Oct 08, 2012 06:21 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

The University of Denver played host to the first Presidential debate inside the Ritchie Center between, President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney, Wednesday. 

The 2012 Presidential Debate at the UD was a result of more than a year of university's efforts to grab the chance to be a debate's venue.  At least eleven other universities were in the race for holding the debate at their campus, including Hofstra, Washington University (in Saint Louis) and Wake Forest University.  

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) awarded the privilege of holding the debate to University Denver on Oct 31, 2011. With this the UD became the first university in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region to host a presidential debate.

The University said that CPD has a long list of criteria to grant the opportunity to become the debate host of Presidential election this year that include, an air-conditioned hall of at least 17,000 square feet; nearby parking that can accommodate 30 television broadcast vans, trailers and satellite trucks up to 53 feet in length; a 20,000-square-foot (minimum) media filing center in the same facility.

However, the UD feels that CPD had more than one reason to let the debate take place at the UD.  Associate Professor Seth Masket, chair of DU's Department of Political Science said that "Colorado has become a pivotal state in presidential elections."

"By some measures, Colorado is the 'swingiest' of the swing states. It's well-balanced between Democrats and Republicans, and it has shown a tendency to switch allegiances from election to election. So a lot of the campaign will be waged here in Colorado," he added. 

About 92 students were allowed to catch up the debate live from the venue. The debate was hosted by veteran of several Presidential debates Jim Lehrer.

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