C-SPAN’s 45-foot Campaign 2008 tour bus visited Athens Friday, bringing coverage of the “Road to the White House” curbside to University students.

“Campaign 2008″ kicked off its national tour more than a year ago to educate students about the political process. The bus, which doubles as a production studio for live broadcasting of political events, is one of two revamped versions of the networks’ “School Bus.” The tour was expanded to reach college campuses and middle and high school students, focusing on first-time voters.

Once aboard the bus, students were free to roam and watch C-SPAN coverage of presidential candidates on TV monitors.

“We want you to decide for yourself what is important to you,” said Rebecca Stewart, a C-SPAN community representative.

Stewart and one other representative have been traveling for months on the bus, visiting more than 100 schools and 75 universities.

C-SPAN offers students a nonpartisan view of the election to give them an opportunity to form their own ideas, Stewart said.

“The great thing about the bus is that we can show how we’re different than other news networks.”

C-SPAN offers political coverage unlike any other, she said, in that viewers are able to watch Congressional activities as they unfold without commentary or analysis from the network.

“We want to provide resources to the students,” Stewart said. “At C-SPAN we are really dedicated to making sure people decide for themselves.”

Karen Kenner, a junior from Conyers, said the bus gave her insight into a different form of political coverage.

“We’re learning more about the election than the 30 second blurbs on other channels,” she said. “It really exposed me to what exactly goes on with the media and what it takes to cover an election.”

Of the more than 150 students who passed through Campaign 2008′s doors, Stewart said, overall, University students were enthusiastic about the election.

“The students here are definitely politically active,” she said, though she declined to speculate why this election has garnered more attention from younger voters nationwide.

“It doesn’t matter what I think,” she said. “What really matters is if (students) have an opinion and can inform that opinion.”