OPEN DEBATES APPLAUDS REP. KUCINICH

Open Debates, National Press Building, 529 14th St. NW, Suite 1201, Washington, DC 20045
November 25, 2003
Contact: Chris Shaw (202) 628-9195

WASHINGTON DC -- Open Debates ( www.opendebates.org ) commends Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) for calling for open debates as part of his presidential campaign platform. “I believe in the power of open debates to restore higher values of democracy and voter education to the American political process,” stated Rep. Kucinich.

“We applaud Rep. Kucinich's call for open debates,” stated Open Debates' Executive Director George Farah.

The bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) has sponsored the presidential debates since 1988, when it seized control of the debates from the non-partisan League of Women Voters. The CPD is a private corporation that was established by the chairs of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee.

“CPD sponsored presidential debates have been little more than glorified press conferences, where candidates recite prepackaged sound-bites, and avoid discussing many important issues,” said Farah.

Open Debates is working with other civic groups to establish a non-partisan Citizens' Debate Commission comprised of national civic leaders. The Citizens' Debate Commission will sponsor presidential debates that are rigorous, fair, and inclusive of important issues and popular candidates. "We are committed to establishing presidential debates that encourage authentic debate," said Open Debates' Organizing Director Chris Shaw.

Open Debates' board of directors consists of diverse civic leaders, including: John B. Anderson, former Republican Congressman; Angela "Bay" Buchanan, president of The American Cause; Randall Robinson, founder of TransAfrica Forum; Larry Noble, Executive Director of the Center for Responsive Politics; Jon Hanson, Harvard Law Professor; Pat Choate, former Reform Party vice-presidential candidate; Paul Weyrich, founder of the Heritage Foundation; and Professor Jamin Raskin, author of Overruling Democracy.

Open Debates' Executive Director George Farah is the author of No Debate, a book exposing the flaws of the presidential debate process that will be released this winter by Seven Stories Press.