BARR TRYING TO GET INTO DEBATES

Phoon Ree

Boston Globe

August 19, 2008

Independent Ralph Nader is organizing rallies in the convention cities of Denver and St. Paul, trying to barge his way into the presidential debates.

Libertarian Bob Barr's campaign today cited a recent poll by Zogby that shows that 55 percent of all voters want Barr included in the debates, which now only include Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Of the respondents, 69 percent of independents, 52 percent of Democrats, and 50 percent of Republicans favored inviting Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia. Younger voters were more open to including Barr, Zogby said.

"We're very pleased to hear the results of the poll and are heartened to learn that most voters don't buy into the 'spoiler' argument being espoused by partisan talking heads," Russell Verney, Barr's campaign manager and former campaign manager for Ross Perot, said in a statement. "People want real change and they know that they are not going to get it from a Republican or a Democrat. America's only hope for change is by allowing more competition in the political process and that means opening the debates to any candidate who can meet the ballot access criteria."

In the poll, 46 percent of all voters and 59 percent of independents said Nader should be invited.

But Barr's campaign acknowledged that the Commission on Presidential Debates says that to be included in the debates, a candidate must meet ballot access requirements and reach 15 percent in at least five national polls. Barr is currently polling at 6 percent nationally.