Strike Could Cancel CBS Debate

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Most of the Democratic candidates for president said today that they would skip the Dec. 10 presidential debate sponsored by CBS News if news writers decide to strike.

“I will honor the picket line if the workers at CBS News decide to strike,” Hillary Clinton said in a statement today

John Edwards, on a conference call with reporters, said he would not cross the picket line in the event of a strike. Spokesmen for Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd also said those candidates would not participate, according to an Associated Press report.

A strike by CBS news writers does not appear to be imminent, although an authorization vote conducted last week allows the leadership of the guild to call a strike at any time. The company’s writers, producers, editors, artists and assistants have been working without a contract since April 2005.

The cancellation of the debate, which is to be moderated by Katie Couric in Los Angeles, would strike a significant blow to CBS News.

In a statement this afternoon, the writers’ guild said the statements by the candidates “sends a powerful message that our members cause is just and important.”

The pledge to boycott the debate is the latest example of the Democratic presidential candidates’ show of support for the striking television and film writers.

Less than a week after becoming the first candidate to visit the picket lines in Southern California, John Edwards and wife Elizabeth said today that they had canceled their scheduled appearance on the ABC talk show “The View” next week to “honor the members of the Writers Guild of America”

Later in the day, Michelle Obama, wife of candidate Barack Obama, said she had also canceled her scheduled Dec. 5 co-hosting of “The View.”

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/strike-could-cancel-cbs-debate/