October 6, 2004

Through an online post-debate questionnaire, DebateWatch staffers collected viewer response on the September 30 presidential debate from 9,020 citizens in approximately 400 discussion groups throughout 40 states nationwide. Citizens convened in their communities to watch the debates, turn off the television before the post-debate commentary, and discuss what they learned. Group leaders summarized the DebateWatch discussions online after the events.

Pursuant to the criteria, which were publicly announced on September 24, 2003, those candidates qualify for debate participation who (1) are constitutionally eligible to hold the office of President of the United States; (2) have achieved ballot access in a sufficient number of states to win a theoretical Electoral College majority in the general election; and (3) have demonstrated a level of support of at least 15 percent of the national electorate, as determined by five selected national public opinion polling organizations, using the average of those organizations' most recent publicly-reported results.

The Board of Directors of the CPD convened today to apply the criteria with the assistance of the Editor-In-Chief of the Gallup Polling Organization, Dr. Frank Newport. Of the declared candidates, President George W. Bush and Senator John F. Kerry were found to have satisfied all three criteria. Accordingly, President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry qualify to participate in the October 13 presidential debate. No other candidates satisfied the criteria for inclusion in the October 13 debate.

The candidates who have qualified to participate today previously have committed to participate in the debates sponsored by the CPD.

As previously announced, President Bush and Senator Kerry will participate on October 8 in a town meeting-style debate sponsored by the CPD. That debate will take place on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.