by KYW's John McDevitt

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are scheduled to meet tonight at the University of Mississippi for the first of their three televised debates.

Vice-presidential Republican candidate Sarah Palin will be watching the debate on television from inside a center city Philadelphia bar, the Irish Pub at 20th and Walnut Streets.

The public will not be admitted to the event.  Those in attendence are required to have tickets, which have been tightly controlled.

KYW's Pat Loeb reports that Sarah Palin has cancelled a  daytime Philadelphia appearance in advance of Friday night's "debate watching party" in center city. 

Sarah Palin arrived in the city on Thursday afternoon (above).  She was expected to make a public appearance only if the presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama went on as scheduled.

The McCain campaign had said that Palin or Sen. McCain wouldn't have any campaign events until the economic crisis is solved, but if McCain goes to the debate Palin would be at the debate-watching party on Friday night in center city.

With that debate doubtful, Palin's campaign cancelled the daytime photo opportunity in advance of the debate.

KYW Decision 2008