The campaign intends to channel the increasing demands to include Nader in the presidential debates into a massive get-out-the-vote effort that will register thousands of New York voters. The event will include performances by Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Patti Smith and Ani DiFranco and inspirational speeches by Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Bill Murray, Michael Moore and Phil Donahue.

"This Friday the 13th, we're going to pack Madison Square Garden with thousands of supporters who will vote their conscience and not their fears in November," said Nader 2000 campaign manager Theresa Amato. "This campaign has struck a chord with Americans who have been left out of the political process-we're generating tremendous enthusiasm with young people, independent voters and the non-voters who would otherwise sit out the elections than cast their ballot for the corporately-financed, look-a-like parties. Madison Square Garden will be a watershed event to galvanize supporters in New York and across the country."

The Madison Square Garden rally is the sixth in a series of volunteer-coordinated rallies that have drawn the largest crowds for any presidential candidate, demonstrating a groundswell of grassroots support for Nader/LaDuke. Crowds of 10-12,000 have turned out to the paid rallies in Portland, Minneapolis, Seattle and Boston demanding Nader's participation in the presidential debates. There is also a rally in Chicago, Illinois on October 10th.

The Nader campaign has raised nearly $5 million with an average donation of less than $100, and is not accepting PAC money or raising soft money. The Nader/LaDuke ticket is on the ballot in 44 states.

"It mystifies me that this country will send troops to other countries in the name of preserving or achieving democracy, and yet we can't seem to find a way to give candidates like Ralph Nader a voice in our own Presidential debates," says Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. "In fact, he isn't even allowed to attend the debates," says Vedder referring to Nader being denied access to the Boston debate-viewing auditorium, for which he had a ticket to attend.

Vedder adds, "It would seem that a true democracy would pride itself in coming up with valid forums where a third-party Presidential candidate like Nader could be heard. Instead, we find out that the debates are corporate-funded exercises where two like-minded candidates deliver practiced answers that leave the voter once again feeling that the real issues are not being addressed."

Tickets to the Nader rally at Madison Square Garden are available for a suggested donation of $20 at the Madison Square Garden box office (212-465-6000), through Nader's website at www.votenader.com or www.votenader.org, (click on Super Rally) or by calling the Nader 2000 New York office at 212-353-3111 or 212-254-4194.

For information regarding Eddie Vedder, contact Annie Ohayon at (212) 941-9665.

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