Republican veep nominee to visit ECU

The East Carolinian

Republican vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, will be speaking at Minges Coliseum as a part of the campaign's "Road to Victory" tour, on the eve of the second presidential debate.

Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. and Palin is scheduled to speak at approximately 7 p.m.

Afternoon classes normally held at Minges have been relocated for the day.

SGA President Drew Griffin is planned to be one of three university officials welcoming Palin to ECU, along with provost Marilyn Sheerer and Kevin Seitz, vice chancellor for administration and finance.

University spokesperson Jeannine Hutson said that the staff at Minges will plan to have limited concession available for attendees; Hutson also said that parking will be an issue at the event, so people should plan accordingly.

"Because of the number of people expected to attend, parking and traffic around Minges will be difficult on Tuesday afternoon and evening," said Hutson. "Attendees are strongly encouraged to carpool."

Tickets were handed out at the GOP office on Commerce Street in Greenville yesterday starting at 3 p.m.; a limited number of tickets were also available in various cities across the state, including Jacksonville, Fayetteville, Raleigh, Goldsboro, Rocky Mount and Wilmington.

Overflow seating will be available for those who did not get tickets at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, where they can watch Palin's speech via a big screen.

After the rally, participants are invited to stay and watch the second presidential debate, which begins at 9 p.m. tomorrow night.

Other stops for the "Road to Victory" campaign this week for the vice presidential nominee include Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.