WASHINGTON, Oct. 18—Recalling President Nixon's earlier enthusiasm for debates by Presidential candidates, Senator George McGovern offered today to pay for national television time for a series of debates before the election, but Mr. Nixon turned him down.

In a telegram to the President this morning, the Democratic nominee offered “to make available for debates several of the half‐hour programs that will purchase in the coming weeks.”

But, later in the day, the While House press secretary, Ronald L. Ziegler, announced that the President had refused the offer. “Our position is unchanged,” Mr. Ziegler said.

Mr. Nixon has said that he has changed his view about debates and now believes a President should not engage in them. He contends that the President makes policy every time he speaks and that such debates are not a good place to make policy.