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LISTEN: Hartford's Bid To Host A Presidential Debate Fell Through. Could It Have Been For The Best?

Courtesy NPR

Vice President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, met Wednesday in Utah for their one and only debate of the general election.

Two more presidential debates are scheduled before the Nov. 3 election, although negotiations over those remain tense. Last year, the city of Hartford was hoping to host one of these events. That bid was unsuccessful, but a lot has changed since then -- mainly, the coronavirus pandemic.

Connecticut Public Radio’s Morning Edition host Lori Mack spoke with Jay Williams, president of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. His organization had pledged $1 million to bring a debate to the capital city.

Hear the interview below: 

Lori Connecticut Public's Morning Edition host.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

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