Only Bush and Kemp Due for Texas Debate

A Texas debate by the Republican presidential candidates became a two-man encounter Friday night between Vice President George Bush and New York Rep. Jack Kemp after their two remaining rivals backed out.

Sponsors said the debate would go on as scheduled with empty chairs in the places where Kansas Sen. Bob Dole and former religious broadcaster Pat Robertson would have sat had they not canceled out a day earlier. The sponsors changed the format and shortened the planned 2-hour debate to an hour.

Following by one night a sharp and contentious debate between five of the Democratic candidates, the debate here was to be the first meeting of the GOP candidates since the major focus of the presidential race shifted to the South and the region-wide primaries on Super Tuesday March 8.

Can’t Interpret Refusal

Bush said he was confused by Dole’s refusal to attend and said: “I honestly cannot interpret what it’s about.”

Dole said Thursday that his campaign was offered only 60 tickets out of 2,600 seats, and he implied that the event was arranged as a pep rally for the vice president.

Bush campaign officials said there was discussion of Bush pulling out rather than face only Kemp, but the vice president killed the idea and said “I gave my word” to attend.

“I’m not only looking forward to the debate,” Kemp said, “but to the opportunity of suggesting that maybe tonight will prove it’s a two-man race--Bush and Kemp.”

Kemp has sought to establish himself as the conservative alternative to Bush and Dole.