Lack Of Candidates Blocks Cityvote Debate In St. Paul

A presidential forum was canceled Monday after Republican front-runners declined invitations to participate in the first scheduled CityVote debate.

The debate, set for Friday in St. Paul, Minn., would have been the first of three featuring candidates on a special urban presidential primary.

The second debate is still scheduled for Oct. 22 in Spokane.

Bill Hanley of KTCA-TV, which would have broadcast the St. Paul debate, said the forum was canceled when Sens. Bob Dole of Kansas and Phil Gramm of Texas turned down the invitation. President Clinton previously refused to participate in the debate, as did possible independent candidate Ross Perot and Colin Powell, who is mentioned as an independent or a Republican candidate.

“It’s quite obvious these guys are trying to avoid CityVote in droves,” said Hanley.

CityVote is a presidential preference primary on the Nov. 7 ballot in some 20 cities around the nation. It was developed to call attention to urban issues such as crime, education and the environment early in the presidential campaign.

Former Spokane City Councilman Jack Hebner, a CityVote organizer, said he was surprised and disappointed by the St. Paul cancellation. Discussions with candidates for the Spokane debate, which is supposed to revolve around environmental questions, continue.

, DataTimes