[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

>> WELCOME TO THIS EVENING'S

>> WELCOME TO THIS EVENING'S

>> WELCOME TO THIS EVENING'S DEBATE HERE IN NASHVILLE.

DEBATE HERE IN NASHVILLE.

DEBATE HERE IN NASHVILLE. I AM JANET BROWN, EXECUTIVE

I AM JANET BROWN, EXECUTIVE

I AM JANET BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION ON

DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION ON

DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES. OVER THE NEXT FEW MINUTES, YOU

OVER THE NEXT FEW MINUTES, YOU

OVER THE NEXT FEW MINUTES, YOU WILL HEAR GROUND RULES FOR THE

WILL HEAR GROUND RULES FOR THE

WILL HEAR GROUND RULES FOR THE EVENING AND MANY EXPRESSIONS OF

EVENING AND MANY EXPRESSIONS OF

EVENING AND MANY EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE TO THE PEOPLE AND

GRATITUDE TO THE PEOPLE AND

GRATITUDE TO THE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO GOT US HERE

ORGANIZATIONS WHO GOT US HERE

ORGANIZATIONS WHO GOT US HERE TONIGHT.

TONIGHT.

TONIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THREE

I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THREE

I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THREE OF THEM, WHO ARE GENUINE

OF THEM, WHO ARE GENUINE

OF THEM, WHO ARE GENUINE CHAMPIONS OF DEBATE AND TRUE

CHAMPIONS OF DEBATE AND TRUE

CHAMPIONS OF DEBATE AND TRUE FRIENDS TO THE CPD, DR.

FRIENDS TO THE CPD, DR.

FRIENDS TO THE CPD, DR. ROBERT FISHER, THE PRESIDENT OF

ROBERT FISHER, THE PRESIDENT OF

ROBERT FISHER, THE PRESIDENT OF BEAUMONT UNIVERSITY.

BEAUMONT UNIVERSITY.

BEAUMONT UNIVERSITY. IT SERVED AS A BACKUP SITE IN

IT SERVED AS A BACKUP SITE IN

IT SERVED AS A BACKUP SITE IN 2016.

2016.

2016. BOB HAS MANAGED TO MAKE THIS

BOB HAS MANAGED TO MAKE THIS

BOB HAS MANAGED TO MAKE THIS EVENING HAPPEN IN SPITE OF A LOT

EVENING HAPPEN IN SPITE OF A LOT

EVENING HAPPEN IN SPITE OF A LOT OF CHALLENGES 2020 HAS BROUGHT

OF CHALLENGES 2020 HAS BROUGHT

OF CHALLENGES 2020 HAS BROUGHT TO THIS CAMPUS AND ALL THE

TO THIS CAMPUS AND ALL THE

TO THIS CAMPUS AND ALL THE OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THEY DON'T COME ANY BETTER THAN

THEY DON'T COME ANY BETTER THAN

THEY DON'T COME ANY BETTER THAN BOB AND HIS COLLEAGUES.

BOB AND HIS COLLEAGUES.

BOB AND HIS COLLEAGUES. THE SECOND IS NASHVILLE'S ON

THE SECOND IS NASHVILLE'S ON

THE SECOND IS NASHVILLE'S ON MARTIN SLUTSKY.

MARTIN SLUTSKY.

MARTIN SLUTSKY. [APPLAUSE]

[APPLAUSE]

[APPLAUSE] MARTY HAS BEEN THE CPD'S

MARTY HAS BEEN THE CPD'S

MARTY HAS BEEN THE CPD'S EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SINCE 2000.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SINCE 2000.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SINCE 2000. TONIGHT IS HIS 23RD DEBATE.

TONIGHT IS HIS 23RD DEBATE.

TONIGHT IS HIS 23RD DEBATE. WE COULD NEVER DO THIS WITHOUT

WE COULD NEVER DO THIS WITHOUT

WE COULD NEVER DO THIS WITHOUT MARTY.

MARTY.

MARTY. HE IS A TREASURE.

HE IS A TREASURE.

HE IS A TREASURE. THE THIRD IS OUR THIRD COCHAIR,

THE THIRD IS OUR THIRD COCHAIR,

THE THIRD IS OUR THIRD COCHAIR, SCOTT WRITINGS, WHO IS NOT HERE

SCOTT WRITINGS, WHO IS NOT HERE

SCOTT WRITINGS, WHO IS NOT HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.

WITH US THIS EVENING.

WITH US THIS EVENING. SHE HAS BEEN IN LOUISVILLE,

SHE HAS BEEN IN LOUISVILLE,

SHE HAS BEEN IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY AT HOME, BUT SHE IS

KENTUCKY AT HOME, BUT SHE IS

KENTUCKY AT HOME, BUT SHE IS HERE IN SPIRIT.

HERE IN SPIRIT.

HERE IN SPIRIT. SHE IS AN ASSET TO THE BOARD AND

SHE IS AN ASSET TO THE BOARD AND

SHE IS AN ASSET TO THE BOARD AND STAFF AT CPD.

STAFF AT CPD.

