(Newser)
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President Obama and Mitt Romney weren't the only candidates at Hofstra University yesterday. The Green Party's Jill Stein and running mate Cheri Honkala made an appearance, too—and got arrested for their trouble. The pair spent some 20 minutes trying to get into the debate hall, Politico reports, including a period sitting on the street draped in an American flag. Police said if they didn't leave, they'd face arrest for blocking traffic.
And they were: The pair were taken into custody at 3pm and released hours later. The candidates' move "wasn’t planned in advance," Stein says. "As of last night we agreed that we should go to the debate and try to get in. It was unfair to the American public to be locked out," she adds. "The voters deserve to hear who the candidates are, what the issues are, and what their choices are in this election." Had they gotten in, the ticket—on 85% of ballots, according to the party—wouldn't have heckled. Instead, they would have spoken with reporters about the "illegitimate standard" that candidates must be polling about 15% to get a spot onstage.
