edwards' performance.

"Tonight's question is, does Sen. Edwards have what it takes?" he said.

NCCU sophomore April Delcour said her mother had spread the word in her hometown of Goldsboro that April might be on television.

"She told my aunt, my cousins, everybody, even people at work," Delcour said. "This is big. This is like, really, really big."

 

[SAME OLD G]

I saw this. But is was kinda hard because at the same time I was flipping over to CNN to watch Bill Clinton and Tom Joyner talk about HBCUs.

 

[Vinita]

When I knew they were on, it was over. I was kinda mad about that, too! I'm glad they chose one of our universities for that tour, even if it was the guest's idea and not the host's.

 

[Bro. Askia]

MSNBC'S HARDBALL TELECASTS LIVE AT NCCU
http://www.nccu.edu/Events

DURHAM, N.C. A sea of maroon and gray filled the LeRoy T. Walker Complex Thursday as North Carolina Central University hosted a live telecast of MSNBC's "Hardball College Tour" hosted by Chris Matthews.

North Carolina Central University is the first historically black university to host the tour. More than 1,200 students, faculty and guests participated in the studio audience of the national show, which came to the campus at the request of special guest Senator John Edwards, who will be a presidential candidate in 2004.

"This is a great day in the life of the university and most importantly to our students," said Chancellor James H. Ammons. "We are honored that Senator Edwards selected NCCU as the backdrop for this television interview, which will bring a national presence to the institution."

The "Hardball College Tour" new season began September 18, 2002 with Governor Jesse Ventura at the University of Minnesota and visits a different campus each week. Previous stops on the tour have included Fordham University with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the University of Pennsylvania with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Matthews arrived at the campus earlier in the day to meet and greet students during a book-signing of his new book, "American: Beyond Our Grandest Notions." He said the college tour was designed to engage young people in current events and stimulate an interest in politics.

After Matthews' customary grilling of his guest on issues such as gun control, late-term abortion and war in Iraq, students were allowed to pose their own questions to Senator Edwards during the show. Matthews encouraged them not to hold anything back.

As a result, student questions ranged from "What type of judge would Edwards nominate to the supreme court?" to "What would he do to provide equity in funding to HBCUs as compared with predominantly white schools?" To the latter, Edwards responded that he definitely supports better funding for HBCUs and reminded the student that he personally selected to be interviewed at NCCU.

"I think we need to pay more attention to historically black universities in this country," said Edwards to the applause of the crowd. "I think they need more funding than they are getting."

Following the NCCU telecast, Patrice Howard, a senior political science student sat in the "Hardball Hot Seat" for a one-on-one rapid-fire question and answer session with Matthews. Howard answered nine questions correctly in 90 seconds.

At the end of the academic year, "Hardball" will telecast a final tournament with the top 10 students from the dozens who have competed on the tour to determine a "Hardball Hot Seat" winner. The final winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship award plus a $5,000 grant for their college.

"Patrice's hot seat experience showed that HBCU's don't rank at the bottom because her score surpassed students from some pretty tough schools," said Damien Ruffin, NCCU Student Government Association president. "I think this will attract more students that are interested in an academic university. Hardball's presence has really boosted the confidence of a lot of students at the school."