Rich Stowell
SALT LAKE CITY, December 12, 2011—When the lesser known Abraham Lincoln ran against incumbent Sen. Stephen Douglas in 1858 the candidates partook in a series of debates - seven in all - across the state of Illinois.
In the end, Sen. Douglas retained his senate seat however the Lincoln-Douglas debates had much to do with Lincoln's success in winning the presidency in 1860.
This evening Jon Huntsman Jr. and GOP frontrunner Newt Gingrich will stage what they are calling the first of, we hope, many "Lincoln-Douglas " debates.
Tonights debate will be held in in New Hampshire where both candidates are attempting to usurp Mitt Romney 's stranglehold on Republican support in the Granite State.
This first debate is being publicized as being "on foreign policy and national security." It will begin at 4 p.m. ET and can be steamed online at or viewed on television when C-SPAN rebroadcasts the event at 6 p.m. ET.
Communities @WashingtonTimes.com writer Rich Stowell will be offering his "chair side" observations of the debate and you are welcome to join in on the conversation below.
Also read:
Can Jon Huntsman make it competitive?
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Rich is a teacher and a soldier with opinions to spare.
He currently teaches at the university level in Utah, but cut his teeth in high schools and colleges of the San Francisco Bay Area, where he taught math at various charter schools and teacher education at the University of San Francisco. In his rabble-rousing college days at California State University, East Bay, he helped to found the Campus Conservatives of Hayward and started the first student-published newspaper in the entire 23-campus CSU.
After several years teaching, Rich joined the California National Guard. Three years ago his unit, the 69th Public Affairs Detachment, deployed in support of KFOR. In Kosovo, he served as a public affairs specialist and Video Section Chief for Multi-National Task Force, East. While there he wrote for the task force magazine, Guardian East, and interviewed Vice President Biden and Governor Palin. He also finished his first book, Nine Weeks, about his unique experience at Army basic training, and joined the ranks of military bloggers with “My Public Affairs.”
Rich continues to serve in the National Guard and teach. He also delivers frequent lectures and training seminars to teachers, students, and anyone else who will listen. He is the author of Nine Weeks: A Teacher’s Education in Army Basic Training; Tunnel Club; and Not Another Boring Textbook: A High School Students’ Guide to their Inner Conservative.
He resides in Salt Lake City with his wife, Esther, and their two young sons.
Contact Rich Stowell
