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Statement by Secretary James A. Baker, III, Bush-Cheney '04 Debate Negotiations Team Leader and Vernon Jordan, Jr. (title edited for length)  NEW YORK - Secretary James A. Baker, III, Bush-Cheney '04 Debate Negotiations Team Leader and Vernon Jordan, Jr. today issued the following statement:"We are pleased to announce today that President Bush and Senator Kerry will participate in three debates.  The first debate is on Thursday, September 30 at the University of Miami, in Coral Gables, Florida, the second is on October 8 in St. Louis, Missouri at Washington University, and the third at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush's re-election campaign this week will appoint Bush family confidant James Baker to negotiate the details of campaign debates between Bush and Democrat John Kerry, Republican officials said on Wednesday. The selection of Baker, who was Bush's lead representative in the Florida recount battle in 2000, came amid indications that Bush only wanted to agree to two debates with Kerry rather than three as proposed by the Commission on Presidential Debates. Proceeding without formal agreement from the Bush campaign, the commission set debates beginning Sept. 30 in Coral Gables, Florida, with a second slated for Oct....