Nader calls on supporters to get him into debate

Whatever.

It's terrible that Ralph is shut out. Out of all the candidates, it is he who has done the most for the American people.

Because of him we have the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the EPA, OSHA, airbags and seatbelts, the Freedom of Information Act. He has saved perhaps millions of lives. And he lives up to the ideals of Founding Fathers, living out true patriotism and a firm belief in the principles of our Constitution.

Ralph warned about the current crisis in our financial markets when Barack Obama was accepting contributions from Lehman Bros., Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac; while John McCain was allowing Democrats and Republicans alike to deregulate banks. All the more proof why we need to hear his voice in these debates!

Other candidates should be allowed to participate too -- the Greens and the Libertarians. They have considerable followings, and ideas worth considering.

Jen Thalmann

Are you prepared to consume a fake "Debate" once again?
(paid for by your "Friends" on Wall Street)

*Not Nader & Paul Main Street

Other websites posting this same question, whether third party candidates should be able to debate, has all comments coming in saying "Yes". Even people that are supporting Obama or McCain are saying it's only "democratic" to have all candidates in the debates.

The corporate owned debating commission and I believe the bias media, is stopping democracy.

Let them debate! Let ALL the candidates debate!

Political Bigotry!!!

let ralph debate!

OPEN THE DEBATES!!

"Horn his way in" to the debates? Even though a majority of Americans want more than just the Republican and Democratic candidates to participate? Even though you know (or should know) that the Republicans and Democrats control (by secret agreement) which candidates get to participate? Even though Nader is consistently polling as high as 6% nationwide, and as high as 10% in some states? When it comes to reporting the facts about Ralph Nader, Fhoon Rhee consistently manages to be as fair and balanced as Fox News.

Media coverage is automatically afforded to the major party candidates. Everyone else is virtually ignored by the media, creating a artificial hierarchy of "legitimate" candidates. Without media coverage, it is difficult for candidates to reach 15 percent in the polls. The commission is run exclusively by Democrats and Republicans, who would prefer to keep the debate "safe." The rule excluding third party candidates is arbitrary, but it serves the needs of the major parties to stick to their scripts. This self-fulfilling situation inhibits democracy, rather than advancing it. The people have a right to hear a diversity of views, but the parties in charge will go to great lengths to keep that from happening. Too bad.

Media coverage is automatically afforded to the major party candidates. Everyone else is virtually ignored by the media, creating a artificial hierarchy of "legitimate" candidates. Without media coverage, it is difficult for candidates to reach 15 percent in the polls. The commission is run exclusively by Democrats and Republicans, who would prefer to keep the debate "safe." The rule excluding third party candidates is arbitrary, but it serves the needs of the major parties to stick to their scripts. This self-fulfilling situation inhibits democracy, rather than advancing it. The people have a right to hear a diversity of views, but the parties in charge will go to great lengths to keep that from happening. Too bad.

Sure, Nader, there was no difference between George Bush and Al Gore. That was your megamaniacal reason for running and deciding the election 8 years ago. Do you still subscribe to the notion that our country would be exactly the same now that it's 8 years later -- Alito, Roberts, Katrina, climate policy, $5 gasoline, Iraq War, failed war in Afghanistan, Wall Street socialism (called "bailout" by the proponents), tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, busted budget surplus, no child left behind, FISA ... and Dick Cheney.

Just please leave us all alone.

I think Bob Barr should be there as well. If you're going to get Nader there, then get Bob Barr there, we don't need any distractions for leftist voters. Nader is great in a mindful and more peaceful society here in this country, however he doesn't have a fat chance in hell and in knowing this I think that Nader should NOT be present the debates. If you're going to include Nader, then include Barr.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."-Mark Twain.

The media is no longer independent in this country, why would anyone believe that these polls are?

As we watch the theft of our money, our kid's money, our grandkids' money by the big corporations- the exact consequence of the takeover by corporate America of both major political parties, how can Ralph Nader not be allowed to debate?
He told us what was happening, but we did not listen

For decades he has been offering solutions and fighting on behalf of citizens against corporate government. I will never understand people who think he is doing what he does for selfish reasons. He's had plenty of opportunities to sell out and join up with one of the major parties, but he has too much integrity. He wants to fight the two party duoploy, not join it. I don't think he said there was no difference between Gore and Bush, he was arguing that there is no major difference between the two corporate controlled major parties. I agree that the media is responsible for his low polling numbers. Given more coverage, I think we'd see him at the 15% threshold. You're doing just what the major parties and the corporations that control them want you to do when you dismiss someone who offers an alternative.

