Obama to speak at Purdue on homeland security
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 07/16/2008
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Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, will make an appearance on campus today for a summit called "Confronting 21st Century Threats," though not many people from Purdue will get a chance to see him.
The summit panel will consist of Obama, Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., former Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia, former chief information officer of the CIA Alan Wade and experts on biosecurity, cybersecurity and non-nuclear proliferation. However, experts on cybersecurity and homeland security from Purdue's CERIAS and Purdue Homeland Security Institute didn't receive an invitation to the closed event.
"It surprised us a little bit since one of the themes is cybersecurity," said CERIAS managing director Randy Bond. "In one sense, maybe Purdue is just a host for the meeting."
Jonathan Swain, Obama for America's Indiana communications director, said the University Relations office handled all the invitations within the University while Obama for America, the official presidential campaign, reached out to other organizations within the Lafayette community. Joe Bennett, vice president of University Relations, said the University was given only 50 tickets to the event.
"It was not possible to provide a ticket to everybody who would've wanted one," Bennett said. "The tickets were for Purdue administrators ... that was my interpretation of what they wanted, so that's the group I picked."
Eric Dietz, director of the Purdue Homeland Security Institute, was also surprised to not receive an invitation.
"We certainly wish all of them luck with their formulation of policy," Dietz said.
John Sautter, vice president of Housing and Food Services, did receive an invitation and said he hopes to learn more about Obama's foreign relations policies today.
"I just think it's a rare opportunity to see a presidential candidate up close and personal," Sautter said.
West Lafayette City Councilor Paul Roales, D-District 1, was involved in the planning of the event and said the event is an opportunity both for the community and for Obama.
"It's a good chance for (Obama) to ... share where he's coming from today on foreign policy, security, issues like that," Roales said. "It's less of a rally and more of a good discourse on what his positions are."
Swain said he expects anywhere from 200 to 400 people from the community to attend the event.
"This is really an opportunity for Hoosiers in the area to have a chance to hear from not only Senator Obama, but also other prominent leaders on these issues about some of the national security concerns that our country faces," Swain said.
Roales said the summit will also be an opportunity for those invited to hear Obama's policies and ideas, which may have gotten lost in this year's long Democratic primary.
"I think the audience and the Purdue community will be impressed," Roales said. "It's a good chance for him to show where he's coming from and his ability to grasp very complex national security and energy issues."