Bush accepts Kerry debate offer


After months of evading Democratic presidential contender John Kerry's call for a one on one public debate, the President accepts the challenge



WASHINGTON (The Radish) -- Since March, when Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry first challenged President George Bush to a series of debates, the White House and Republican National Committee have quietly evaded the invitation.

In April, Kerry reiterated his call for six debates in key battleground states of Pennsylvania, Arizona, Washington, Ohio, Missouri and Florida. Responding at the time to that renewed call, Bush campaign spokesman Taylor Griffin told CNN "The Bush-Cheney campaign looks for a vigorous debate at the appropriate time. But John Kerry should finish the debate with himself first..."

This morning, RNC chairman Ed Gillespie, appearing on Washingon, D.C. Fox affiliate WTTG, Fox 5 Morning News, surprised an interviewer when he announced that the Bush campaign had decided to accept the gauntlet thrown down by Mr. Kerry. "Mr. Kerry has continued his strategy of negative attacks on the president, and we feel it's just high time to reply to his vitriolic and unfounded assertions as a service to the American public which deserves to hear the truth."

While details are sketchy at press time, in a call to RNC national headquarters, a spokeswoman who declined to identify herself confirmed that plans were moving forward for the debates. While much remained to be "ironed out", she observed that "the most likely scenario, the one the President is pushing for, will be structured as a series of one on one debates, in the lower house congressional chambers in each state, attended by the ranking Republican representative and aides of his or her selection."

The debates would not be televised, she continued, although "a White House staff photographer would record the proceedings, rather the events, and make images available to the media within twenty-four hours following each debate." When asked about rumors that Vice-President Dick Cheney would accompany the president on the debate floor, the spokeswoman declined to comment, asserting only that "Kerry does not even have a vice-presidential running mate." She did, however, offer that Mr. Bush would not consent to taking an oath before the debates.

A spokesman reached at the Kerry campaign headquarters, when asked to comment on this development, chuckled and said, "yes, we've already heard."

Posted: Sat - May 29, 2004 at 12:48 PM      

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