A Big Weekend for Politics, Ratings Sweeps

Television viewers will have plenty of provocative programming to choose from today and Sunday, because it’s the first weekend of the November ratings sweeps and the last weekend of the presidential campaign.

Tuesday’s election will be Topic A on most of the public-affairs shows, with “This Week With David Brinkley” featuring an interview with Republican presidential challenger Bob Dole, Sunday at 10 a.m. on KABC-TV Channel 7.

“Life & Times” reports on the California races that will decide which party controls the state legislature and the congressional delegation, 10:30 a.m. Sunday on KCET-TV Channel 28.

With the election in mind, MTV will present a five-hour special, “Votefest ‘96,” beginning at noon today, featuring music, political news and encouragements for young people to cast their ballots on Tuesday.

For Republicans who don’t like the way this year’s election is shaping up, at least judging by the polls, the Discovery Channel is premiering “The Reagan Legacy,” a two-part documentary about Ronald Reagan’s presidency. It airs Sunday and Monday at 10 p.m.

On the entertainment side, meanwhile, the Sunday night movie competition is formidable.

ABC (Channel 7) starts things out at 7 p.m. with Walt Disney’s popular animated film “The Lion King.” Then at 9 p.m., NBC (Channels 4) puts up 1994’s “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” against two new TV movies: “Mary & Tim” on CBS (Channel 2), in which Candice Bergen plays a woman who falls in love with a younger, mentally disabled man (Thomas McCarthy), and “To Brave Alaska” on ABC (Channel 7), a survival saga starring Alyssa Milano and Cameron Bancroft.

Other weekend shows include:

Public Affairs: TODAY: “Today” discusses prostate cancer, political movies and buying a home computer, 6 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) guests on “Evans & Novak,” 2:30 p.m., repeats Sunday, 7 a.m.CNN. . . .

Historian Robert Dallek and scholar Burt Rockman discuss U.S. presidential prestige on “John McLaughlin’s One on One,” 2:30 p.m. (28). . . .

Select House and Senate races are scrutinized on “Capital Gang Saturday,” 4 and 10:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“Inside Politics Weekend” talks with George Stephanopoulos, senior advisor to President Clinton, and Donald Rumsfeld, chairman of the Dole/Kemp campaign, 4:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

Shirley Jones guests on “Larry King Weekend,” 6 and 11 p.m. CNN.

SUNDAY: “Sunday Today” reports on the presidential race; sportswriter Mike Lupica, 6 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

“Pacesetters” looks at Proposition 209, 6 a.m. (5). . . .

Sen. Christopher Dobb (R-Fla.) and Haley Barbour, Republican National chairman, are guests on “Meet the Press,” 7 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

“CBS News Sunday Morning” features political images; art from hardware; environmentalist David Brower; and violinist Gil Shaham, 7:30 a.m. (2). . . .

“Late Edition” looks at Campaign ’96 with Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), William Bennett of Empower America and Mario Cuomo, former governor of New York, 9 a.m. CNN. . . .

Sens. Connie Mack (R-Fla.) and Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.), and Reps. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and David Bonior (D-Mich.) appear on “Face the Nation,” 3 p.m. (2). . . .

“Both Sides With Jesse Jackson” looks at the minority vote in the election, 2:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

Election predictions are issued on “The McLaughlin Group,” 6:30 p.m. (4). . . .

“60 Minutes” deals with women’s rights in Afghanistan, interviews actress Angela Lansbury and reports on Holocaust victims who claim that Swiss banks hold their stolen family fortunes, 7 p.m. (2).