Surprise! Bush considering backing out of some debates

Well. Who didn't see this coming?

The commission, without a formal agreement by the Bush camp, set debates for Sept. 30 in Coral Gables, Fla.; Oct. 8 in St. Louis; and Oct. 13 in Tempe. A vice presidential debate between incumbent Dick Cheney and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's running mate, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, was set for Oct. 5 in Cleveland.

GOP strategist Scott Reed was quoted by the Reuter news agency this week as saying the Bush camp's position is that "two debates are sufficient and will not dominate the entire fall schedule."

"Three debates would have a tendency to be a little overbearing on your campaign strategy and tactics," Reed was quoted as saying.

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"John Kerry is willing to go to a debate every week," Kerry campaign spokeswoman Laura Capps said.

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Former Wyoming GOP Sen. Alan Simpson, who was on the commission when it proposed the three debates but who now is helping the Bush-Cheney campaign, said the idea that the Bush camp may want only two debates is "very disturbing."