Women Voters League Cancels Debates

The League of Women voters announced Tuesday it is canceling both the Republican and Democratic presidential debates scheduled for here Sunday.

The debates, which were to have been telecast by Cable News Network, would have come just two days before the 20-state round of caucuses and primaries next Tuesday, known as Super Tuesday.

“In essence, the candidates are snubbing nearly half the country two days before this critical election,” said Carole Bucy, president of the League of Women Voters of Nashville.

Dole, Kemp Responses

The cancellation followed indications by Kansas Sen. Bob Dole that he was unlikely to join New York Rep. Jack Kemp for a two-man Republican debate.

In Knoxville, Dole Press Secretary Walt Riker said he doubted seriously that Dole would participate in the rally without Vice President George Bush.

Bush and Pat Robertson, a former religious broadcaster, both advised the league that they would not show up.

League spokeswoman Janice Kaplan said Missouri Rep. Richard A. Gephardt “told us this week he did not want to debate in (Tennessee Sen.) Albert Gore Jr.’s back yard.”

She said Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis had not advised the league that he would not participate, but aides said he was apparently not planning to attend.