Debate About a Debate

There are wheels within wheels and boxes within boxes. And in California last week two big wheels got themselves locked in one box, debating over a debate.

After several months of political pondering. Democratic Governor "Pat" Brown decided to accept Republican Dick Nixon's challenge to a statewide TV debate. Since then, their seconds have been haggling bitterly about details. Nixon wanted four debates, Brown only one; they compromised on two, but on nothing else. Brown wants a format similar to that used in the Nixon-Kennedy debates, in which each man spoke for a few minutes, then answered questions put by a panel of newsmen. Nixon wants a straight head-on debate. Brown wants to discuss only California issues; Nixon wants no limitation on subject matter. And so on.

Last week Brown exploded: "He wants to dictate, and I won't permit it. Nixon apparently is afraid of direct inquiry into either his political past or his floundering attempts to develop a program for moving this state ahead. I think he has an unholy fear of the press. And this is something he will have to explain during the campaign." Retorted Nixon: "I call upon Brown to retract his ill-tempered outburst. If he does not do so, there can be only one conclusion. He is afraid to have his record exposed in a face-to-face confrontation with me."

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