Widening the Debates

Third partiers Michael Badnarik of the Libertarian Party and David Cobb of the Greens will tease front-runners Bush and Kerry as they do their first debate by taking

questions from media, students and the public in an open forum the night of--and just feet from--the first televised "debate" between the two-party candidates.

The debate will take place on Thursday, September 30, at 5 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Ballroom, 1350 S. Dixie Highway, in Coral Gables. Pacifica Radio will interview audience members and debate participants following the two hour debate. From 9 p.m. until 10:30, the candidates and audience will watch a live broadcast of the restricted, two-party debate after which Badnarik and Cobb will offer their rebuttals.

Independent candidate Ralph Nader, who has been invited to participate in the open format debate, has not yet accepted the invitation.

Full press release, quoted above, here. According to that release, they are charging for tickets--which seems a bit penny wise, pound foolish to me--$5 for students, $10 for others.