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Presidential Debate Advisory: Friday in Sacramento

In what will be a first in this year's Presidential Race, the nation's progressive candidates for President of the United States will hold a Presidential Debate Friday at 7 p.m. at the Hawthorne Suites (321 Bercut Drive) in Sacramento.

A news conference to announce details about the debate will be held FRIDAY, at 11 a.m. (North Steps, State Capitol). The Peace and Freedom Party is hosting the debate prior to its presidential nominating convention this weekend in Sacramento.

Attending the debate Friday evening will be independent candidate Ralph Nader, former U.S. Congressperson and Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney, Socialism and Liberation Party nominee Gloria La Riva and Socialist Party USA nominee Brian Moore. All hope to garner the Peace and Freedom Party nomination this weekend.

The convention begins at 10 a.m. Saturday. A final vote on who will carry the party's banner for President is expected late Saturday afternoon.

The results of the party's presidential preference primary in California are not binding: Nader (41 percent), McKinney (21 percent), La Riva (20 percent) and Moore (11 percent).

Candidate background:

Gloria La Riva is the 2008 presidential candidate of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and the 1994 and 1998 PF Party candidate for governor of California.

Cynthia McKinney is the 2008 presidential candidate for the Green Party and served 12 years in the U.S. Congress as a Democratic Representative from Georgia.

Brian Moore has been selected as the Socialist Party USA presidential nominee for 2008. He is a former Peace Corps volunteer, anti-war and labor rights organizer.

Ralph Nader is the 1996 and 2000 Green Party presidential nominee. The consumer rights icon ran an independent presidential campaign in 2004, and is doing so in 2008.