By Lisa Desjardins, CNN
(CNN) – For 25 years, a private non-profit group of roughly a dozen people, operating without oversight, has been running America's presidential and vice-presidential debates.
To some, the Commission on Presidential Debates is a political hero, providing thoughtful stability and ensuring that U.S. presidential candidates do in fact debate each other. Multiple times. In a dignified setting.
But to its critics, the Commission is a small, secretive and closed-minded organization that colludes with the political parties, is out-of-touch with modern voters, and prevents third-party candidates from getting on the debate stage.
Among those critics is George Farah, founder and executive director of Open Debates:
[0:41] "In 1996 Ross Perot was running for president. Three-quarters of the American people wanted to see him and I thought it would be fascinating to see him debating again. And when he was shut out, I was astonished and I thought, who is doing this? What entity is making this happen?" FULL POST