2008 Woodie Awards
Senate minority whip discusses government with class
Jon Kyl, political science students talk about important campaign issues
John Sweeney
Issue date: 1/22/08 Section: Elections 2008
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Kyl is a supporter of fellow Arizona Sen. John McCain's campaign for the presidency.
Freshman Mike Brank was among those students who saw the senator during his Jan. 8 visit.
Brank said Kyl addressed several important campaign issues during his visit.
"He was interesting - a typical political person," Brank said. "He was charismatic and gung ho about what he was speaking about."
Brank also said Kyl admitted to having some slight differences from McCain on issues such as immigration but that he made it clear he was in full support of McCain's presidential bid.
Brank said he also thought Kyle did a good job of making a case for McCain's campaign.
"I think Sen. Kyl did spark interest in John McCain," he said. "He pointed out a couple of things that people who were unsure of how they wanted to vote would definitely go check out."
After speaking to the class, Kyl ate lunch at The Cottage with faculty members, including Dr. Neal Thigpen, lecturer of political science. Thigpen served as Florence County chairman for McCain's presidential run in 2000.
Thigpen said it was interesting to hear Kyl discuss McCain's campaign strategies during the New Hampshire caucus.
"He said they didn't necessarily have to win New Hampshire, which surprised me," Thigpen said.
McCain stopped at the Carolinas Hospital System East Campus in Florence before the S.C. primaries on Jan. 18.
He spoke to a crowd early Friday morning.
Kyl's visit was the second time a member of the McCain campaign has come to campus.
Last spring, McCain appeared in the Frank B. Lee Nursing Building to accept an endorsement by Republican state Sen. Hugh Leatherman. Leatherman co-chaired McCain's exploratory committee prior to his latest bid for the presidency.
While at FMU, McCain spoke briefly, signed autographs and posed for pictures.
Dr. David White, associate professor of political science, helped to arrange Kyl's visit.
Faculty members of the Political Science Department said they were exited to have yet another person involved with the presidential race visit campus.
White said he wants to provide students with opportunities that allow them to experience as much of the presidential primaries as possible.
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