MRS. RONALD REAGAN BEGINS INVITING GOP CANDIDATES TO CNN/REAGAN LIBRARY DEBATE

Mrs. Ronald Reagan has begun to invite GOP candidates to the CNN/Reagan Library presidential debate on September 16, 2015.  Additional candidates will receive invitations if they meet all of the previously released debate criteria including averaging at least one percent in three recognized national polls between now and September 10th. (Full criteria for candidate participation was announced on May 20, 2015:  http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2015/images/05/20/debate.criteria1.pdf.)

The CNN Republican candidates’ debate will be divided into two parts featuring two groups of candidates. One group will feature the top 10 candidates and the other will include those who meet the minimum threshold of one percent. An average of all recognized polling released between July 16th and September 10th will determine the groups.  Both groups will be moderated by CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper.

“My husband was humbled and honored to be President of the United States.  I heard him say on more than one occasion that he was only given temporary custody of the presidency, but I know from very personal experience that it was the role of his lifetime,” said former first lady Nancy Reagan.  “Debates are a crucial part of the election process, and I’m thrilled that so many qualified candidates have the opportunity to be heard at the Reagan Presidential Library.”

The following candidates have qualified thus far and have received invitations from Mrs. Reagan (listed in alphabetical order): Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich,  Lindsey Graham,  Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal,  George Pataki,  Rand Paul,  Rick Perry,  Marco Rubio,  Rick Santorum,  Donald Trump, and Scott Walker.

The debate will air live exclusively on CNN and CNNgo, CNN International and CNN Español from the Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.  In addition, Salem Communications will air the debate live through their broadcast radio stations nationwide.

ABOUT THE REAGAN FOUNDATION:
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the promotion of the legacy of Ronald Reagan and his timeless principles of individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride.  It sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, the Reagan Center for Public Affairs, the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Learning Center and The Air Force One Pavilion. Located in Simi Valley, California the Library houses 63 million pages of Gubernatorial, Presidential and personal papers and over 60,000 gifts and artifacts chronicling the lives of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. It now also serves as the final resting place of America’s 40th President.  www.reaganfoundation.org

ABOUT CNN:
CNN Worldwide is a portfolio of two dozen news and information services across cable, satellite, radio, wireless devices and the Internet in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Domestically, CNN reaches more individuals on television, the web and mobile devices than any other cable TV news organization in the United States; internationally, CNN is the most widely distributed news channel reaching more than 271 million households abroad; and CNN Digital is a top network for online news, mobile news and social media.  Additionally, CNN Newsource is the world’s most extensively utilized news service partnering with hundreds of local and international news organizations around the world.  CNN is division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company.

# # #