Protesters demand open presidential debates
ATLANTA (CNN) -- Chanting and waving signs, a group of about 100
demonstrators marched in front of CNN Center Sunday, calling on the network to
host open debates among several third-party presidential candidates.
"You can get public money to help your campaign, but you can't get access to the public airwaves in a debate," shouted a Libertarian party supporter through a megaphone.
The protesters represented the Green Party, the Natural Law Party, the Reform Party and the International Socialist Organization, among other groups. One member of the ISO said demonstrators had collected 85,000 signatures on a petition they hoped to deliver to CNN.
"The Democrats and Republicans are both sponsored by large corporate entities," said Dr. Dori Rector of Georgia's Natural Law Party. "We need a debate between other candidates besides Bush and Gore so people can hear different viewpoints."
On NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, Green party candidate Ralph Nader said polls show a majority of people want to see a four-way debate.
He said there's not much choice between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush.
"A choice between the bad and the worse," he said. "They both flunk."
Nader will appear on CNN's Larry King Live with Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan Monday at 9 p.m. ET.
Bush and Gore will meet for their first debate Tuesday in Boston. hat debate is being sponsored by the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which requires a candidate to average 15 percent support in five national polls in order to participate.
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