Campbell Accepts Three TV Debates; Green Candidate Looks Forward to Facing Four Rivals

Green Party of Michigan
www.migreens.org

Committee to Elect Douglas Campbell
www.votecampbell2006.org

September 26, 2006

FERNDALE, MI -- Douglas Campbell, two-time candidate for governor of the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI), has accepted the schedule of three televised debates in the governor's race: a no-rules open discussion among the candidates Monday, October 2 at WKAR in Lansing; a more formal debate at WOOD-TV 8 in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, October 10; and a town-hall forum Monday, October 16 at WDIV-TV in Southfield. 

Broadcasts of all three debates are scheduled to start at 8pm. A joint candidate appearance, not televised live, has also been arranged for a luncheon at the Detroit Economic Club Thursday, October 12. 

Campbell, nominated at GPMI's state convention August 5, is looking forward to facing the two rivals who preceded him in winning places on this fall's general-election ballot. The Libertarians nominated Gregory Creswell May 15; Bhagwan Dashairya of the US Taxpayers Party qualified on July 31. 

Campbell is also looking forward to debating the two latecomers to the November 7 ballot: Dick DeVos Jr. of the Republicans, and Jennifer Granholm of the Democrats. Both of them reached the general election through winning their parties' primaries August 8. The primaries were uncontested, but highly publicized -- and publicly subsidized, though the candidates have been raising and spending millions from big donors. 

Campbell is pleased with the open format of the first debate -- though he might suggest a few rules. "There should be five identical seats or podiums, in any order," he says . . . adding with a grin, "Personally I prefer a simple, impartial order . . . like alphabetical." On a more serious note, Campbell suggests, "If a candidate chooses not to show up, the audience should see their empty seat or podium on stage." 

What if a candidate is kept out of a debate -- or thrown out and arrested for showing up and sitting down, as Campbell himself was hauled away from a League of Conservation Voters forum in Brighton in 2002? "Well, if the other candidates don't walk out in sympathy and defense of free speech, the station hosting the debate should still set a place for any excluded candidate, identifying his or her name and party just as for included candidates -- and contact information, so voters can decide to get information for themselves." 

For information on Campbell, running mate David Skrbina, and their platform, visit votecampbell2006.org