December 7, 1999
By
Becki White
CyberCaucus 2000 News Service
Drake University
DES MOINES, Iowa--If you hold it, they won't necessarily come. At least that's what a local television station found after annnouncing plans to hold a pre-caucus debate in the next two months.
Jim Parker, news director at TV station WOI in Des Moines, said the station had a lot of trouble getting candidates to commit to a debate scheduled for Dec. 11.
The station canceled the debate Nov. 30 after Republican candidates George W. Bush and Arizona Sen. John McCain said they would not be attending, Parker said.
"The reality is, George W. Bush doesn't want to debate...it's unfortunate," Parker said. "It's also unfortunate how McCain is kind of snubbing Iowa. I don't get what his strategy is."
Parker said the station made many attempts to get both candidates to attend. "We even went back to (the Bush campaign) and said, 'Hey, look, is there any other date that would work better for you?" They said, "We'll look into it,' but we've yet to get a reply," he said.
Parker said McCain told the station he would only attend if frontrunner Bush committed. "I can't fathom McCain lets Bush make all his decisions," he said. "And if he does, why vote for him? He's letting Bush set his own agenda."
Parker said Bush told the station he could not attend because of scheduling conflicts.
"You either want to debate or you don't," Parker explained. "The reality is that the politicians want the public to believe what isn't true. It's not like these schedules are hard or fast...if it was a fund raiser....(Bush) would be here."
A second television station in Des Moines was luckier when planning its Dec. 13 debate. All six Republican candidates committed to attend the nationally televised debate in the Des Moines Civic Center.
Judi Webb, administrative assistant, said the station wrote letters to the candidates asking for their attendance at the debates, and all of them agreed to come.
The debate will be broadcast nationally and anchored by WHO's John Bachman and NBC's Tom Brokaw. The station is asking viewers and visitors to their Web site, www.whotv.com, to submit questions they want to ask the candidates.
The Des Moines Register also was able to get all of the GOP and Democratic candidates to commit to two debates it is hosting in January. A Democratic debate is set for Jan. 8 followed by a Republican debate Jan. 15.
Blair Claflin, legislative editor, said because the Register sent out invitations early in the nomination races, the newspaper had few problems getting all of the candidates to commit.
The Register is asking readers to submit questions they would like editor Dennis Ryerson to ask the candidates. Claflin explained that the paper's Reader Advisory Board, made up of approximately 30 readers, will go through the questions and present Ryerson with what they feel are the best ones.
The Register debates will be held in the public television studios in Johnston and will be televised nationally. The Register has been sponsoring pre-caucus debates since 1980.