Groups Push Candidates To Change Rules For Final Debate
The Open Debate Coalition, an umbrella organization that includes the heads of MoveOn, Wikipedia, Craigslist and other groups, sent a letter today pushing Barack Obama and John McCain to change the rules for the final presidential debate, Politico reports.
This week's second presidential debate was widely criticized, with some going so far as to call it the worst ever. Among the Open Debate Coalition's requests is that "that the debate moderator has broad discretion to ask follow-up questions after a candidate’s answer, so the public can be fully informed about specific positions," and that debate questions submitted and selected by the public be posed.
"The signers of this letter don’t agree on every political issue," writes the group. "But we do agree that in order for Americans to make the best decision for president, we need open debates that are 'of the people' in the ways described above. You have the power to make that happen, and we ask you to do so."
Full letter, via Politico, below.
Dear Senator McCain and Senator Obama,
Thank you for your recent letters affirming our coalition’s open debate principles, designed to make this year’s presidential debates more “of the people” than ever before. As we approach the final debate on October 15, we ask you to proactively implement such principles right away.
The closed nature of the recent debates has been universally criticized. The editors of Politico wrote, “The presidential debate commission’s rules are a scandal” resulting in “a format designed to limit improvisation, intellectual engagement, and truth-telling.” 83% of Obama supporters and 75% of McCain supporters agree that tough follow-up questions were lacking. Even Saturday Night Live spoofed the lack of follow-up questions in the debates, and the watered-down “town hall” questions chosen.
Therefore, we ask you to jointly announce the following in advance of the October 15 debate:
1) That the debate moderator has broad discretion to ask follow-up questions after a candidate’s answer, so the public can be fully informed about specific positions.
2) That after a “town hall” debate full of questions handpicked by the moderator, none of which were outside-the-box, you will allow Bob Schieffer to ask some Internet questions voted on by the public in the fashion outlined in our previous letter – which you agreed to. Existing technology will make this easy.
3) That, as a stipulation of the next debate, the media pool must release all 2008 debate footage into the public domain – as you agreed would be in the public interest. CNN, ABC, and NBC agreed to release video rights during the primary, and CBS agreed more recently. But Fox threatened Senator McCain for using a debate clip during the primary, and NBC invoked copyright law against Senator Obama to stifle political speech recently. The public deserves to know debate video can be reused without fear of breaking the law.
4) That you agree to work with the Open Debate Coalition after the election to reform or create an alternative to the Commission on Presidential Debates, so that the debate process is transparent and accountable to the public. Despite both of your agreement with the open debate principles, the Commission did nothing to implement them – or even to engage in dialogue about potential implementation. Also, the “31-page memo of understanding” with debate rules is nowhere on the Commission’s website, and has not been turned over despite requests.
The signers of this letter don’t agree on every political issue. But we do agree that in order for Americans to make the best decision for president, we need open debates that are “of the people” in the ways described above. You have the power to make that happen, and we ask you to do so.
Thank you for your willingness to take these ideas to heart. If you have any questions, please contact: OpenDebateCoalition@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Lawrence Lessig; Professor, Stanford Law School, Founder, Center for Internet and Society
Ellen Miller; Executive Director, Sunlight Foundation
Craig Newmark; Founder, Craigslist
Jimmy Wales; Founder, Wikipedia
Aaron Swartz; Founder, Reddit
Patrick Ruffini; Republican consultant, former Republican National Committee eCampaign Director, and a blogger at TheNextRight.com
Mindy Finn; Republican strategist, former Mitt Romney Online Director, and a blogger at TheNextRight.com
Eli Pariser; Executive Director, MoveOn.org Political Action
Adam Green; Director of Strategic Campaigns, MoveOn.org Political Action
Arianna Huffington; Founder, HuffingtonPost.com
Markos Moulitsas; Founder, DailyKos.com
Roger L. Simon, CEO, Pajamas Media
Eric Burns; President, Media Matters for America
K. Daniel Glover, Executive Producer, Media Research Center’s Eyeblast.tv, and of AirCongress
Jon Henke; New media consultant (including for Fred Thompson, George Allen, Senate Republican Caucus) and a blogger at TheNextRight.com
Matt Stoller; Founder/Editor, OpenLeft.com
James Rucker; Executive Director, ColorOfChange.org
Andrew Rasiej; Personal Democracy Forum and TechPresident.com
Micah Sifry; Personal Democracy Forum and TechPresident.com
Bill Mitchell; Professor, MIT
Josh Silver; Executive Director, Free Press
Carl Malamud; Founder, Public.Resource.Org
Clay Johnson; Director, Sunlight Labs
Robert Greenwald; President, BraveNewFilms
Kim Gandy; President, National Organization for Women
Roger Hickey; Co-Director, Campaign for America's Future
Billy Hallowell, Director of Content, VoterWatch
David Colarusso; Founder, communityCOUNTS.us
This week's second presidential debate was widely criticized, with some going so far as to call it the worst ever. Among the Open Debate Coalition's requests is that "that the debate moderator has broad discretion to ask follow-up questions after a candidate’s answer, so the public can be fully informed about specific positions," and that debate questions submitted and selected by the public be posed.
"The signers of this letter don’t agree on every political issue," writes the group. "But we do agree that in order for Americans to make the best decision for president, we need open debates that are 'of the people' in the ways described above. You have the power to make that happen, and we ask you to do so."
Full letter, via Politico, below.
Dear Senator McCain and Senator Obama,
Thank you for your recent letters affirming our coalition’s open debate principles, designed to make this year’s presidential debates more “of the people” than ever before. As we approach the final debate on October 15, we ask you to proactively implement such principles right away.
The closed nature of the recent debates has been universally criticized. The editors of Politico wrote, “The presidential debate commission’s rules are a scandal” resulting in “a format designed to limit improvisation, intellectual engagement, and truth-telling.” 83% of Obama supporters and 75% of McCain supporters agree that tough follow-up questions were lacking. Even Saturday Night Live spoofed the lack of follow-up questions in the debates, and the watered-down “town hall” questions chosen.
Therefore, we ask you to jointly announce the following in advance of the October 15 debate:
1) That the debate moderator has broad discretion to ask follow-up questions after a candidate’s answer, so the public can be fully informed about specific positions.
2) That after a “town hall” debate full of questions handpicked by the moderator, none of which were outside-the-box, you will allow Bob Schieffer to ask some Internet questions voted on by the public in the fashion outlined in our previous letter – which you agreed to. Existing technology will make this easy.
3) That, as a stipulation of the next debate, the media pool must release all 2008 debate footage into the public domain – as you agreed would be in the public interest. CNN, ABC, and NBC agreed to release video rights during the primary, and CBS agreed more recently. But Fox threatened Senator McCain for using a debate clip during the primary, and NBC invoked copyright law against Senator Obama to stifle political speech recently. The public deserves to know debate video can be reused without fear of breaking the law.
4) That you agree to work with the Open Debate Coalition after the election to reform or create an alternative to the Commission on Presidential Debates, so that the debate process is transparent and accountable to the public. Despite both of your agreement with the open debate principles, the Commission did nothing to implement them – or even to engage in dialogue about potential implementation. Also, the “31-page memo of understanding” with debate rules is nowhere on the Commission’s website, and has not been turned over despite requests.
The signers of this letter don’t agree on every political issue. But we do agree that in order for Americans to make the best decision for president, we need open debates that are “of the people” in the ways described above. You have the power to make that happen, and we ask you to do so.
Thank you for your willingness to take these ideas to heart. If you have any questions, please contact: OpenDebateCoalition@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Lawrence Lessig; Professor, Stanford Law School, Founder, Center for Internet and Society
Ellen Miller; Executive Director, Sunlight Foundation
Craig Newmark; Founder, Craigslist
Jimmy Wales; Founder, Wikipedia
Aaron Swartz; Founder, Reddit
Patrick Ruffini; Republican consultant, former Republican National Committee eCampaign Director, and a blogger at TheNextRight.com
Mindy Finn; Republican strategist, former Mitt Romney Online Director, and a blogger at TheNextRight.com
Eli Pariser; Executive Director, MoveOn.org Political Action
Adam Green; Director of Strategic Campaigns, MoveOn.org Political Action
Arianna Huffington; Founder, HuffingtonPost.com
Markos Moulitsas; Founder, DailyKos.com
Roger L. Simon, CEO, Pajamas Media
Eric Burns; President, Media Matters for America
K. Daniel Glover, Executive Producer, Media Research Center’s Eyeblast.tv, and of AirCongress
Jon Henke; New media consultant (including for Fred Thompson, George Allen, Senate Republican Caucus) and a blogger at TheNextRight.com
Matt Stoller; Founder/Editor, OpenLeft.com
James Rucker; Executive Director, ColorOfChange.org
Andrew Rasiej; Personal Democracy Forum and TechPresident.com
Micah Sifry; Personal Democracy Forum and TechPresident.com
Bill Mitchell; Professor, MIT
Josh Silver; Executive Director, Free Press
Carl Malamud; Founder, Public.Resource.Org
Clay Johnson; Director, Sunlight Labs
Robert Greenwald; President, BraveNewFilms
Kim Gandy; President, National Organization for Women
Roger Hickey; Co-Director, Campaign for America's Future
Billy Hallowell, Director of Content, VoterWatch
David Colarusso; Founder, communityCOUNTS.us
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Oh, I see%u2014-I guess it is OK if he blatantly used ACORN to cheat during the Dem primary. I wonder if the morons on CNN%u2019s investigative team will see the link between Hillary%u2019s loss and BO%u2019s amazing success in the caucuses? He is using CSI for the general-which is just an offshoot of ACORN. What a liar.
And lets make a rule where if the moderator asks a "followup question" the other candidate gets to ask a followup question of his opponent.
And lets have a rule that if a candidate goes over in time that he has to leave the stage for an amount of time equal to what he went over.
And let also agree, because of the importance of this election that both candidates agree that three townhall meetings be held between now and the end.
That any clips not be edited but at least 15 seconds before and after the "main content" be included.
Also like the idea of the lie detector attached to each. Lets see who sweats on that one!
There has been no fraud proven. You have some people trying to make quotas and they have been caught. No vote has even occurred for voter fraud to be alleged. Unlike how repos are purging voter registrations of legitimate voters.
McCain has a criminal in his mist. S.Palin has been been found guilty of violating her office, trust of the American people, actions and decency of law- abiding Americans. As Americans lets not sully our integrity by allowing her to "stain" our great country. Begone, you lawless defiler of American judicial principles, scum!!!!
McCain broke Military Code of Conduct four days of capture without having been tortured(if he really was tortured) yet by the enemy. He offered Military Information in return for being sent to a hospital. He provided comfort and aid to the enemy by providing vital military info risking the lives of fellow Americans.
He made sure they knew he was the son of an Admiral. The Vietnamese didn''t want to torture their "Crown Prince" it would reflect on them. So he was put in "Solitary Confinement" while healing from wounds brought by egressing from his aircraft.
McCain signed a confession that was broadcast to demoralize the POWs and incite hatred while fellow prisoners died or were severely injured from the torture of their captors.
He bragged about staying when he was offered to get out early. The Senior Ranking Officers ORDERED him to stay. He was just following orders. The POWs have agreed that the first one in would be the first one out.
A lot of Former POWs and Vietnam Veterans did not vote for McCain in 2000 because of this. WAKE UP REPUBLICANS!
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE SEARCH FOR IT IN THE INTERNET
The US Veterans Dispatch
http://www.usvetdsp.com/jan08/mccain_military_record.htm
Vietnam Veterans Against McCain
http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/cin_hacker_2.htm
McCain %u2013 NOT A HERO
The Brennan Center report offers long-term solutions to ensure every eligible voter has a chance to vote. But the 2008 election is just around the corner, and what if you or someone you know is purged?
Election Protection, a non-partisan coalition, offers voter education and protection through an informational Web site and an election hot-line (1-866-OUR-VOTE). They''ve also offer a useful voting checklist flyer you can print out and bring with you to the poll.
The Election Protection voting checklist:
Be sure you are properly registered.
Most states require voters to register in advance of an election (though some allow voters to register on Election Day). Deadlines range from 3 to 30 days before an election. To find out if you are properly registered, confirm your address, obtain a copy of a voter registration form, or learn about registration deadlines in your state, call 866-OUR-VOTE or, for more information about registration rules in your state go to www.866ourvote.org.
Be sure you go to the correct polling place.
In many states, if you vote at the wrong location, your vote will not be counted. If you are unsure exactly where to vote, find your polling location by calling 866-OUR-VOTE or by going to www.canivote.org.
The 2008 election is just around the corner, and what if you or someone you know is purged?
Be sure you are properly registered.
Deadlines range from 3 to 30 days before an election. To find out if you are properly registered, confirm your address, obtain a copy of a voter registration form, or learn about registration deadlines in your state, call 866-OUR-VOTE or, for more information about registration rules in your state go to www.866ourvote.org.
In many states, if you vote at the wrong location, your vote will not be counted. If you are unsure exactly where to vote, find your polling location by calling 866-OUR-VOTE or by going to www.canivote.org.
Many states allow individuals to vote prior to Election Day, either in person or by absentee ballot. Absentee voters typically must request an absentee ballot in advance. To learn about the options in your state, including how to obtain an absentee ballot, visit www.866ourvote.org, or call 866-OUR-VOTE.
Find out if you are required to show ID.
Every state has identification requirements for at least some categories of voters. Find out the rules for your state by visiting www.866ourvote.org, or calling 866-OUR-VOTE.
www.canivote.org. If you have questions, concerns or problems, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained volunteers for the nation''s largest non-partisan voter protection effort are available to answer your questions and help make sure your vote counts.
RE: Your post regarding McCains record. I''ve posted much the same here and elswhere. Agree 100%
Service? Yes. POW? Yes Hero? No, not at all.
Read up if you haven''t on Lance Sijan, a TRUE hero under the same cicumstances, compare to McCain.
No comparison, talk is cheap, actions are what count.
Of the 40 my company only two are left. These undecorated are the true hero''s we did what we were asked during a very difficult time as our troops do today.
Wrong wars? Yes to be sure, but those who serve do what we are asked.
From an old groundpounder.
Thanks for the post, Welcome back to the fight.
The MSM created the McCain Hype through his embellishments. One good question during the debate would be for McCain; "Do you really think that we would be so stupid to believe that the Vietnamese would torture him after knowing who his father was?"
These "torture sessions" were not witnessed by any POWs. But logic, and the enemy had a lot of that too, would indicate they would avoid torturing the "crown prince" as it would reflect badly on them. The enemy was shrewd in using media to turn opinions.
If McCain really wants to continue the way he has proceeded this past week a PAC would end up swift-boating him in the last days of the campaign. Not only would he end up losing the election, he would lose all his credibility, all the respect he has mustered, and end with a bad reputation.
Now, does the republican party want that? YES THEY DO. MCCAIN WAS CONSIDERED MORE DEMOCRAT THAN REPUBLICAN BY A LOT IN HIS PARTY. Considering his life history he was more of a Democrat. He only went Republican due to political expediency - AMBITION.
Propaganda? All one has to do is visit a rally for McCan''t and Bin Palin to see it is all true. No Spin Needed. ALL TRUTHINESS...Your post only indicates blindness on your part...paid bloggers? You have any SOLID PROOF or just another of those dimwit desperate accusations?
Those questions you''''ve pointed out are really non-issues as they''''ve been debunked many times over. and the part about meeting enemies is something that those in a position of strength shouldn''''t be afraid about. Only the scared and weak would be afraid to meet their enemy. The Repukes who are against that reflect on their cowardice and weakness.
Now do you want me to post why you should question McCain? Are you ready for the truth? ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH?
The truth of the matter we need another party in this country. A flawed view of reality is astounding.
did you help Acorn...sounds like you know so much about it. Fraud
is wrong no matter who does it. When the truth comes out that Republicans signed up to help Acorn...what will you say??
Who ever did it should be punished, by the law...maybe we can get the same REpublicans that checked out Sarah Palin...and said she did not abuse her office..to check out Acron..
Sorry...going in circles make me sick..
As president of the United States, will John McCain or
Barack Obama sign an Executive Order authorizing a
payment from the U.S. Treasury to each and every U.S.
citizen of African descent, of a check in the monetary
equivalent of the 1863 worth of forty acres and a mule,
as adjusted for inflation over time, with interest, as
allegedly promised by Abraham Lincoln at the signing
of the Emancipation Proclamation, as reparations for
slavery; given that a mule, in 1863, held the same
status and worth as a family car, today?
-------------
We will grant you the worth of a mule in 1863 if you will concede to the worth of a person of African descent in 1863. Otherwise, sue Lincoln.
One of you will be president, the other will remain a senator. If you remain a senator, will you reach across the aisle to support the President to end the polarization that is paralyzing to nation from solving the healthcare, immigration, finance, energy, and Iraq war crises?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA6_k3NtXZs&eurl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA6_k3NtXZs&eurl
2005-2009: Republican
2001-2005: Republican
1997-2001: Democrat
1993-1997: Democrat
1989-1993: Republican
1985-1989: Republican
1981-1985: Republican
1977-1981: Democrat
1973-1974: Republican 1974-1977: Republican
1969-1973: Republican
1965-1969: Democrat
1961-1963: Democrat 1963-1965: Donkey
1957-1961: Republican
1953-1957: Republican
1949-1953: Democrat
1945-1949: Democrat
1941-1945: Democrat
1937-1941: Democrat
1933-1937: Democrat
1929-1933: Republican
1925-1929: Republican
1921-1923: Republican 1923-1925: Republican
1917-1921: Democrat
1913-1917: Democrat
Now, why is a certain group people still stuck on the same two parties, I believe we all need a new party in the White House. Having the same last two parties has just gotten too old -- just by looking at their campaign ads, them two just can''t get along together. All campaigning and all campaign ads should be illegalized.
What I see there is whenever Republicans hold the Presidency for more than 4 years a depression follows it. Check the facts out.
To read about the REAL John McCain, check out the below link:
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain
To read about the REAL Sarah Palin, check out the below link:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23318320/mad_dog_palin
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by markmn29
October 12, 2008 11:35 PM PDT
- I can''t see how the McCain camp could even think of a town hall meeting for a debate. McCain looked like he had 1 leg in the coffin at the last debate. What an old awkward looking man trying to walk around the stage stiff, unstable and hanging his head. He has really aged in the last few months. I have always respected McCain but he has really showed his age both physically and mentally the past several months. For the sake of the McCain campaign they better put him behind a podium.
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