On November 19, the Commission on Presidential Debates re-affirmed that it will hold presidential debates next year, and that it will continue to exclude everyone who doesn’t average 15% in polls. This is in sharp contrast to the policy in the primary presidential debates held this year, in which everyone at 1% or above has been invited into almost all the debates.

The Commission will hold its first general election presidential election debate on September 26 in Oxford, Mississippi, The second will be October 7 in Nashville, Tennessee. The third will be October 15 in Hempstead, New York. A vice-presidential debate will be held in St. Louis on October 2.

The Santa Fe New Mexican daily newspaper carries this story. It says that the speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives now regrets that this year’s session of the legislature made it more difficult for major party members to get on their own party’s primary ballot. The law was changed this year to make it impossible for anyone to get on a major party primary ballot, unless that person gets 20% support at a pre-primary endorsements convention. Congressman Tom Udall is not running for re-election, and seven prominent Democrats have said they wish to run in the 2008 Democratic primary for his seat. That opens the possibility that none of them might get 20% support at the pre-primary convention, which would leave the Democratic Party with no nominee. Thanks to Carol Miller for this news. The law may be amended in 2008.

The national Libertarian Party web page features a fund-raising device, whereby donors to the party may indicate their first choice for the Libertarian presidential nomination, and the competitive rankings are related to the amount donated. Only three individuals seeking the Libertarian presidential nomination have qualified to have their totals placed on the page (by being over $5,000), but anyone can assist any candidate. The three whose totals are showing up on the web page are Wayne Allyn Root ($6,940), Mike Jingozian ($6,770) and Daniel Imperato ($5,185). Also pictured are John Finan, Barry Hess, Dave Hollist, Bob Jackson, Steve Kubby, Alden Link, Robert Milnes, George Phillies, and Christine Smith. The contest will last until May 23, 2008. To see the party’s national web page, go here.