Green Party holds presidential debate in San Francisco

[LoZoccolo]

"We're not so much against each other as we are for each other," said one of the candidates, Kent Mesplay, an environmental engineer who also ran for the Green Party nomination in 2004. "We have to be because by no means is (the two-party system) a level playing field."

The nearly three-hour event was co-moderated by "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan and KPFA radio host Aimee Allison, who allowed the candidates timed answers to questions about the war in Iraq, illegal immigration, the farm bill and health care, among other subjects.

Nearly every answer was greeted with nods of agreement from the other candidates waiting their turns and by roars of applause from the audience, giving the forum a pep rally feeling.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/14/MNMOUEQ25.DTL

To me this is just hilarious. These people all talk about how stifling it is to have two major political parties, and present themselves as something different, yet they are all afraid to disagree with each other in the interest of keeping their own party together. I thought you guys were the sincere ones who are outside of the system! And so their "debate" isn't really a debate, because their candidacies are not really candidacies, and the whole charade is a joke.

[skipos]

1. They worked to defeat Lamont & Wellstone. Who is next? Feingold? Boxer?

G etting
R epublicans
E lected
E very
N ovember

[fenriswolf]

2. so whats wrong with people agreeing with one another

like kucincih stated in the (i forget which debate) he said he was the only person on the stage for single payer, not for profit, universal health care and he invited everyone else to share that view. no one did. How do you think the people would feel if all three of the candidates agreed with how best to do healthcare (well they already do agree, mandatory for profit health care) Why do you have to rag on the green party when they are the true progressive, the so called "fringe" that represent the majority of american ideals more then our current top tier candidates. how can you people mock other people who just want whats best?

[LoZoccolo]

3. Nothing. It's the hypocrisy I'm bringing up.

They'll go along to get along with each other, but they won't do so with the Democrats.

[FtWayneBlue]

4. So they are all in line with the Green Party Official Platform.

I don't have a problem with that. Perhaps there may be differences among them as to how they rank the importance of the planks, or how the goals may be achieved.

[LoZoccolo]

5. Why are there eight of them? n/t