This is fascism. When corporations, and not the American people, decide who is allowed to debate (and, in turn, determine who our next president is), it is no longer "we the people," but rather, "we the exxons."

It is quite apparent that it is not in the interests of the elite to have people speaking truth to power, such as Nader, Barr, Paul, McKinney, Baldwin, Gravel, Kucinich; they've all been locked out of one presidential debate, or another.

It is unfortunate that the system is rigged. If Ralph Nader were allowed into the debates, the millions of people that watch the debates would learn 1) that Ralph was even running for president, and 2) that their views line up more closely with Ralph's platform (not Obama's or McCain's - the corporate candidates).

www.votenader.org/issues

Al Gore has said Nader did not cost him the election. The Democrats have been complicit with the Bush administration, voting for the war and globalization legislation, cuts in medicare. wall street, the list goes on.

Nader said the differences were few, not that there was no difference.
Al Gore was more militaristic in his approach than George Bush and it was Clinton who floated the idea of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction. Al Gore, like Bush was for the death penalty, NAFTA, WTO...
David Brower, former president of the Sierra Club said that "the Clinton-Gore administration has done more to harm the environment than the Reagan, Bush, and Bush Jr. administrations combined"!

I used to be a Democrat until I saw how sorry and hypocritical they were. I'm glad I woke up.

Quite honestly, although I don't think Mr. Nader has a "snowballs chance" on an hot August afternoon in Houston, I think his appearance on the debate would benefit Barack Obama and expose McCain for what he is ...... a person of little substance and even less knowledge.

I called Obama's campaign at the request of Bob Barr's campaign. The Obama staffer I spoke with was very polite, and told me that the Obama campaign was keeping track of these requests calling on Obama to request that both Bob Barr and Ralph Nader be included in the presidential debates.

A recent Zogby poll showed that more than half of those American voters surveyed want Bob Barr included in the presidential debates.

Want spoiler-free and gerrymander-proof electoral systems? Contact FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy.

We are at a point in society that demands OUR PARTICIPATION!
I believe in the ideals that Ralph Nader champions, the belief that we are all “The People”, and that when corporate funds are accepted, strings ARE attached. I can only hope that our divided, distracted, diverted populace does something other than electing one of the corporate shills running, we’ve had 200 years to have a representative government, and still have a corporate power structure that has run us into the ditch YET AGAIN! Lets do something different this time,
Vote Sanity, Vote Nader.

Nader would have more than a legitimate chance if given the opportunity that Obama and McCain have. He is currently polling 4% nationally. Give him the same press coverage and allow him into the debates as they did with Ross Perot in 1992 and you have a full blown 3 way race. But this will never happen. Republicans blacked out Ross Perot in 1996, and Democrats are doing the same thing to Nader now (Republicans are doing the same thing to Barr now as well). Put Nader and Barr into the debates and let them keep these other guys somewhat honest.

wether you like Nader or Barr is not even relevant. They're both on enough ballots to get elected. Therefor they HAVE to be in the debates. Period.

Why in hell would poll dictates who's allowed in the debates like a pre-election election?

Polls are polls. Elections are elections. Somehow along the way, someone decided that somehow one should have an influence over the other and everyone's just like "huh... ok!"

I guess we really deserve the mess we're in...

Open the debates!
Here is how.

- AT&T (Main corporate sponsor of the first debate) 210-821-4105
Jim Lehrer (Moderator for First Debate) 703-998-2138
Commission on Presidential Debates 202-872-1020

- Call Barack Obama at 866-675-2008.
Hit 6 to speak with a campaign volunteer.

- Call John McCain at (703) 418-2008.
Hit 2 or 3 to speak with a campaign volunteer,
6 to leave a message in the general campaign voice mailbox.

- Email the executive director of the Commission on Presidential Debates.
E-mail Janet Brown jb@debates.org,