It's All Politics: 'Ich Bin Ein Berliner' Edition

Why don't you cover ANY third party candidates? It's an enormous disservice to your readership.

I want an answer!

Sent by Jody Sol | 2:32 PM | 7-25-2008

I concede that NPR is often slow off the bat when it comes to third-party and independent presidential candidates, but we have done quite a bit thus far, with Cheryl Corley covering the Green Party convention earlier this month in Chicago (which nominated Cynthia McKinney), and Jeff Brady doing the same with the Libertarian Party convention in Denver (which nominated Bob Barr). We also ran several pieces when Ralph Nader announced his candidacy earlier this year.

I've also written two "Political Junkie" columns this year focusing on just that:

Libertarians Battle for the Nomination

The Nader Threat

And check out last week's episode of our podcast, It's All Politics, when we talked about third party candidates:

Summertime Pandering, the Art of Satire and Third Party Candidates

Plus, Bob Barr will be the special guest on this coming Wednesday's Political Junkie segment on Talk of the Nation. Expect much more on these candidates after Labor Day.

Sent by Ken Rudin, NPR | 3:54 PM | 7-25-2008

But that can barely compare with the with coverage of democratic and republican candidates (they are one and the same)

And that is exactly the disservice. People cannot know about the candidates when you are negligent in your duty as journalists.

You are payed to inform the public, and you fail to do so.

You have a responsibility, and I'd like to know what exactly it is you plan to do to live up to it?

Sent by Jody Sol | 5:46 PM | 7-25-2008