Aug. 18, 1964 - Brushing aside Republican taunts that they were “chicken,” Senate Democrats succeeded today in ruling out chances for televised debates between President Johnson and Senator Barry Goldwater this fall.
Administration leaders rolled up a narrow three-vote majority to kill a compromise proposal suspending equal-time provision of the Federal Communications Act. The vote was 44 to 41 to table the bill.
The motion to table the conference report was made by the Senate majority leader, Mike Mansfield of Montana. Republicans, solidly opposing the move, were joined by 12 Democrats.
The action ruled out hope for any “great debates,” as they were called in 1960. Those debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon were made possible by Congressional suspension of the equal time provision.
By failing to suspend the equal-time provision, the Senate action would appear to limit the television industry to functioning solely within the framework of existing TV news programs except for paid political time.
If a network undertook any special reporting of candidates, it could leave itself liable to having to offer costly air time to all other candidates, including those from minor parties.
A loud debate preceded today’s action.
Senator Hugh Scott, Republican of Pennsylvania, accused Democratic leaders of “taking orders from higher up.”
Senator Scott suggested that the Democrats were being chicken by being afraid to allow President Johnson to face his Republican opponent.
Senator Goldwater has urged the President to debate him this fall. The President has said, in effect, that he would cross that bridge when he came to it.
Senator Scott suggested that the Democrats should change their ballot symbol from a rooster to a chicken.
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