ANKENY, Iowa—Wednesday, August 14, 2019 – Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) today announced the second of a series of presidential candidate forums on the economic future of the United States, hosted in collaboration with Iowa Public Television (IPTV) and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. The series intends to provide community college students, local small businesses, and Iowans throughout the state the opportunity to hear candidates discuss issues of importance to our citizens and communities.
On Wednesday, August 21, Joe Biden will participate in DMACC’s presidential forum series on building a stronger economic future for America. Broadcast by IPTV, the hour-long forum will feature a conversation with “Iowa Press” host and longtime Iowa Caucus reporter David Yepsen followed by questions from the audience of small business owners and caucus-goers. The event will take place in the DMACC Ankeny Auditorium. Doors Open at 9 am and will close at 9:55 am. Registration is required for all audience members: https://forum.dmacc.edu.
To be invited to participate, candidates must have (1) met the eligibility requirements for President of the United States, as set forth in the Constitution of the United States, (2) publicly declared his/her candidacy for President of the United States, and (3) received a minimum of four percent support, not including any margin of error, as a first-choice candidate in a Des Moines Register / CNN Iowa Caucus poll between December 15, 2018 to November 15, 2019.
Each forum will feature a single candidate in one-on-one conversation with David Yepsen of IPTV, who will engage in an unbiased and impartial discussion on the economic future of the country, followed by questions from the audience.
“We are excited to provide presidential candidates an opportunity to discuss topics that are relevant to our student populations, including adult learners returning to gain additional skills, and issues that directly impact small businesses throughout the state. In this early stage of the election, domestic policy and economic growth have risen to the forefront of the national conversation,” says Rob Denson, President of DMACC. “Alongside our partners IPTV and Goldman Sachs10,000 Small Businesses, we are well-aware of the challenges of populations we serve and we are happy to provide a crucial new forum to spur thoughtful discussion about the future of our country.”
David Yepsen, Host of “Iowa Press” on IPTV, said, “Iowa is ground central for presidential politics and the 2020 race deserves a thorough policy discussion on our economic future. Voters will have an opportunity to see us dive into these issues and explore how a potential future president will tackle key sectors of the economy. These conversations are essential to democracy and are the latest chapter in IPTV’s commitment to covering public affairs in Iowa.”
Katherine Jollon Colsher, National Director of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, said, “There is no better constituency to share their perspectives with policymakers than small business owners, who employ nearly 50 percent of America’s workforce and create nearly two thirds of net new jobs. We are proud to support this forum series and look forward to a robust discussion on economic policy that represents the small business voice.”
