Malibu Democrats, Republicans Unite for Mock Presidential Debate

The Malibu Bel-Air Republican Women Federated and the Malibu Democratic Club have joined forces to put on a mock presidential debate this Wednesday.

The free event is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19 at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theater. The mock debate will be divided into two parts on domestic and foreign policy, according to organizers.

Dr. Robert G. Kaufman will be representing the Mitt Romney position and Dr. Dan Caldwell will be representing the Barack Obama position.

Kaufman is a political scientist at Pepperdine specializing in American foreign policy, national security, international relations, and various aspects of American politics. He is in the research phase of a biography on President Ronald Reagan.

Caldwell, who is also a professor of political science at Pepperdine, served for three years on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve. During that time, he held positions at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and the Executive Office of the President in Washington, D.C.

Attendees will be encouraged to submit questions at the event for the "candidates."

To RSVP for the free tickets, call the Pepperdine Performing Arts Center Box Office at (310) 506-4522 Monday to Friday from 12 to 5 p.m. 

Each person is allowed to reserve four tickets. All tickets will be available at will-call two hours before the event begins.