The media universe descended on Lynn University last night. While most of the student body was relegated to watch parties outside the background-checked bubble, a special group of more than a dozen students were designated "student experts" walking around campus during the debate. Reporter Kenny Malone caught up with one of them.
Mark Spiro is a striking guy. Nice suit. Nice smile. Prince Valiant Hair. Prince Valiant accent.
"You know we say that English people do two things: They stand in line and they talk about the weather", Said Spiro.
Spiro is a graduate student from London studying at Lynn University. He studies communications and media.
And he's carrying a sign that says - quote - Lynn University Politics & Elections Student Expert -- in fact, he's had to carry the sign around for the last 3 days.
Spiro said. "Yes, I know, they didn't give me the string or the hole punches, so I'm giving myself splinters and cut fingers. So it's all good fun."
The student expert program is an idea that came out the Lynn University president's office. Fifteen student experts were asked to wander around inside the security bubble, where normal students can't get, so that media can talk to a student representative without having to leave and re-enter the TSA-style security check-in.
Spiro's been at Lynn for about a year now and is a well-known political figure on campus. He studies politics, for one. He's head of campus Republicans and students for Romney. But when out-of-towners meet a Londoner in South Florida, they don't necessarily want to talk politics first.
"They see an English person, trying to wear a tie, sweating bullets - thank God this isn't on camera - and they want to know how I'm dealing. I'm getting better at it", said Spiro.
Spiro says at least 10% of people who have stopped him have asked that question. When I asked him what he wishes people were asking him, he conceded, another weather talking point.
"In London, we have less rainfall per inch than Paris does per year”, said Spiro. “When it does rain back home, it kind of dribbles down very lightly. When it rains here it pours. I've never seen rain anywhere else in the world like I have in Florida."