Comments on: Ralph Nader wants Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney (and Chuck Baldwin) included in the debates

By: donald raymond lake

donald raymond lake — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:09:48 +0000

I saw Nader’s staff trip over their own penises time and time again in California in P2004.

Now he is talking like a reasonable person and on the ballot in 46 [FORTY SIX !!!!!] states.

Just more proof for the theory of evolution!

By: VTV

VTV — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:23:29 +0000

Looks like Ron Paul finally endorsed Chuck Baldwin.

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog/?p=582

By: paulie cannoli

paulie cannoli — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:56:43 +0000

If Barr refused to participate, heâ€™d be aligning himself with McCain and Obama. They donâ€™t debate â€œthose other candidatesâ€ because they donâ€™t have to and donâ€™t want to give them any credibilityâ€“and because they are fundamentally committed to winning an election rather than being fundamentally committed to democratic process.

Except that in Barr’s case, he has no such pragmatic benefit, and only hurts his own cause while looking hypocritical and foolish.

It would be one thing if he was far and away ahead of the other candidates in money, media, ballot access, polls, etc, etc. It would still be wrong, but at least it would make a twisted kind of sense, as it does when the Democrats and Republicans do it.

But he’s not; if anything, Nader is ahead of him and is extending a hand. Baldwin and McKinney are also not so far behind or even ahead by some measures.

If Barr keeps up his stubborn scorn of his peers in the race, he may end up at the back of the pack, in sixth place. This may not seem likely now, but there’s 43 days left.

By: paulie cannoli

paulie cannoli — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:52:07 +0000

Thatâ€™s the first mention Iâ€™ve heard of a third-party debate being set. Thatâ€™s good newsâ€“Iâ€™ll be very interested to watch it. I wonder how much media coverage it will get.

IIRC it’s in Tennessee in early October. Probably CSPAN.

By: paulie cannoli

paulie cannoli — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:51:24 +0000

Rather than a â€œwinnerâ€, Iâ€™d rather all of them just be allowed in the debates. Period.

McCain and Obama need to be challenged from as many directions as possible.

I agree.

By: millerpolitics

millerpolitics — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:41:30 +0000

Well if McKinney and Bladwin were to be in a debate with McCain and Obama, I guess Barr would have to skip out on that too like he did for the Ron Paul press conference.

By: Anti-Corporate

Anti-Corporate — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:37:27 +0000

That’s the first mention I’ve heard of a third-party debate being set. That’s good news–I’ll be very interested to watch it. I wonder how much media coverage it will get.

If Barr refused to participate, he’d be aligning himself with McCain and Obama. They don’t debate “those other candidates” because they don’t have to and don’t want to give them any credibility–and because they are fundamentally committed to winning an election rather than being fundamentally committed to democratic process. So will Barr adopt their mentality? The same mentality that is keeping him out of the debates? That would be some serious hypocrisy, it seems to me.

This is a bit out of place, maybe, but Nader is outstripping Barr in Ohio:

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/09/ONOpoll.pdf

By: Mike Gillis

Mike Gillis — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:26:00 +0000

Rather than a “winner”, I’d rather all of them just be allowed in the debates. Period.

McCain and Obama need to be challenged from as many directions as possible.

By: paulie cannoli

paulie cannoli — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:10:44 +0000

I’m not sure what excuse Nader would have to duck such a debate, having already said here that all candidates on enough state ballots to win should be allowed in the debate.

Barr, on the other hand, will not participate, unless he reverses himself.

Nader, McKinney and Baldwin have already all demonstrated their willingness to share a stage.

By: Ross Levin

Ross Levin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:34:54 +0000

Will Nader or Barr participate in that debate?

By: green in brooklyn

green in brooklyn — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:58:05 +0000

Not sure I like the idea of only allowing the winner of the 3rd party debate into the final debate – it will be too easy for Democan’ts and Rethugs to skew the voting to put in the candidate that will hurt their opponent the most.