POLITICS: U.S. SENATE HOPEFULS SPAR OVER DEBATES

The two candidates for U.S. Senate in Missouri can't agree on when, where and how to conduct a series of debates before the Nov. 7 general election.

Mel Carnahan, a Democrat, and John Ashcroft, the Republican incumbent, are trying to come to an agreement about a debate schedule. Depending on which candidate you ask, you'll get different answers about the decisions made.

"This is juvenile. We need to end this childishness and talk about the issues," said Sara Howard, spokesman for Carnahan's campaign.

But Ashcroft's communications director, David James, says an apology is in order before any talks continue. James said Carnahan owes an apology to the Ashcroft campaign, the media and to voters for lying about an agreement having been reached.

"He owes an apology to us for his lying nature," James said.

There was no mutual agreement on the debates, so everything is "up in the air," he said. "The talks are at an impasse."

James said Carnahan lied in a press release issued Saturday that said three debates had been agreed upon.

Carnahan's office said no apology is necessary because three dates were accepted by both camps.

Four people -- two from each campaign -- met for four hours Saturday afternoon in an attempt to work out a debate schedule. Both groups offered five suggested dates, and of those only three were open on both calendars.

One of the suggestions included a debate Oct. 19 in Cape Girardeau to be aired live on KFVS-TV Channel 12. Other debates included venues on KMOX radio in St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo., public television.

Unless all five dates can be agreed upon as a package there won't be debates, James said. "We have to have an apology first," he said.

Planning piecemeal debates wasn't part of the rules, he said.

Howard said the Carnahan campaign issued a statement about the debates only after getting calls from reporters Saturday saying that the Ashcroft campaign was releasing information about debates. The release simply said that three dates had been acceptable to both parties.

The release also listed three other debate venues that Carnahan had agreed to attend. "We need to stop debating the debates and debate the issues," she said.

James said, "We want debates and many debates." But those debates must involve large audiences and be broadcast live at venues around the state, he said.

Although he wasn't one of the negotiators Saturday, James said it has been made clear that Ashcroft wants to debate and to do it in front of live audiences. It's necessary for voters to see the two candidates side by side and compare them, he said.

Tony Wyche, communications director for the Carnahan campaign, said debates are good for voters because it gives them a chance to assess the candidates without the rhetoric of advertising and offers an explanation on the issues.