By David Bauder, Associated Press, 09/05/00
NEW YORK -- Executives at ABC and CBS said they would not broadcast presidential debates organized by rival networks CNN and NBC, as proposed by Republican candidate George W. Bush.
Instead of agreeing to three 90-minute, nationally televised debates in October as proposed by the Commission on Presidential Debates, Bush has said he would participate in one of those debates and two others suggested by NBC and CNN.
One would match the two contenders in a prime-time version of NBC's Sunday morning talk show, "Meet the Press," moderated by Tim Russert. The other would be an edition of Larry King's talk show on CNN.
The Gore campaign has said it would not agree to Bush's plan unless Bush also committed to all three commission debates with their potentially wide viewership.
"We will not carry another network's programming," said Paul Friedman, executive vice president of ABC News. ABC would cover such an event within its news programs if news were made, but would not broadcast it in its entirety, he said.
Asked why, Friedman said, "It's so obvious as to be difficult to articulate. We're not in the business of carrying the efforts of another network, where we have no control over the format or the questions asked."
CBS, which has proposed a debate for its Sunday morning show, "Face the Nation," also would not carry a "Meet the Press" or Larry King debate, spokeswoman Sandy Genelius said.
"It's their talk show, why would we put it on our air?" she said. "It would boil down to incredible promotion for a competitor's broadcast."
ABC has also invited Gore and Bush for a debate, with a format uncertain.
Friedman said the squabble was "all part of the game" and it was obvious Bush was proposing debate formats that he was most comfortable with.
"Our job is to try not to get involved in being used by the Al Gore and George Bush campaigns," he said. "I think now that CNN and NBC are in danger of that."
The presidential debate commission proposed the three debates to be held on college campuses in Boston, Winston-Salem, N.C., and St. Louis. Gore has agreed to participate in those debates; Bush incorporated the St. Louis debate into his proposal.
During a news conference Tuesday, Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader said he has asked the networks to include him in any debates but has yet to be promised anything significant.
He repeated his assertion that debates held by the Commission on Presidential Debates were basically corporate-sponsored events that give free advertising to the two major-party candidates while locking out others.
"We have to break this debate logjam," Nader said.
