The very day that ABC announced its offer of an hour in prime time, Bill Clinton was live on CNBC discussing Senate gridlock over the minimum wage. But advocates are quick to retort that a third of U.S. households don't have cable and many that have it don't tune in to public-affairs shows. The pristine new forums certainly won't replace the dastardly 30-sec. spots. The candidates will still spend whatever they can afford, running whatever ads are most effective. In fact, some commentators argue that getting rid of negative ads should never have been a goal in the first place.
Attack is an indispensable part of politics.
The answer is yes. Which raises the question of whether the candidates would be keen on this reform. In 1992 the candidates were careful to limit their appearances to events they thought they could control. So while both parties' candidates endorsed the scheme, it remains to be seen whether Dole and Clinton will relish the idea of being locked in a room together during prime time with no way out except through the tube. That by itself may make it worth a try.