Published: August 11, 2006 09:22 am      

Debate schedule excludes Clinton

DES MOINES — Iowa gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle this week accepted a series of invitations to participate in public debates with his opponent, Chet Culver, between now and Election Day, and a proposed Clinton debate did not make the cut.

Nussle, a Republican currently representing Iowa’s First Congressional District, will challenge Culver, the Democratic Secretary of State, in the Nov. 7 general election.

Nussle has formally accepted the following eight, televised debates (in alphabetical order) to be broadcast live statewide and before a public audience:

The Cedar Rapids Gazette and KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids; The Des Moines Register and IPTV in Des Moines; KWWL-TV (three separate debates) in Waterloo, Dubuque, and Iowa City; The Ottumwa Courier; The Quad-City Times and KWQC-TV in Davenport; and WOI-TV in Sioux City or Des Moines.

In a telephone interview with the Clinton Herald Wednesday, Maria Comella, Nussle’s campaign spokeswoman, discussed the proposed Sept. 12 debate in Clinton that would be jointly sponsored by the Herald and Ashford University.

Comella said Nussle would be reviewing all the regional and local invitations to determine which additional debates can be fit into his campaign schedule. To date, there has been no response to the invitation from the Culver campaign staff as to whether he plans to attend the Clinton forum.