Bush and Kerry agree to debates
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - September 20 2004 06:29

The campaigns of Republican President George W. Bush and Democratic challenger Senator John Kerry have tentatively agreed to three face-to-face debates, according to source familiar with the negotiations.


The debates, beginning September 30, could prove pivotal in the closely fought November 2 election between Bush and Kerry, and in an effort to lower voters’ expectations, each side in recent weeks has already begun to portray the other as having the stronger debater.

The source familiar with the negotiations said the Bush campaign had tentatively agreed to the full complement of debates recommended by the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.

Bush’s campaign had originally wanted to limit the debates to two presidential ones and a vice presidential debate.

The commission said last week it needed an agreement by Monday in order to adequately take care of the logistics of the events, but it was uncertain whether a deal would be announced on Monday.

The Bush campaign denied any deal had been reached. “No agreement has been reached,” said a campaign spokesman, Reed Dickens. “When there is agreement, we will announce it.”

The commission scheduled the first 90-minute debate on September 30 in Coral Gables, Florida, with a second one set for October 8 in St. Louis and a third October 13 in Tempe, Arizona.

A vice presidential debate between incumbent Dick Cheney and Kerry’s running mate, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, was set for October 5 in Cleveland.

Negotiations over the debates have largely been handled by Bush’s lead representative, former Secretary of State James Baker, and Kerry’s top debate negotiator, Washington lawyer Vernon Jordan.

The two sides have been discussing the format of an October 8 town-hall-meeting debate, and a final agreement will depend on the outcome of these negotiations, the source said.

The Kerry campaign wanted all three presidential debates, but the Bush campaign was concerned about the October 8 event in St. Louis because questioners were to include undecided voters and the Bush camp did not trust the process for choosing them.

Polls at this point offer a mixed picture, with Bush holding a clear lead in most but others showing an even race.

dip Cheney

dip Cheney?

dip Cheney?

Thanks to auto censors, I don't call him D-i-c-k for nothing!