1st presidential debate moved from Notre Dame to Ohio’s Case Western

Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic's Health Education Campus are more equipped to host the political badminton match

Biba Adams

Jul 28, 2020

The first debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden will take place on Sept. 29 in Ohio at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic’s Health Education Campus.

The event was scheduled to be held at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. However, the strain of producing a successful debate during the coronavirus pandemic made it less feasible for the institution.

In a statement reprinted by The Hill, Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John Jenkins, wrote “I am grateful to the many members of the University community who have devoted countless hours planning this event, and to the Commission on Presidential Debates leadership for their professionalism and understanding.”

“But, in the end,” Jenkins wrote: “the constraints that the coronavirus pandemic put on the event — as understandable and necessary as they are — have led us to withdraw.”

Case Western officials have said that their partnership with Cleveland Clinic, a top-tier medical facility, will make hosting an easier task. The debate will take place at the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion, part of the Health Education Campus.

Cleveland Clinic recently tweeted a video tour of their campus where the debate will take place.

Take a tour of the Health Education Campus, the site for the first presidential debate on September 29.

It’s a 477,000-square-foot-building for students at Case Western Reserve and Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.

Learn more: https://t.co/YV8mjTxCDo pic.twitter.com/Zb3HhcXCAO
— ClevelandClinicNews (@CleClinicNews) July 27, 2020

It has not been decided if there will be an audience present at the debate.

“We are honored to host this presidential debate at our shared Health Education Campus,” said Cleveland Clinic CEO and President Tom Mihaljevic and Case Western President Barbara Snyder in a joint statement.

“This pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of healthcare and scientific discovery in unprecedented ways. To have the presidential candidates discuss these issues in our innovative learning space represents a tremendous opportunity for both institutions — and our entire region.”

According to a new CBS News Battleground Tracker poll, the president currently has a 1-point lead over Joe Biden in Ohio.