Third Parties Rip Debate Decision

Debate On Debates

Letter From The Advisory Comittee

CPD Statement

Take A Stand! The Tally

Bill Schneider's Take

WASHINGTON (CNN, Sept. 17) -- Representatives of the political parties barred from upcoming presidential debates reacted angrily to the decision by a non-partisan commission today, and some even threatened legal action.

In a faxed statement, Libertarian presidential candidate Harry Browne said the decision by the Commission On Presidential Debates is "a victory for the Republicans and Democrats, a setback for American voters, and an embarrassment to democracy...A small tribunal controlled by the Republicans and Democrats, meeting in secret, has decided what political ideas are suitable for 100 million Americans to hear."

Said Browne: "The debates are sure to be tedious since they will feature a Republican who legislates like a Democrat and a Democrat who governs like a Republican." Browne had petitioned the commission on Sept. 13 for inclusion in the debates, arguing that his 50-state ballot status, national organization, proven fundraising ability and media attention earned him a place on the stage.

Natural Law Party presidential candidate John Hagelin, in a faxed statement, blasted the commission's decision and vowed to press on in the courts with his fight to "reclaim democracy from the vise-like grip" of the Republicans and Democrats.

"We have met the CPD's own pre-established objective criteria for inclusion in the debates," Dr. Hagelin said. "Their decision to bar qualified third-party candidates will never hold up in court. Ninety million eligible voters are neither Republicans nor Democrats, and now because of the commission's unlawful decision, these voters will have no voice in the debates.

"If the CPD thinks that force-feeding Americans more of what they don't want -- Bill Clinton and Bob Dole -- will bring voters back to the polls, the commission is out of touch with the American people," Hagelin continued.

Last week, in U.S. District Court, Hagelin sought an injunction against the CPD and the Federal Election Commission on the grounds of unlawful, subjective selection criteria. A hearing on the case is set for Friday, September 20.

The Green Party weighed in as well, with the Green Party coordinator for the Draft Nader for President Clearinghouse saying, "The bi-partisan exclusion of Mr. Nader from these debates has reduced what should be a forum for important democratic discourse to cheap political burlesque...The Republicrats stage the same fake political melodrama every four years. The result? Over half of the audience has walked out of the theater."

Green Party spokesperson John Bodin said: "According to the subjective criteria exercised today by the commission, Honest Abe may have been disqualified for not having a 'realistic' chance of being elected president due to the fact that in a four-way race, he wasn't on the ballot in nine of America's 32 states."

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. Taxpayers Party.

Third Parties Rip Debate Decision

Debate On Debates

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