Ron Paul at UT Saturday

Barack and Hillary aren't the only presidential candidates coming to the University of Texas.

I'm here in the media room for the Clinton/Obama debate, and walking across campus I was handed a flyer announcing that Republican candidate Ron Paul will be on the UT "main mall" (I presume that means the South Mall) on Saturday. The event begins at 2pm, and Paul, the longtime Texas congressman from Lake Jackson, will appear at 5pm. Live music from Jimmie Vaughan and others is promised.

Meanwhile, the scene here is less than exciting thus far. Outside the UT Recreational Sports Center (just south of the football stadium), there are about 5 million TV trucks with satellite dishes. Inside, things are really pretty quiet. Just a bunch of reporters waiting for that free buffet to kick in.

I, however, am pissed – as I noted in a previous post, we in the news media aren't actually allowed into the debate hall. Instead, we're penned up downstairs in the media room, watching it on TV like all of you.

Well, almost all of you: I just learned a good friend of mine was one of the lucky 100 who won tickets via the Texas Democratic Party. Congratulations, Cristen!