US candidates set to agree on debates

THE campaign teams of US President George Bush and Democratic challenger Senator John Kerry have tentatively agreed to three face-to-face debates, it was reported yesterday.

The debates, beginning on September 30, could prove pivotal in the closely fought November 2 election between Mr Bush and Mr Kerry and in an effort to lower voters’ expectations, each side in recent weeks has already begun to portray the other as having the stronger debater.

A source familiar with the negotiations said that the Bush campaign had tentatively agreed to the full complement of debates recommended by the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.