There’s palpable excitement on campus every fall as the leaves start to change. And as we ease our way into another election season, it seems there is much more to be excited about than just the cooler weather.

Jon Stewart and Bill O’Reilly will debate in Lisner Auditorium Oct. 6. Even though the event is not sponsored by the University, and student tickets are limited, the debate has been the talk of campus the past few days.

While I’m a fan of Stewart, these types of debates are nothing more than dramatic circus acts that draw upon the worst aspects of public discourse. The debate likely won’t be about substantive issues, but instead will be a battle between two large egos.

My qualm is not with sparking debate on campus, but rather with the type of debate this event will likely devolve into.

Last year, the College Democrats and College Republicans hosted Ann Coulter and Lawrence O’Donnell for a similar event. As students watched from the audience, the debate quickly descended into a slew of one-liners and sound bites. There was no bona fide exchange of ideas, but nonetheless, the crowd cheered as the two opponents took jabs at one another. O’Donnell even bowed to the audience at the end, as though he were a matador who’d just slain a bull.

And while encouraging student debate on campus is always a laudable goal, if Stewart vs. O’Reilly is anything like last year’s debate, there will be little discussed that actually contributes to political dialogue.

I’m always a fan of pushing political discussion, especially in an election year when students are facing important issues like debt and rising tuition costs. But I highly doubt this debate will be anything of the sort.

Instead, students can expect a slew of ad hominems and facts taken out of context, almost no back and forth about policy and a lot of cheering from the audience. It won’t be a debate – it’ll be a partisan pep rally.

Students will walk away empty handed, left with no new ideas, just more bitterness toward the other political party.

For a place that prides itself on educating the next generation of political leaders and public servants, events like this one should be unwelcome. As a student body, I think we should expect more from our own political discourse.

At some point we have to ask ourselves, are we really adding to the discussion or just fueling an unproductive fire?

I suspect the latter. But I guess the show must go on.

Patrick Rochelle, a senior majoring in English, is The Hatchet’s opinions editor.