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--- New Survey: 59% of Likely Voters Want Independent Ralph Nader Included in Presidential Debates
72% Support Inclusion of "Nationally Recognized Independents" 57% Say Debates Should Not be Sponsored by Republicans and Democrats
New York, NY: A national survey of 1,000 likely voters shows that 59% want independent Ralph Nader included in the televised presidential debates?regardless of who they plan to vote for. The nationwide survey, conducted via telephone interviews by the Committee for a Unified Independent Party, Inc. between August 25th and September 7th found that 62% of undecided voters want the independent Nader included?5 points higher than the sampling of all voters. 72% of all voters said they favored the inclusion of "nationally recognized independents." The survey has a margin of sampling error of 3.09%.
"The results show that even in a highly polarized and partisan environment, voters want an out-of-the-box debate," said CUIP political director Jacqueline Salit. "And in spite of the Democratic Party's aggressive campaign to stop the Nader candidacy dead in its tracks, it's still the case that 59% of likely voters want to see him in the debates."
Survey results also show that 57% of voters believe the debates should not be sponsored by the Republicans and Democrats, but by a non-partisan sponsor. A US District Court judge recently ordered the Federal Election
Commission to investigate charges of partisanship against the Commission on Presidential Debates ("CPD"). "The American people know you shouldn't have a fox guarding the henhouse," added Salit.
Responding to a question about how important it was that the presidential debates include a "vigorous discussion" of the war in Iraq, 86% said it was "very important" or "somewhat important." "It's likely that this was another motive for wanting Nader in the debates," said Salit. "Bush and Kerry have virtually identical positions on the war, so a 'vigorous discussion' requires the presence of a candidate with a different view."
CONTACT: Sarah Lyons 212.962.1824