By Mark Allphin
Conservative talk show host Sean Hannity has challenged controversial director Michael Moore to a debate on the campus of Utah Valley State College.
The challenge came just days after UVSC announced they would welcome Moore two weeks before the presidential election. Thursday, Hannity called KSL''s Doug Wright Show to voice his opinion about Moore''s visit to Utah and to issue the challenge.
'If they''ll provide my transportation needs, I''ll be glad to debate Michael Moore head to head,' Hannity said.
Hannity''s reason for calling the Doug Wright Show was to respond to requests that he appear at UVSC. The requests came after the public learned that UVSC is paying Moore $40,000 to come and speak. Hannity said he has an issue with where the money is coming from.
'When you take students'' dollars to do this, then I think there is a problem,' Hannity said.
To eliminate speculation, UVSC issued a press release Wednesday explaining that no tax dollars or donated monies are being spent on the event.
Phil Clegg, the director of Student Leadership and Activities at UVSC, said the reason they contacted Moore was because he''s relatively inexpensive when you compare him with other notable speakers.
'People aren''t aware of what these speaker''s charge for their speaker''s fees,' said Clegg. 'Oprah Winfrey is $250,000. We contacted Jimmy Carter, and he''s $125,000. Barbara Walters is $150,000 ...so $40,000 sounds like a lot but in the realm of speakers, it''s fairly reasonable.'
Over the past four days, Clegg said the student government has received over 1,000 phone calls regarding Moore''s visit. He said unlike most people think, close to half of the calls have been from people who are interested in Moore''s visit and who would like to know where they can get tickets.
Although a group of students have protested the student government''s decision, Thursday, the student government held an open forum to allow students to express their concerns regarding Moore''s visit. Not one student attended.
'Our view, at least my view about this, is that it''s not students that are extremely upset about this, it''s the community members,' Clegg said.
The reason for having the speakers was to promote voter awareness. The student government initially planned to invite a conservative speaker the week after Moore''s visit. However, now that Hannity has expressed interest in having a debate with Moore, the student government is taking him up on the offer, although Clegg said the chances of actually seeing a debate are slim.
'Hannity has made the offer several times to Moore to come and debate him, and Moore''s basically said I''m not a debater I''m a film maker,' Clegg said. 'He knows there''s not much of a chance that Moore will hold debate.'
Although they''ll most likely not hold a debate, the student government is still working to have Hannity come, but on their own terms.
'In good faith we''ve said that we''d like to have him come, but for the same price as Michael Moore,' Clegg said. 'We want him to make his money too, but $100,000 is a lot of money for someone to come and offer a speech.'
The student government is currently working to contact Hannity to give him the offer. If he were to accept, UVSC would get Hannity for a fraction of his standard college fee.
Regardless of the costs, Clegg said as a result of the current interest surrounding the speakers, he''s confident this voting season will yield a stronger vote from the UVSC students.