Candidates Speak, NFL Kicks Off

The two major presidential candidates will be interviewed on television this weekend, while elsewhere the pro football season gets underway and several new entertainment series premiere.

Republican presidential hopeful Bob Dole will respond to criticism of him at this week’s Democratic convention in an interview with Lesley Stahl on “60 Minutes,” Sunday at 7 p.m. on Channel 2. President Clinton chats one-on-one with MTV’s Tabitha Sorenson today at 11:30 a.m. (with repeats at 6 p.m. today and on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.).

The NFL kicks off its season Sunday at 10 a.m. with the Oakland Raiders taking on the Baltimore Ravens (formerly the Cleveland Browns) on NBC Channel 4. At 1 p.m., the New York Jets visit the Denver Broncos on Channel 4 and the New Orleans Saints meet the San Francisco 49ers on KTTV-TV Channel 11. TNT presents the Buffalo Bills at the New York Giants at 5 p.m.

Mark DeCarlo, late of “Studs,” hosts Fox’s ‘Big Deal!,” Sunday at 7 p.m. on Channel 11, a new game show inspired by Monty Hall’s classic “Let’s Make a Deal.”

A&E;’s new weekly series “The Straight Dope,” Sunday at 8 p.m. and midnight, will answer such viewers’ questions as “What is cow tipping?” The show is based on the irreverent column written by Cecil Adams.

TBS and the National Wildlife Federation present “Dolphins in Danger,” Sunday at 6 and 10 p.m., the first in a series of specials focusing on personal accounts of experiences in the natural world. Bridget Fonda is featured in the premiere.

Jerry Lewis hosts the 31st annual Labor Day Telethon, Sunday at 11 p.m. on KTLA-TV Channel 5. The telethon originates from Los Angeles with live satellite feeds and taped segments from Chicago, New Orleans and New York.

Other weekend programming includes:

Public Affairs: TODAY: “To the Contrary” reports on women and the Democrats, 1 p.m. (28). . . .

Scott Reed, manager of the Dole/Kemp campaign, fields questions on “Evans & Novak,” 2:30 p.m., repeats Sunday at 7 a.m., CNN. . . .

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) visits “John McLaughlin’s One on One,” 2:30 p.m. (28). . . .

CNBC’s guest list includes Walter Cronkite on “Tim Russert” at 3 p.m., Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on “Cal Thomas” at 3:30 and Tom Lasorda on “Al Roker” at 4 p.m. . . .

Rep. Barbara Kennelly (D-Conn.) is the guest on “Capital Gang Saturday,” 4 and 10:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“The McLaughlin Group” looks at President Clinton’s acceptance speech and the resignation of Richard Morris, 4:30 p.m. (4). . . .

Vice President Al Gore will be questioned on “Inside Politics Weekend,” 4:30 p.m. CNN.

SUNDAY: “Sunday Journal” airs at 5 a.m. C-SPAN. . . .

Welfare reform is the topic for discussion on “Pacesetters,” 6 a.m. (5). . . .

“Sunday Today” looks at fall travel bargains and interviews TV producer and novelist Stephen Cannell, 6 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

“Sunday Morning” reports on sweatshops, golf pro Renee Powell and cellist Vedran Smailovic, 6 a.m. (2). . . .

“Meet the Press” arrives at 7 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

Executives from R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris debate tobacco issues with Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Atty. Gen. Mike Moore of Mississippi on “Face the Nation,” 7:30 a.m. (2). . . .

“Fox News Sunday” looks at whether polls are becoming more important than the issues in the presidential campaign, and at what role labor will play in the election, 8 a.m. (11). . . .

Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin talks about tax cuts on “This Week With David Brinkley,” 10 a.m. (7). . . .

Mayors Marc Morial of New Orleans and Brett Schundler of Jersey City debate whether Clinton or Dole would be better for cities, on “Both Sides With Jesse Jackson,” 2:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“Capital Gang Sunday” airs at 4 p.m., followed by “Crossfire Sunday” at 4:30 p.m. CNN.

Specials and Movies: “Daredevils,” at 5 and 9 p.m. Sunday on A&E;, is a two-hour look at thrill-seekers. . . . “The Story First: Behind the Unabomber,” Sunday at 7 p.m. on Lifetime. . . . “The Life and Death of Sam Kinison,” today at 4 p.m. on E! Entertainment Television. . . . ABC repeats its 1995 documentary miniseries “The Beatles Anthology,” beginning tonight at 9 on Channel 7.

Sports: Baseball: Dodgers vs. Phillies, Sunday at 5 p.m. ESPN. . . . Golf: Greater Milwaukee Open, Sunday at 3 p.m. (7). . . . Tennis: U.S. Open, today and Sunday at 8 a.m. (2). . . . Soccer: Galaxy vs. San Jose, Sunday at 4 p.m. (5).

For a complete list of sports events on TV, see Section C.