Bush: Live And In Person
George W. Bush says he'll appear in person at a GOP presidential debate in Los Angeles Thursday night. Rival John McCain belatedly agreed to take part by satellite from New York.
Bush initially suggested he may also appear at the forum via satellite. But his campaign now says a personal appearance underscores the importance of California in next week's Super Tuesday presidential contests.
"California is too important to leave it behind," Bush said, adding that he hoped the 90-minute session would focus on education, one of the issues on which he has staked his run for the White House.
Conservative radio host Alan Keyes will also appear at the forum in person.
After several days of huffily explaining he couldn't "flex our schedule to Bush's schedule," McCain grudgingly offered to participate through a satellite hook-up from New York.
The Arizona senator had committed to the debate weeks ago, but then went ahead and made other plans because, he claimed, Bush was so tardy in accepting the invitation from its sponsors, CNN and The Los Angeles Times.
Some within the McCain camp said they believed that, if McCain skipped the debate, it would give the appearance that he was giving up on the Golden State, the biggest prize in next week's Super Tuesday primary grab bag. There are 162 GOP delegates up for grabs in California.
But after campaigning in Fresno on Tuesday, McCain switched course, saying that while he couldn't make it to Los Angeles, he could "change my schedule and participate by satellite."
Reporters pressed McCain to explain this reversal, but he firmly insisted nothing lay behind it except that now "we are able to adjust our schedule."
Bush had made hay of McCain's refusal to participate. But his campaign will go along with the plan, albeit with reservations.
"We intend to participate," said Karen Hughes, Bush's communications director. "We were told we could not do it by satellite. They changed the rules for Senator McCain."
Polls in California show McCain tied with Bush in the state's popular vote, but well behind among the Republicans whose votes are the only ones that count toward choosing the Golden State's GOP delegates.