Commit to Debates

Republican George W. Bush has agreed to participate in three presidential debates and says he wants the sessions with Democrat Al Gore to reach as wide an audience as possible. The solution, then, is simple. Bush should authorize his representatives to agree today to the plan of the National Commission on Presidential Debates.

The bipartisan commission has been planning three nationally televised sessions for more than a year. Gore has committed to participating. The sessions would be Oct. 3 in Boston, Oct. 11 in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Oct. 17 in St. Louis. There also would be one meeting of the vice presidential candidates.

Bush has expressed concern about the commission’s debate formats and the siting of one debate in the Democratic stronghold of Boston. His campaign officials are meeting this week with television network executives to discuss other debate possibilities. But the 90-minute commission debates, which would be to be carried live by all three major networks, would achieve the broadest exposure.

The Texas governor’s representatives are to meet in Washington today with members of the bipartisan debate commission to suggest a more casual debate style, with a single moderator, and raise questions about the Boston site, which is near the John F. Kennedy Library.

In truth, having one moderator question both candidates has in the past been more effective than a panel of reporters posing questions, which too often leads to “gotcha”-style queries. The commission has proposed one debate in a town hall format with questions from the audience, one with a panel of reporters and one with a single moderator. The candidates should have some room to negotiate these sorts of details, though the idea of Boston working against Bush seems far-fetched.

The bottom line is that Bush should commit, right now, to the three commission debates. He can certainly agree to more debates, but to decline the commission plan would shortchange voters.