USD Expects Decision on Debate Today

President Bush’s reelection campaign managers have yet to say whether he will join a debate with Democrat Bill Clinton in San Diego this Sunday.

Plans for the University of San Diego to host a nationally televised debate are on hold until this afternoon, when a representative of the bipartisan commission trying to bring the debate together is expected to give the word, said Jack Cannon, USD public relations officer.

Earlier this month Bush’s campaign chairman, Robert M. Teeter, rejected the commission’s plan calling for three debates before the Nov. 3 election.

Bush has said he has concerns about the format of candidates, rather than reporters, asking the questions, and Teeter said the Republicans opposed the number of scheduled debates. Clinton accepted the original format and proposal when it was offered last June.

The first debate, scheduled for Sept. 22 at Michigan State University in Lansing, was canceled. The final debate is scheduled Oct. 15 at the University of Richmond in Virginia.

USD has extended its withdrawal deadline because the commission requested it, Cannon said, and because the bipartisan commission has agreed to take over contractual responsibilities. Funding for the event, most of which will come from San Diego donors, would cover costs such as installing a $50,000 theater air-conditioning system, Cannon said.

Even though the debate may not take place, USD students still plan to follow through with a symbolic candle lighting along a wall mural.

Students earlier this year elected to spend nearly $12,000 of student money to build a mural wall, buy candles, and make banners for the debate.

“We wanted to do more than just give the candidates a T-shirt,” said Associated Students President Shane Bohart. “We wanted to say ‘Yes we have our differences . . . but we should be able to come together as a people and respect our differences.’ ”

Saturday night, students will light 6,000 candles, one for each student, to light the words on the mural wall--”May we radiate hope, celebrate individuality, and unite in lighting a path toward our future.”

The 8-foot-tall, 140-foot-long mural is an expression of individuality, where every student may add to the colorful mixture of opinions about education, the environment, AIDS and health care, Bohart said.