Jill Stein to Participate Real-Time in First Presidential Debate, Using Social Media to Take Her Case Directly to the American People
Despite being excluded from the Hofstra debate stage, Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein will engage in real time with the official debate, making her case directly to the American people before, during, and after the televised debate via an unprecedented and innovative social media experience presented in partnership with Twitter (http://www.twitter.com).
Dr. Stein — accompanied by hundreds of supporters — will arrive at the debate venue at Hofstra University beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. At 5:30 p.m., she will engage in a “People’s Debate” with the assembled crowd at the gates, that will be livestreamed via Periscope on Dr. Stein’s official Twitter account (http://twitter.com/drjillstein) as well as via Facebook Live (http://facebook.com/drjillstein).
From 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time — during the televised debate — voters will be able to see Dr. Stein participate in the official debate in real time, as her responses to each of the debate questions will be livestreamed on Periscope alongside the official Twitter livestream of the debate at Hofstra. Online viewers can also read, watch and share individual responses that will be posted on Dr. Stein’s Twitter stream. Responses will also be livestreamed via Facebook Live on her Facebook page. In effect, using a range of cutting-edge social media tools, Jill Stein will literally “insert” herself into the debate process.
From 10:30-11:00 p.m. Eastern Time — immediately after the televised debate concludes — Dr. Stein will open up the discussion to the American people and will hold a “Twitter Town Hall” Q&A session with online viewers. The Twitter Town Hall will continue to be livestreamed on Dr. Stein’s social media accounts via Periscope and Facebook Live.
At a time when ownership of most major traditional media outlets has been consolidated into fewer and fewer hands — and presidential debates are controlled by a private corporation supported by the Democrats and Republicans — social media has become increasingly important as a vehicle to expand democracy through open dialogue. These online initiatives on debate night will ensure that Jill Stein reaches the largest audience reached by a third-party candidate since Ross Perot was included in the debates in 1992.
The American people not only have a right to vote, they have the right to know who they can vote for. The Stein/Baraka campaign continues to fight for open debates and stand up for democracy, using all available means to inform and empower voters in the 2016 election.