Report on Thursday's Debate

Thursday evening's debate at Georgetown University between Doug Bandow of CATO and Peter Lawler of Berry College sponsored by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) attracted an audience of thirty-seven and the ISI representative. If the Hoyas hadn't been playing Illinois and exams weren't imminent, it would probably have drawn more students. The debate itself consisted of timed presentations and replies by Bandow and Lawler. I thought Bandow did a first-class job of presenting libertarianism to the conservatives who were likely the majority of the audience. (The room had been booked by the Georgetown Republicans.) Unfortunately, Lawler spoke in a very different fashion and I thought his skittish remarks didn't cut it at all. Consequently the two speakers didn't really engage with each other but that was not through any fault of Bandow.

Questions from the audience followed. My request of Lawler to comment on Chodorov's statement that he would punch anyone who called him a conservative in the nose drew forth a long and winding answer that concluded with a call for government to get completely out of education. This was a more substantive--and interesting--remark than I had anticipated.

One happy consequence of my attendance was to meet some of the current staff of IHS and hold an enjoyable conversation with program director Nikki Sullivan.