STAFF AT CPD. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE

I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE

I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE OTHER COCHAIRS, OUR FOUNDING

OTHER COCHAIRS, OUR FOUNDING

OTHER COCHAIRS, OUR FOUNDING COCHAIR, FRANK AND KEN.

COCHAIR, FRANK AND KEN.

COCHAIR, FRANK AND KEN. >> GOOD EVENING.

>> GOOD EVENING.

>> GOOD EVENING. I JOINED JANET IN WELCOMING YOU

I JOINED JANET IN WELCOMING YOU

I JOINED JANET IN WELCOMING YOU ALL TO BEAUMONT AND TO

ALL TO BEAUMONT AND TO

ALL TO BEAUMONT AND TO NASHVILLE.

NASHVILLE.

NASHVILLE. WE OWE A GREAT DEBT OF GRATITUDE

WE OWE A GREAT DEBT OF GRATITUDE

WE OWE A GREAT DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO THE CITY AND THIS UNIVERSITY.

TO THE CITY AND THIS UNIVERSITY.

TO THE CITY AND THIS UNIVERSITY. THEY HAVE BEEN SO COURTEOUS AND

THEY HAVE BEEN SO COURTEOUS AND

THEY HAVE BEEN SO COURTEOUS AND WORKING HARD FOR US.

WORKING HARD FOR US.

WORKING HARD FOR US. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THIS IS.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THIS IS.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THIS IS. I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO

I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO

I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO WALK AROUND AND SEE THE

WALK AROUND AND SEE THE

WALK AROUND AND SEE THE MARVELOUS CAMPUS.

MARVELOUS CAMPUS.

MARVELOUS CAMPUS. WE SEE SOME PEOPLE AROUND,

WE SEE SOME PEOPLE AROUND,

WE SEE SOME PEOPLE AROUND, PEOPLE WHO PRODUCED THIS GREAT

PEOPLE WHO PRODUCED THIS GREAT

PEOPLE WHO PRODUCED THIS GREAT BACKGROUND.

BACKGROUND.

BACKGROUND. WE HAVE OVER 60 OF THEM.

WE HAVE OVER 60 OF THEM.

WE HAVE OVER 60 OF THEM. WE HAVE HAD FOR DEBATES IN FOUR

WE HAVE HAD FOR DEBATES IN FOUR

WE HAVE HAD FOR DEBATES IN FOUR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY.

DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY.

DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY. THINKS TO UNITED AIRLINES, WHICH

THINKS TO UNITED AIRLINES, WHICH

THINKS TO UNITED AIRLINES, WHICH STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND IS

STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND IS

STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND IS PROVIDING FREE OF CHARGE AIR

PROVIDING FREE OF CHARGE AIR

PROVIDING FREE OF CHARGE AIR SERVICE FOR OUR ENTIRE CREW BACK

SERVICE FOR OUR ENTIRE CREW BACK

SERVICE FOR OUR ENTIRE CREW BACK AND FORTH FROM ONE CITY TO

AND FORTH FROM ONE CITY TO

AND FORTH FROM ONE CITY TO ANOTHER, WE OWE UNITED AIRLINES.

ANOTHER, WE OWE UNITED AIRLINES.

ANOTHER, WE OWE UNITED AIRLINES. WE ALSO OWE ANHEUSER-BUSCH A

WE ALSO OWE ANHEUSER-BUSCH A

WE ALSO OWE ANHEUSER-BUSCH A GREAT THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR

GREAT THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR

GREAT THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR THEIR BEER, BUT FOR WHAT THEY

THEIR BEER, BUT FOR WHAT THEY

THEIR BEER, BUT FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR THIS COMMISSION

HAVE DONE FOR THIS COMMISSION

HAVE DONE FOR THIS COMMISSION FOR MANY YEARS.

FOR MANY YEARS.

FOR MANY YEARS. IT IS A LITTLE LESS OF A LIFT

IT IS A LITTLE LESS OF A LIFT

IT IS A LITTLE LESS OF A LIFT NOW.

NOW.

NOW. NORMALLY IF WE WERE HERE WITH

NORMALLY IF WE WERE HERE WITH

NORMALLY IF WE WERE HERE WITH NORMAL TIMES, THERE WOULD BE 900

NORMAL TIMES, THERE WOULD BE 900

NORMAL TIMES, THERE WOULD BE 900 OF YOU PROBABLY IN THIS

OF YOU PROBABLY IN THIS

OF YOU PROBABLY IN THIS AUDIENCE.

AUDIENCE.

AUDIENCE. WITH CORONAVIRUS, IT WAS

WITH CORONAVIRUS, IT WAS

WITH CORONAVIRUS, IT WAS NECESSARY FOR US TO DO THAT.

NECESSARY FOR US TO DO THAT.

NECESSARY FOR US TO DO THAT. HAVE ALWAYS PROVIDED A GIANT

HAVE ALWAYS PROVIDED A GIANT

HAVE ALWAYS PROVIDED A GIANT TENT WITH FOOD TO FEED THE 5000

TENT WITH FOOD TO FEED THE 5000

TENT WITH FOOD TO FEED THE 5000 REPORTERS THAT COME FROM ALL

REPORTERS THAT COME FROM ALL

REPORTERS THAT COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, OUR CREW, THE