Bust Up Two-Party System with Green Vote, Says Green Candidate
None by KCPW
Brister Says Dems, GOP Get Game Fixed in Their Favor
(KCPW News 11/02/06) In the buildup to Tuesday's mid-term election, Democrats and Republicans get all the love from media outlets. Bob Brister, Green Party candidate in Utah's Second Congressional District, says that fixes the game:"Democrats and Republicans have the game fixed in their favor, largely, and that's also helped by public institutions like KUED-TV, who excluded the newer party candidates from the [station's] debates."
Brister would like to spend the next few days talking about his platform, which includes getting the U.S. out of Iraq, implementing a living wage, national health insurance for all, and protecting the environment, but he says he spends a lot of his time trying to get a fair shake from newspapers and television and radio stations in their election coverage. When asked whether a vote for Brister really means anything, the Green Party candidate bristles:
"To me it does not make sense to attach your star, if you're a progressive, to the Democratic Party, a party that's moving further and further to the right. If you want to bust up the two-party system, which is the only way we're going to get progressive politics in this country, you're going to have to start voting for newer parties, like the Green Party."
To hear more from Brister, click here for a podcast of his interview on today's edition of KCPW's Midday Metro. While you're there, be sure to post a comment and let us know what you think.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom and Election Coverage. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Ken Verdoia said:
Mr. Brister seems committed to misrepresenting KUED, our political broadcasting guidelines, and the role of public television in discourse. Regardless of the number of times his errors are pointed out to his campaign. The Supreme Court provides the guidance here. And the Court mandates there are no different expectations of public broadcasters than commercial broadcasters. (AETV v. Forbes) Those expectations turn on having clearly established policies for candidate inclusion in political broadcasting. KUED, in fact, has the lowest threshold (5%) in the nation. Mr. Brister's argument that our policy is keeping him from reaching 5% flies in the face of Utah history. No fewer than five "third party" political candidates have reached this threshold in the past ten years, and have been included in our debates.
Mr. Brister singles out KUED as uniquely denying him opportunities. In fact, KUED is the only television station to have provided Mr. Brister, and all ballot-qualified candidates, prime time opportunities to speak to the people of Utah this campaign season.
Add your comment: