WMUR-TV Announces Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in New Hampshire on Tuesday,...

Business Editors/Political Writers

MANCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2003

ABC affiliate, WMUR-TV, and ABC News will produce a live, 90-minute debate among the Democratic candidates for President in Durham, New Hampshire on Tuesday, December 9, 2003. The debate is facilitated

The debate is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm EST and will take place at the Johnson Theater on the campus of the University of New Hampshire. WMUR-TV anchor and political reporter Scott Spradling will be joined by ABC News Anchor Ted Koppel in questioning the candidates.

The debate will air live on WMUR-TV, C-SPAN and on ABC Radio affiliates throughout the country. Extended excerpts will air on an expanded one hour edition of ABC's "Nightline" at 11:35pm EST that evening.

The following candidates have committed to participate in the debate:

-- Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT)

-- Sen. John Edwards (D-NC)

-- Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-MO)

-- Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)

-- Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)

-- Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)

-- Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun

-- Rev. Al Sharpton

Retired General Wesley Clark is, at this time, declining to participate in order to attend a fundraising event in New York.

WMUR-TV, ABC News, and the Union Leader newspaper will also host a candidate debate in New Hampshire on Thursday, January 22 just before the January 27th New Hampshire primary.

"WMUR-TV is once again proud to take part in offering candidate debates. Debates are an important way for voters to take the measure of a candidate on the important issues of the day and compare them to the other candidates. We feel that the combination of our daily news coverage of the campaigns, including special news reports like "On the Campaign Trail," special programs like the seven half hour shows "Conversation with the Candidate" which aired earlier this year, the one hour candidate special, "Commitment 2004: Focus on Children" which is set to air Monday at 7pm, and now the debates, all add up to an enormous amount of information for voters to help them make their choice in the Democratic Primary."