21.   The nonpartisan debate commission will deliver its judgment on this matter next week.

22.   The presidential debate commission should allow candidates who qualify for federal matching funds to have a place on the podium during the nationally televised presidential debates.

23.   They argued that the debate commission, which is chaired by former heads of the Republican and Democratic parties, is bipartisan, rather than nonpartisan.

24.   William Daley, the Gore campaign chairman, suggested that the five debates sought by Bush should be in addition to the three already scheduled by the debate commission.

25.   After considering cancellation or postponement, both campaigns and the sponsoring debate commission agreed to go forward, with a moment of silence at the start.

26.   Again, third-party candidates were excluded because the debate commission said they lacked enough support in polls to qualify.

27.   Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan said the sponsoring bipartisan debate commission had unfairly excluded him and other third-party candidates.

28.   The debate commission had no immediate comment.

29.   The debate commission talked to both campaigns but made no recommendation, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

30.   Third-party candidates Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader said the sponsoring bipartisan debate commission had unfairly excluded them.