Skip to main content
Tags: independents | president | debates

James Glassman: Independent Must Be Allowed in Debates

By    |   Monday, 20 July 2015 09:59 PM EDT

The 45 percent of Americans who identify themselves as independents will never have a voice in the presidential election unless the debate rules are changed to allow one of their own to participate, James K. Glassman of Change The Rule tells Newsmax TV.

"They will never have a candidate to vote for unless that candidate is validated through a debate, Glassman, visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and founding executive director at the George W. Bush Institute, told "Hard Line" host Ed Berliner.

Story continues below video.

Watch Newsmax TV on DirecTV Ch. 349, DISH Ch. 223 and Verizon FiOS Ch. 115. Get Newsmax TV on your cable system — Click Here Now


Glassman admitted that including too many independents can crowd the debate stage. His group suggests an online vote to choose the independent candidate to debate with the Democrat and Republican chosen by the major party primaries.

"There'll be a Republican, a Democrat and an independent, and that independent will be chosen not by the party bosses or any of that nonsense," he said.

Though there is no fully fleshed-out plan yet, Glassman said the group is looking at a series of debates to winnow the field. In order to qualify for those debates, a candidate would have to get enough signatures to be on the ballot in enough states to constitute 270 electoral votes.

"That's very difficult," he said. "Maybe there are half a dozen people who would qualify. Maybe it's a dozen, who knows?"

The real problem, he said, is the Commission on Presidential Debates. The commission "is made up of partisan Republicans and Democrats who want to deny the 45 percent of Americans who say they're independent a chanced to have an independent on that stage," he said.

Geoffrey Skelley, associate editor at Sabato's Crystal Ball, was skeptical, telling Berliner that it would be hard to find one independent to represent all independents.

"The issue there is that ideologically independents are somewhat all over the map," Skelley said. "Being independent doesn't necessarily mean you're moderate, politically."

Change the Rule is made up of several former lawmakers, public officials and academics from across the political spectrum.

© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


Newsmax-Tv
The 45 percent of Americans who identify themselves as independents will never have a voice in the presidential election unless the debate rules are changed to allow one of their own to participate, James K. Glassman of Change The Rule tells Newsmax TV.
independents, president, debates
465
2015-59-20
Monday, 20 July 2015 09:59 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved