Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org

Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org

Ruth Weill, National Convention Coordinator, 414-350-2107, ruthweill@gmail.com

Updated information on the Green Party’s 2008 National Nominating Convention in Chicago, July 10-13

• Schedule of news conferences and other media events, media credentialing, bios of featured speakers, and other essential details

• Green presidential candidates debate, Saturday, June 21, 8 pm, to be broadcast on Miller Politics Radio (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/millerpolitics)

• Media credential page for the convention: http://www.gp.org/forms/media

WASHINGTON, DC — The Green Party of the United States has released an updated schedule for the party’s national nominating convention, at which the Green presidential ticket will be chosen by Green delegates.

The convention, titled «Live Green, Vote Green,» will take place July 10-13 in Chicago (http://www.greenparty2008.org). The schedule of news conferences and other media events and a list of guest speakers are appended below. The nomination will take place on Saturday, July 12 at the Chicago Symphony Center.

The four candidates for the 2008 Green nomination will participate in a debate on Saturday, June 21, to be broadcast online. The debate, featuring Jesse Johnson, Cynthia McKinney, Kat Swift, and Kent Mesplay, will air at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/millerpolitics beginning at 8 pm ET and will run for 90 minutes. Ben Miller of Miller Politics Radio will host.

Phone lines will be open for call-in questions; questions from listeners can also be sent in via the BlogYalkRadio webchat or in advance by email (millerpolitics@gmail.com).

MORE CONVENTION INFORMATION

• Organizers of the Green Party’s 2008 National Nominating Convention are encouraging journalists who intend to cover the event to register at the Media Credentialing web page: http://www.gp.org/forms/media (onsite registration is also possible, but pre-convention registration is encouraged)

• Local contact for the convention: Patrick Kelly, Illinois Green Party Media Coordinator, 773-203-9631, media@ilgp.org

• Further information, including details on lodging at the Palmer House Hilton: http://www.greenparty2008.org

The Green Party encourages live blogging from the convention. Both convention sites, the Palmer House Hilton and the Chicago Symphony Center, will provide Internet access for registered media.

Jesse Johnson, Cynthia McKinney, Kent Mesplay, and Kat Swift are the four contenders for the Green presidential nomination. Information on the apportionment of the party’s 836 state and caucus delegates is being compiled at «2008 Green Party Presidential Nomination Delegate Count» (http://www.gp.org/2008-elections/Delegate-Vote-Count.php).

• Video clips of Green presidential candidates: http://www.gp.org/2008-elections/presidential-videos.php

• Links to Green Presidential Candidates’ web sites: http://www.gp.org/committees/pcsc/index.shtml

Jesse Johnson http://www.jesse08.org

Cynthia McKinney http://www.runcynthiarun.org

Kent Mesplay http://www.mesplay.org

Kat Swift http://www.voteswift.org

• More on 2008 Green candidates:

http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml

http://www.gp.org/elections/candidates/index.php

MEDIA EVENTS

Schedule for the Chicago Convention, July 10-13 (subject to change)

THURSDAY, JULY 10

Location: Palmer House Hiilton

• 4 pm: Introductory news conference

• 6 pm: Welcome reception featuring international Greens

• 9 pm: Reception hosted by Rich Whitney, 2006 Green candidate for Governor of Illinois

FRIDAY, JULY 11

Location: Palmer House Hilton

• 9 am: News conference featuring elected Greens

• 11 am: News conference featuring Green presidential candidates

• 1 pm: News conference featuring candidates for other offices

• 7-9 pm: Presidential Candidates’ Forum (moderator: Rich Whitney, 2006 candidate for Governor of Illinois)

• 8 pm: Presidential campaign events, if any; other receptions to be announced

SATURDAY, JULY 12

Location: Chicago Symphony Center

• 8 am: Chicago Symphony Center doors open; media check-in continues

• 9 am: Press briefing and news conference with Green presidential candidates; on-stage program begins

• 9:30 am: Keynote speaker Cliff Thornton

• 9:45 am: Adoption of 2008 Party Platform

• 10:45 am: Keynote speakers Kathy Kelly, Malik Rahim

• 11:15 am: Speeches by four Presidential Candidates

• 12 noon: Lunch

• 1 pm: Keynote speakers Omar López, Dr. Jill Stein

• 1:30 pm: Voting, state roll call

• 2:30 pm: Vice Presidential acceptance speech (nominee will be introduced by Pat LaMarche, 2004 Green nominee for Vice President)

• 3 pm: Presidential acceptance speech (nominee will be introduced by David Cobb, 2004 Green nominee for President), followed by photo op for all Green candidates and the nominees

• 4 pm: Press conference featuring Green nominees for President and Vice President

FEATURED SPEAKERS

• Malik Rahim, former Black Panther and Green Party candidate, co-founder of Common Ground Collective/Relief, an organization that provides short-term relief to victims of hurricane disasters in the gulf region. Visit http://www.commongroundrelief.org

• Kathy Kelly, co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness, an organization that worked to end sanctions in Iraq beginning in 1996. Visit http://www.vcnv.org

• Omar López, teacher and Green candidate for the US House in Illinois’ 4th District, principal convenor and leader of the historic mega-marches of March 10 and May 1, 2006, in defense of the rights of undocumented immigrant workers and constitutional rights under attack by the Sensenbrenner House Bill 4437. Mr. López has co-founded numerous labor, tenant, immigrants’ rights, and bilingual education organizations, and is director of C.A.L.O.R., which provides services to Latinos affected by HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Visit http://www.omarlopez2008.org

• Dr. Jill Stein, physician and founder of the Massachusetts Coalition for Healthy Communities. Dr. Stein ran for Secretary of the Commonwealth in 2006 with the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party, garnering 351,495 votes (18%). Visit http://www.masschc.org

• Cliff Thornton, Jr., a long-time social justice and drug policy reform activist and Green candidate for Governor of Connecticut in 2006. Mr. Thornton is co-founder of Efficacy, which works for the reform of drug laws and criminal justice policies. Visit http://www.efficacy-online.org

Candidates from Illinois and across the US will also be on hand for interviews.

Updated information will be published regularly as the convention approaches.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org

202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN

Fax 202-319-7193

• 2008 Green National Convention: Live Green, Vote Green http://www.greenparty2008.org

• Media credentialing http://www.gp.org/forms/media

• Video of Green presidential candidates http://www.gp.org/2008-elections/presidential-videos.php

• Links to Green Presidential Candidates’ web sites http://www.gp.org/committees/pcsc/index.shtml

• Green candidate database for 2008 and other campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml

• Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml

• Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers

• Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections