The Green Party held its first presidential debate of the campaign season last weekend in San Francisco. The five candidates answered a series of questions about the Iraq war, the farm bill, health care, and more at the three-hour event. Ego and rancor weren’t on display at the Green debate the way they have been at some of the other party debates. In fact, the candidates spent much of the time visibly agreeing with each other (as opposed to the major-party candidates mostly agreeing with each other but striving to play up minor differences). Just in case observers thought a third-party debate wasn’t notable, organizers actually dubbed it “A Presidential Debate That Matters,” complete with a big banner declaring as much. The Green Party nomination is still wide open, but former congress member (and former Democrat) Cynthia McKinney is considered a favorite in the race. The official Green Party presidential candidate will be decided in July in Chicago. Expect angry coal-company execs dressed as morose lumps of coal protesting in the streets outside the conference.
