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More Than Date Of CNN/YouTube Debate Is Uncertain

Posted Jul 30, 2007 by William March

Updated Jul 30, 2007 at 04:01 PM

Even if CNN changes the date of its planned GOP presidential primary debate in St. Petersburg, it’s still questionable whether Mitt Romney will participate, judging from his and his campaign’s public statements on the format.

Fred Thompson, meanwhile, who hasn’t publicly announced he’s a candidate, hasn’t yet been invited to participate. But Thompson has hinted Labor Day would be an appropriate announcement date, so it’s likely he’ll be an announced candidate by the time of the debate.

CNN is negotiating the date, originally set for Sept. 17, with the campaigns of Republican presidential primary candidates including Romney and Rudy Giuliani, who have both declined, citing scheduling conflicts.

Giuliani’s campaign says he declined only because of scheduling conflicts.

Part of the concern, campaign aides confirm, is that the announced date, Sept. 17, is during the closing days of the third quarter of the year. That’s also the end of a campaign finance reporting period, a time when all candidates are scrambling to raise money, so as to show high totals on their quarterly contributions reports.

Romney, though he cited scheduling problems, also told a New Hampshire newspaper he was concerned about the format—videotaped questions from the public.

Citing one question about global warming posed by a snowman puppet in one video, he suggested that’s beneath the appropriate level of dignity for a presidential debate.

Asked Monday whether he’ll join the debate if the scheduling conflicts are fixed, Romney campaign spokeswoman Kristy Campbell said only, “We’ll take it under consideration.”

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