tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post110005567560177270..comments2023-10-24T11:05:25.288-04:00Comments on Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: Open letter to OpenDebates.OrgMark Rauterkushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157914569686528007noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7481330.post-1100055902849944362004-11-09T22:05:00.000-05:002004-11-09T22:05:00.000-05:00Dear Open Debates Supporters:
Open Debates had a ...Dear Open Debates Supporters:<br /><br />Open Debates had a remarkable first year, and it’s time to continue and complete our reform campaign by preparing for the 2008 election.<br /><br />Over the last year, Open Debates:<br /><br />*Formed a genuinely nonpartisan Citizens’ Debate Commission that was endorsed by dozens of major newspapers.<br /><br />*Forged a coalition of over 70 diverse civic groups to fight for debate reform, jointly issuing reports, drafting letters, issuing press releases, and holding press conferences.<br /><br />*Released a book (“No Debate”) exposing the antidemocratic practices of the CPD.<br /><br />*Filed unprecedented FEC and IRS complaints against the CPD (which are still pending). On August 12, a Federal Court ordered a full investigation of the CPD.<br /><br />*Conducted over 100 radio interviews, and attracted major television news coverage, with stories about our work on Nightline, 20/20, NOW with Bill Moyers, ABC World News with Peter Jennings, NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, Lou Dobbs Tonight and many other shows.<br /><br />*Achieved important victories. For the first time in 16 years, the antidemocratic contract negotiated by the major party candidates – the Memorandum of Understanding – was made public. For the first time in 12 years, a diversity of moderators posed questions to the candidates, rather than just Jim Lehrer. And the networks refused to accept a demand from the Kerry and Bush campaigns to only air shots of the candidate speaking.<br /><br />We dramatically transformed the debate over the debates this past year. During the first CNN interview of Open Debates’ Executive Director George Farah, the host asked, “Aren’t the debates just fine they way they are?” By contrast, during the most recent CNN interview of George Farah, the host began the segment with the following statement: “While there may have been some revealing moments that swung some voters this year, they happened in spite of a stifling sense of debate edicts drafted by the Commission on Presidential Debates, funded by corporate America, and controlled by the major parties. Enter the calls for reform.”<br /><br />None of this would have been possible without your support. Thank you!<br /><br />Now, however, it is time to construct an even more effective and broad-based coalition to break the CPD’s monopoly of our most important public forums. We have laid the foundations for the Citizens’ Debate Commission to take control in 2008, and it’s time to make that a reality.<br /><br />We need your support to do so. Please make a contribution to Open Debates. We will send a signed, hardcover copy of “No Debate” to anyone who contributes more than $100. You can make a secure, online contribution at: http://www.OpenDebates.com/donate/<br /><br />Or you can send contributions to:<br /><br />Open Debates<br />P.O. Box 18881<br />Washington, DC 20036<br /><br />Thank you!<br /><br />- The Open Debates TeamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com