
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 26, 1993                   TAG: 9307260315
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BEYER DIDN'T ACCEPT DEBATE INVITATION

MARGIE Fisher is known as one of the most knowledgeable and insightful observers of the Virginia political scene, and her July 18 column on the difficulties of scheduling candidate debates was a thought-provoking one ("The debate as a drawing card: The jokers are wild").

However, I'd like to correct one piece of misinformation: Lt. Gov. Don Beyer did not "abruptly back out of [his] agreement" to participate in the July 9 Virginia Press Association debate. In fact, there was no such agreement.

Beyer received a verbal invitation on May 26, a written invitation on June 1, and was sent the proposed ground rules on June 18. On July 1, he declined the VPA invitation with thanks.

As lieutenant governor, he is working hard this summer on Virginia's welfare reform initiative and on a statewide campaign to prevent child sexual abuse.

While no candidate can accept every invitation, we expect to have plenty of opportunities in the fall for vigorous debate on issues that matter to Virginians. We look forward to those occasions.GAIL S. NARDI Director of Communications Don Beyer '93 campaign RICHMOND

by CNB