Nader: Can I at least be in audience?

It's amazing that the only Presidential candidate who stands with the majority of Americans on single payor health care, a living wage, an immediate end to the war and in denunciation of the corporate bailout can't even sit in the audience of the Presidential debate. God forbid the camera shows HIS FACE when Obama and McCain shuck and jive instead of answering a question put to them. I'm voting for Ralph Nader because, unlike the other two, he is NOT FOR SALE. Neither is my vote.

Ralph Nader '08

Let him debate

Steve - you can vote for whoever you want to vote for, certainly, but the reality is that the US is a two-party system. People in this country are not smart enough to deal with more than that. Therefore, all Nader represents is a distraction. Let him do it on his own dime.

I am a bit upset at the exclusion as well. I think all the major candidates should be part of the debates. I realize they need to set a "requirement" so there isn't 50 people but it seems to me that no candidate will ever reach the required 15% unless they are allowed to debate in the earlier debates. It is shameful for the commission to act like this when so many Americans feel that Obama and McCain do not represents them and are only going to vote for one them because no other candidate is given a chance to win their vote.

I hear you steve, but I won't be voting for Nader because I really do think there's a difference between Obama and McCain - so I'll vote Obama. But the political system is hopelessly corrupted by money. We have to change it. The 2 parties won't do it. I think it's too bad nader left the Greens. We need a grassroots movement that will elect 3d and 4th party candidates to congress and build changes from the ground up. The stakes are too high in presidential elections for most voters to hook on to a 3d party candidate.

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!
Let Nader in the debates, the worst that can happen is public embarrassment of the corporate candidates McPalin and O’Biden.
Lets do something different this time, Vote Sanity, Vote Nader.
If the people are content to live under corporate rule, supporting the elite, then so be it. All I ask for is a just and fair society, common responsible behavior from both the people,and the government they elect.

The stranglehold of corporate interests (e.g. companies like Anheuser-Busch who are major donors to the Debate commission, or the corporations giving money to the Dems and Repubs who run the Debate commission, a private corporation itself)--the stranglehold of corporate interests over our political discourse is highly disturbing.

We can't even get them to talk about what the majority of Americans support. Their phones were ringing off the hook unanimously against the bailout and they still fought for it. Sickening.

Don't I remember the rules right???
If you qualify to run for U.S. President,
aren't you allowed to debate?

Where is the democracy in America???

Is everyone asleep at the wheel, because thats what their T.V. sublimily told them, go to sleep at the wheel and just keep going to work and using up our resources, on items that won't matter in a 100 years, 10? 5? 2? 6mos ?????

J.P., you are not entirely correct. As Noam Chomsky put it this week:
"The United States effectively has a one-party system, the business party, with two factions, Republicans and Democrats."

I love it.."America is a two party system." "He is a distraction" "a difference between Obama and McCain"

It is a one party system, they receive money from the same corporations, and we blindly alow them to rule our lives after years of failure and working against the people. A distraction? To have anyone who can theoritically win by being on enough ballots who shares an alternate view is a distraction, nice to know, I like your jack boots. There is no difference between McBama. When it comes to civil liberties, the war on terror, gay and lesbian issues, bail outs and corporate welfare, energy and more. When offered the choice of changing something, you sit back and reward more failure and support the "opposition" party that offered litle if no resistence the last 8 years. Frankly you should be ashamed of yourself. You have a chance to make history, but you would rather be complacent and think about flufy bunnies and change.

A

J.P. - The U.S. was never meant to be a two-party system. In fact, our Founding Fathers warned against political parties for this very reason. Nader spent '92 and '96 building up the Green Party. But just when it was their time to emerge on the national stage, the two parties shut him down and wouldn't let him debate. In fact, they had Nader escorted off the premises by state police before the first debate.

Nader coulda been a contender like Ross Perot, who went from 6% to 19% because of the debates. Instead, they denied him his chance, effectively supprerssed his numbers, and then turned around and called him a spoiler.

Regardless of Nader's (or any third-party candidates for that matter) chances to actually influence and/or win a presidential election, it's only fair to allow a couple of them to actually debate the bigwigs. Anyone who complains at that point that minor candidates are stealing important airtime from the only two guys who are going to have the chance this election to run this country should be shut up in a closet and kept on bread and water for a couple of weeks, and then maybe they'll gain some empathy. Besides, how in the world is a third party supposed to ever make it to the big show if they're kept supressed forever by the bureaucracy?... It's making me furious just thinking about it.

are we in the free usa??
let him debate!

In 2000, even after drawing record audiences (over 20,000 at Madison Square Garden -- much larger than any Bush or Gore rally), Nader was still left out of most media coverage and not allowed to debate.

Nader has proven time and again that he is capable of great change and that he is a great legal and political mind. Yet we let Biden (who had to cheat to get through his 3rd-tier law school) and Palin (who isn't qualified to run a convenience store) have tens of millions of Americans watch them spout campaign talking points. Matt Gonzalez is ten times the thinker either of those two are. Why not let him on? He might actually win the debate and then Americans might vote for him and Nader, and then the corporate interests would lose some power, and that's unacceptable.

The only rational vote is for Nader/Gonzalez. Please, donate money and vote for these men. Especially if you're in a "safe" state like AZ, MA, IL, UT, NY, CA, and others like that.

The elephants and donkeys have far too much in common,
Not just the ears so comic, but their riders, wealthy pigs.
Hats off to Ralphie Nader, he's a mule that's tough and stubborn.
They'll never, ever ride him, those hogs he'll throw and fix!

