"The ritual of presidential debates overseen by the CPD may seem like a long-enshrined tradition, but it isn’t. Established less than 30 years ago, the commission is a private charity supported by the Democratic and Republican parties.

The commission says that its primary purpose is to “provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners” through presidential and vice-presidential debates. Yet it plans to ignore a candidate whom 62% of American voters want to see in a debate, according to an August survey from Quinnipiac University.

The debates are a national platform that Americans need to evaluate presidential character, honesty and temperament on stage. For millions of Americans, it will be the first time that they deeply study their choices for president. But why should debates serve only the interests of two parties, especially when a 38% plurality of Americans identify as political independents? Unless viable third-party candidates are included, the views of millions of Americans will go unrepresented."