HEMPSTEAD, N.Y – Members and supporters of Iraqi Vets Against the War (IVAW) are planning to crash the third and final Presidential debate on Oct. 15 at Hofstra University if they are not permitted to address a question to both Sen John McCain and Sen Barack Obama.
Debate moderator, Bob Schieffer (CBS), has been sent a letter from event coordinator and IVAW member Matthias Chiroux. "I'm writing you today as a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War to make clear the details of a demonstration we will be leading Oct. 15th at Hofstra University prior to the final presidential debate and what our demands are and will be."
The demands are simple. Chiroux continues, "We in IVAW demand that two of our members, myself and Kristofer Goldsmith, be permitted entry to the debate and be allowed to ask each candidate one question."
If the requests are not granted, and the IVAW fail to hear from campaign and debate coordinators by 7 pm EDT, IVAW members say that they are "are willing to risk arrest by entering the debate to have their voices heard by the candidates"
Long Island IVAW member Kris Goldsmith expressed dissatisfaction with the candidates failure to address the current conflicts substantially in an official press release, stating "I watched the first debate the other night, the topic was supposed to be 'foreign policy', yet it took 34 minutes before the words 'Iraq' or 'Veteran' left either candidates' mouths," and Goldsmith went on to stress, "I'm not convinced that either Obama or McCain care about what is most important to today's military and veterans. IVAW is committed to changing that."
In a press release, available on Facebook.com. The IVAW call for supporters to begin meeting at 2:30 pm EDT Hempstead Long Island Railroad station. "At five, we will 'walk' to Hempstead University for further demonstrations."
