Green Party Watch

The Sacramento Bee reports on California Green Party gubernatorial candidate Laura Wells:

For most candidates, Election Day consists of attending last-minute rallies, posing for photo ops as they cast their ballot and waiting for the returns to come in. Not Laura Wells. The Green Party nominee for governor will spend the big day in court.

Wells was arrested Oct. 12 on a misdemeanor trespassing charge outside the debate between Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman at San Rafael’s Dominican University. Wells, who was not invited to participate in the debate, says she had a ticket to watch the event live at the time of her arrest, but it was rejected. read more »

Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney is at 4% in a new Fox News poll, according to Capital Fax Blog:

The poll of 1,000 likely voters taken October 23rd has Bill Brady leading Gov. Pat Quinn 44-39. Independent Scott Lee Cohen has 6 percent and Green Party nominee Rich Whitney has 4 percent.

If Whitney receives at least 5% of the vote, the Illinois Green Party will retain a place on the ballot as an established major party.

In other news, Greens are planning to protest a Chicago debate hosted by public TV station WTTW that excludes Whitney, who earned over 10% of the statewide vote in 2006.

Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein took part in a debate with Democratic incumbent Deval Patrick, Republican Charlie Baker, and Democrat-turned-independent Tim Cahill on Monday, October 25th. Here is footage of the debate from Boston TV station WGBH:

From Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney:

WTTW – a taxpayer supported PBS station – is sponsoring a gubernatorial debate on Thursday, October 28, on its program Chicago Tonight program. Like other sponsors, it has only invited the Democratic and Republican candidates. Unlike the others, though, WTTW is using our tax dollars to promote the two candidates who have already spent millions of dollars attacking each other on television!

WTTW may change its mind if it hears from enough people, especially viewers and supporters. If you haven’t called WTTW yet, NOW is the time! Call 773-583-5000. You can also email them at chicagotonight@wttw.com. Tell WTTW that it needs to DO THE RIGHT THING and invite Rich Whitney to its Chicago Tonight debate. read more »

Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney was barred from participating in a League of Women Voters debate in Chicago Wednesday night, despite the fact that Whitney earned over 10% of the statewide vote in 2006, establishing the Green Party as a major party in Illinois. Whitney and a crowd of supporters protested the exclusion outside the debate venue. The previous night, Green Party US Senate candidate LeAlan Jones had also been excluded from the League of Women Voters’ debate. Watch Rich Whitney’s speech in this video from the protest:

Medill Reports published a video report from the protest.

In related news, Whitney will air ads on MSNBC and Comedy Central asking that he be included in debates:

Non-partisan electoral and ballot access reform organization Free and Equal will hold debates for the Illinois gubernatorial and US Senate races tonight with all ballot-qualified candidates invited. Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney and US Senate candidate LeAlan Jones will participate.

Both Whitney and Jones were excluded from a League of Women Voters debate Wednesday night in Chicago.

From Free and Equal:

U.S. Senate and Illinois gubernatorial candidates will debate on issues ranging from the economy to environmental concerns to the War on Drugs, in back-to-back debates today, Thursday, October 21, 2010, at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. The debates will take place in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium in Holmes Student Center, with U.S. Senate candidates debating first from 6 – 7:30 p.m., followed by the gubernatorial debate from 8 – 9:30 p.m. read more »

Texas Green Party gubernatorial candidate Deb Shafto took part in a debate with Democrat Bill White and Libertarian Kathy Glass on tuesday night. Republican incumbent Rick Perry refused to participate. ABC station KTRK has video from the debate, which is separated into 12 segments:

Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney is asking supporters to join him in protesting a Chicago gubernatorial debate on Wednesday 20 October. The Illinois League of Women Voters has refused to allow Whitney to participate, despite the fact that he drew over 10% of the statewide vote in 2006, establishing the Green Party as a major party in Illinois. Details for the demonstration can be found on the facebook event “Protest ABC 7-League of Women Voters Governor’s Debate”.

In other news from the Whitney campaign, the candidate will appear on MSNBC earlier that day:

Rich Whitney to Appear on MSNBC

Carbondale, IL— Rich Whitney, Green party candidate for governor, will appear on MSNBC this Wednesday, October 20^th. Mr. Whitney will be interviewed by host Tamron Hall on the show NewsNation live at 1:15 PM central. The candidate will discuss his campaign and the “Whiteygate” ballot scandal.

Wednesday, October 20

Who: Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney

What: Appearance on MSNBC’s NewsNation

When:  1:15 PM central

Where: MSNBC read more »

Even after Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney got over 10% of the vote in 2006 and established the Green Party as a major party under Illinois law, the Illinois League of Women Voters is refusing to let Whitney debate the Republican and Democratic candidates in Chicago on Wednesday, October 20th. In the editorial viewpoint of Green Party Watch, actions like this make a mockery of democracy in America.

The Illinois Green Party is asking supporters to turn out in force to protest the debate exclusion. Whitney’s campaign has created a facebook event “Protest ABC 7-League of Women Voters Governor’s Debate” where you can view the details and share with your friends.

Gwen Blossom of Wilmette wrote a letter to the Chicago Tribune that nicely captures the injustice of this situation: read more »

Last night New York Green Party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins took part in a 7-way gubernatorial debate. The debate included Hawkins as well as Anti-Prohibition Party candidate Kristen Davis, Democrat Andrew Cuomo, Freedom Party candidate Charles Barron, Libertarian Warren Redlich, Rent is 2 Damn High Party candidate Jimmy McMillan, and Republican Carl Paladino. Hawkins made a strong case for progressive taxation, a Green New Deal, proportional representation, instant runoff voting, public campaign financing, a hydrofracking ban, and gay marriage. If Hawkins gets at least 50,000 votes, the Green Party will win a ballot line in New York for the next 4 years.

Watch the debate online at NY1 News.

Arkansas Green Party gubernatorial candidate Jim Lendall recently took part in a debate with Democrat Mike Beebe and Republican Jim Keet. Lendall needs 3% of the vote to retain ballot access for the Arkansas Green Party through 2012. Watch the debate online at Arkansas Educational TV.

From Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney:

Just days after Rich Whitney’s name was found to be misspelled on voting machine throughout Chicago, the Green Party candidate for governor is now finding himself locked out of three Chicago debates, including one going on tonight at Elmhurst College, 8 p.m..

Tonight’s debate, along with the League of Women Voters on Oct 20 and WTTW Channel 11 on Oct 28 debates, are set to include only Brady and Quinn, leaving out the only other established party candidate, Rich Whitney, despite heavy lobbying from Green Party representatives and supporters.

The debate exclusions come after a very successful debate among the three established party candidates in Southern Illinois — including Whitney — in Carbondale, far outside the Chicago political monopoly.

“Whitney won hands down,” wrote David Ormsby in a piece for examiner.com.

“Whitney… seemed to be [the] only one of the three to seize the gravity of the state budget mess,” wrote Chuck Sudo for chicagoist.com.

Similar comments were expressed by Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn after a five-way gubernatorial forum discussion held before the paper’s editorial board .

“Rich Whitney was the best spoken, had the best command of the facts and, in my opinion, had the most sensible ideas for moving Illinois forward,” wrote Zorn on October 1.

“Clearly Rich Whitney belongs in these debates, but debate organizers continue to stonewall us. This is clearly the result of pressure by the Democrats,” said Phil Huckelberry, Chair of the Illinois Green Party. read more »

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for New York Governor, will participate in a debate on Oct. 18 at Hofstra University that will be broadcast statewide. Hawkins said he was looking forward to debating the issues that face NY. All seven candidates on the ballot for governor will be attending.

The debate will be held at Hofstra University on Monday Oct. 18th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The debate is sponsored by News12 Networks, Newsday, and Hofstra University.

The debate will be broadcast live on News 12 LI, News 12 Brooklyn, News 12 The Bronx, News 12 Westchester, News 12 Hudson Valley, NY1 News, NY1 Noticias, YNN, and some National Public Radio stations. Check your local listings.

The debate will also be available on the web at newsday.com, news12.com, ny1.com, andny1noticias.com.

Real time feedback can be given online at newsday.com and facebook.com/raceforgovernor.

In related news, the Syracuse Post-Standard has a profile of Howie Hawkins in anticipation of tonight’s debate.

California Green Party gubernatorial candidate Laura Wells made the news last week when she was arrested for trying to attend a debate between Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman. Two new videos show what happened that day and illuminate Wells’ perspective on the debates. Polidoc Productions has released a youtube video showing the open debates demonstration and Laura Wells’ arrest. Wells’ campaign has released a video in which she responds to the questions that only Brown and Whitman were allowed to answer that day. Watch here:

Ca Gov Debate from jason sussberg on Vimeo.

Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney debated Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn and Republican Bill Brady last night at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. While Quinn and Brady bickered and spoke in vague generalities, Whitney stood out as the only candidate with a plan to fix the budget and ensure that all Illinoisans have access to quality jobs, education and health care. Over the course of the debate, Whitney made strong cases for single-payer health care, progressive taxation, a green capital bill, tuition-free higher education, a state bank, and more.

Watch the debate online at WSIU or listen at WBEZ.

Although Rich Whitney earned over 10% of the vote in 2006, establishing the Green Party as a major party in Illinois, sponsors of two upcoming debates are trying to keep him out. The recently redesigned Illinois Green Party website has a page telling Whitney supporters how they can join the grassroots campaign to get Whitney in the debates. On facebook, the campaign has started a rapidly-growing page “Do the Right Thing: Put Rich Whitney in the Debates”. You can easily write a letter to the editor supporting Whitney’s inclusion in the debates at Green Change.

Whitney is also asking supporters to watch and share a video message calling on the debates to include his voice. His campaign needs donations to put the video on TV – please donate what you can so that one of the Green Party’s most outstanding candidates can reach millions of undecided voters. Whitney needs 5% of the vote to keep the Illinois Green Party, which is running dozens of strong candidates this year, on the ballot. You can watch the video “A Message to Illinois Voters from Rich Whitney” here: