Barack Obama sparring with Hillary Clinton, Dennis Kucinich trying not to be ignored and John Edwards' hair - it's all coming to Philadelphia next month.
State Democratic party officials have confirmed that the Democratic National Committee will hold its fourth official primary presidential debate in Philadelphia Oct. 30.
DNC officials had previously announced in May that a debate would be slated for Philadelphia at some time in October.
A month before the event, a venue has still yet to be confirmed, but state party spokesman Abe Amoros said the debate would go on as planned.
A source familiar with the situation said officials have reserved space for the debate at Drexel University, but the venue has been changed three times in the past month and could be changed again.
A spokeswoman at MSNBC, which is co-sponsoring the debate along with the state party and which is responsible for choosing the venue, said she did not know when details about the debate would be released.
But among the few possible venues for the event - Temple University and the National Constitution Center have also been mentioned as possible locations - Penn doesn't seem to be one of them.
Clayton Robinson, president of the Penn Democrats, said his group had tried hard to bring the debate to campus but couldn't because of logistical problems.
"The date of the debate was fixed for Oct. 30, and we couldn't find a proper venue on that day for the event," he said.
Amoros said all eight Democratic candidates are expected to participate.
Because of its relatively late primary, Pennsylvania hasn't seen a presidential debate since 1976, when President Gerald Ford debated Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter in the Walnut Street Theater.
Still, the state plays a large role in the general election because of its 21 electoral votes, making it important for Democratic candidates to get an early foothold, said Political Science professor Richard Johnston.
"You have two big metropolitan areas which lean Democratic and a big middle section of the state that is much more conservative, so the suburbs of the cities, like Montgomery County, often determine which side wins," he said.
Democratic presidential candidates have won the state since 1988.
Scheduled for a week before election day, the debate might also have implications for the local political scene.
With the mayor's race all but decided, Democratic officials have worried about low turnout in the city affecting their chances of capturing the five state judgeships up for grabs.
The judicial elections have implications for how House legislative districts are carved out after the next census is taken in 2010.
Robinson said the Penn Dems were working with party officials and Democratic groups on other campuses to send volunteers to the debate.
He added that his group will host a "debate-watching" party for students who can't attend the event.
