Gop Wants Delayed Reply To Clinton Talk

For the first time ever, Republican leaders are asking the networks to let them wait 24 hours to respond to President Clinton’s State of the Union speech.

Friday’s request complicated plans for television coverage of Tuesday’s 9 p.m. EST speech, which by tradition is followed immediately by a response from leaders of the party not in the White House.

ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, NBC and the Fox Broadcasting Co. all plan live coverage of Clinton’s speech and the Republican response.

CNN spokesman David Talley said that network would air the GOP response on Wednesday. ABC rejected the unprecedented request for a prime-time slot the next day.