PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2006
CONTACT: 308-238-0375
Scott Kleeb Accepts Invitation to Forum; Urges Adrian Smith to Participate
KEARNEY, NE – Third district congressional candidate Scott Kleeb announced today that he has accepted an invitation to participate in a candidate forum at the 66th annual Cornhusker Boys’ State, a week-long government training program sponsored by the Nebraska American Legion.
“Democracy is about participation,” Kleeb said. “I have great respect and admiration for these youth who have volunteered to devote part of their summer vacation to intensive study of the American system of government.
“They are preparing to be good citizens of their home towns, of our state and of the United States of America. They are our future. And I consider it a great privilege to be invited to discuss with them the challenges and opportunities facing our district.”
The 2006 Cornhusker Boys’ State is expected to draw nearly 350 high-school juniors and seniors from all over Nebraska. During a week-long program, participants learn about government through first-hand experience. They become the officeholders of a fictional “51st state” and are asked to carry out the same duties and responsibilities that a real government officeholder might be expected to perform. The goal of the program is to “educate our youth in the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of American citizenship.”
The candidate forum would be a central piece of the Boys’ State program, but it is subject to cancellation if third district congressional candidate Adrian Smith does not agree to participate. As of Monday morning, the American Legion had heard no word from Adrian Smith’s office. If he does agree to participate, the forum would take place from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., Thursday, June 8th at Kimball Auditorium on the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, campus.
“I urge my opponent, Adrian Smith, to agree to participate in this debate,” Kleeb said. “Many young people in our district have serious concerns about access to higher education, and the availability of quality jobs that will allow them to go on living in the third district. While many of these youth are not yet voters, they are the future leaders of our district, and we have a responsibility and a duty to involve them in the Democratic process as directly as possible.”