It's a complete farce that Ralph Nader is excluded. Ross Perot got to debate when he was polling the same percentage as Ralph Nader is today. Then when the League of Women dropped out of the debates (because the Democratic and Republican parties where taking control and turning it in to the charade we have today) the corporate party decided to raise the bar to a ridiculous number effectively killing any other competition and basically making it impossible for a true democracy to exist in America since a large portion of Americans will not represented by 3rd party candidates who specifically represent them (The Dems and Repubs are representatives of the corporations).. And now the debates are nothing but parallel interviews, totally uninspiring. 3rd party candidates have always raised the most important issues in society. Women suffrage, Civil rights, etc.. etc.. Where will this world be in the future now that 3rd parties are shut out?

americans are lost

IF YOU QUALIFY TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT, YET YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DEBATE, the people lose!!! The powers that control this country are suppressing competition by allowing only 2 parties to debate. TV, radio, nespapers ONLY cover republicans and democrats, so most Americans don't even know that other people are running for office.

Many people are unhappy with their choices (Obama or McCain), but do not know that THEY HAVE A CHOICE!!!

I am voiting for Barr - I don't want to waste it on Obama/McCain. What is the difference between those two idiots anyway?

This year I am voting AGAINST every pro-bailout encumbant on the ticket. Change is needed - from top to bottom.

If anyone will be New York tomorrow, Nader will be speaking at Cooper Union in New York City at 6pm 3rd Ave and 7th St. at the Great Hall.
He will also be protesting the Wall St. bailout at 12 noon on Wall Street, Federal Hall, 26 Wall Street on Thursday.
Nader is a great man and if people heard him debate the candidates, he would win the debate and get a lot more support. He is much more intelligent and experienced than any other candidate. That is why he is kept out by both parties.
If you can take a trip to NYC, we would love to see you there!

great. what a waste of a vote. We have a two-party system get used to it. Nader is just stealing votes from the real candidates. At least Dukakis and Perot knew when to give up. I don't disagree with Nader's ideas, but his constant campaigning is just pointless. He is really not going to win. ever. Voting for him may make a statement, but it will go unheard. If Nader were to be allowed into the debate, he would destroy the delicate balance necessary to convince this country of idiots to vote for the guy who will do the most good.

In the first half of his life Nader gave us seat belts, cleaner air, more regulation.
In the second half of his life he gave us Bush.
I respect the man but, I think he is wrong.
If Ralph Nader had ran for President in the Democrat Primaries in the past he probably could have won. But he didn't...

Why should Nader be allowed in tomorrow's debate? After all, America hasn't been a democracy for quite some time now. I don't think the mindless masses are even ready to address the real issues.
NADER FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!

Nader is a US citizen running for the United States President and he has all the right to participate in the debate.

The reason we don't have national health care is because the health insurance companies don't want it. Obama and McCain are beholding to them. LET NADER DEBATE.

I say Vote for Nader! This country's elitism has gotten to a point where Americans are saying "it is enough!" Democracy is the believe in the People not in the belief in separation of powers. These biased & corrupted Political system has to be stopped somehow. These corporate billions believe that just because we are not as rich or have as much as power as they do to give money to these only two political parties, that we are blind of Independent candidates. I am sorry but Americans need to take a stand & strike back. We need a new movement because the dreams that our forefathers had has been obviously taken away from rich bribery and Political cynicism. Nader is the answer that we desperately need!

I agree that a lot of his views and beliefs are what Americans need in Washington. But until "we the people' vote for more Independent candidates for office in D.C. not much can be done. He needs not only spead his word during a presidential running, but always. People will forget him and other Independent politicians after the election.

I vote for Nader.
One aspect I don't see in the don't vote for him arguments, he can't win; Is there is still a review of how many votes he (and the other "losers") gets.
If he gets few votes its easy to say well, know one is interested in single payor health plan, jail not bail for wall street, Troops out of Iraq Now, etc.

Of course Bush and company having stolen the elections don't care what the country thinks even when the Democrats carry congress, and the Democrats act as if they really shouldn't anyway.

Dear JP & James, I vote for the individual I feel is the best candidate for the office I am voting for. If you believe people, including JP, are not intelligent enough to review more than 2 candidate platforms to make a decision, then WHOA! You have identified the real problem: Lack of American intellect! If Obama/McCain were my only choices, I would write in MY candidate. It's MY vote. Your arguments that it's a waste of a vote is a farce intended to keep people from being free thinkers. Stop being lazy and stop hanging onto every word the corporate owned tv news media spews at you! It's only a waste when I have nothing worth voting for. So go ahead, vote your "lesser evil" and I'll vote for good, Ralph Nader!

I

Ralph Nader deserves nothing. Every election it's the same song: "the networks have blacked me out." Had Nader actually participated in the primary process -- like Ron Paul -- he would have had the opportunity to attract support for his ideas and agenda. Instead, he waits for the process to be over and then sticks his foot in the door demanding a voice. Sadly, Ralph has become more about himself than the ideas that he espouses which are very close to Obama's. This bizarre notion of his and his supporters -- who never ever participate in our political process but just whine on the sidelines -- that he is being shut out and that both parties are the same is bull. Nader's earlier late entry cost the election for Gore in the 2000 election. He should go home and write his memoirs.

Actually Ralph Nader announced his candidacy in February... he didn't wait for the process to be over.

Ralph Nader is on the ballot in 45 States around the country. Let Ralph Nader Debate! Also, checkout www.votenader.org.

It's undemocratic and biased not to allow Nader sit for the debate. I heard his views on economy and war in Iraq in PBS - he seems better positioned to handle the situation! Even if he does'nt get elected , his views must be allowed to be expressed . It's time to wake up America !