Tomorrow night is the first presidential debate or is it a joint press appearance? It will take place at the University of Massachusetts, in Boston. Bush spent the weekend at home in his Texas ranch practicing his debating skills with Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. Al Gore, in Sarasota Florida, met with what he called “real citizens”, or 13 hand picked people who formed Gore’s Debate Camp practice.

The Presidential Debate Commission, headed by the former heads of the Republican and Democratic Parties have excluded third party candidates from participating.

Yesterday in Boston, Ralph Nader held another of his super-rallies. As with Seattle, Minneapolis and Portland, more than ten thousand people turned out. These are the largest rallies of the election, and yet have hardly gotten major media play. Nader told supporters that fighting poverty and pollution is not extremism and he encouraged them to get involved in politics. Nader and running mate Winona La Duke called for rebuilding schools, toughening environmental laws and implementing real measures to reduce poverty and homelessness.

Guests:

• Jamie Raskin, a Professor of Law at American University and represented Ross Perot in 1996 in his suit to get in to the debates. He is currently advising Ralph Nader on the debates.
• Wendy Beacham, working out of the Independent Media Center (IMC) in Boston. She was at the Nader rally on Sunday in Boston.

Related link:

• Boston Independent Media Center