The Committee for Presidential Debates might have said no, but the candidates have said “yes” to participating in a Univision forum for Hispanic issues.
Produced in participation with Facebook, the forums will take place leading up to the election in November, and will be presented in both Spanish and English. Rather than use a debate format, each forum will feature one of the two candidates, with Univision anchors Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas moderating. There will be interactive elements on Univision’s Facebook page, and on Facebook;’s U.S. politics page.
“These events speak to President Obama and Governor Romney recognizing the important role Hispanic America will play in the elections and in defining the future of our country,” said Univision News President Isaac Lee in a statement. “In our role of informing and empowering our audience, and as part of Univision’s 50-year relationship with this community, these conversations are critically important to the community we serve. This important discussion is increasingly taking place on Facebook and we are excited to utilize the world’s largest social network to get people involved with issues that matter most to them.”
Univision asked the Debate Commission and the candidates to participate in a forum on Hispanic issues. The Commission declined, but the message clearly got across to the candidates.