THE IRANIAN CRISIS has made President Carter the front runner in the presidential campaign and he wants to keep it that way. His refusal to debate his challengers for the Democratic nomination in Iowa is a transparent attempt to keep his lead secure and his challengers at bay.

Ronald Reagan, the Republican leader in the polls, has also squirmed out of a discussion of the issues with his rivals. And Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54 (D-Mass.) joined Reagan and Carter when he refused to debate California Governor Edmund G. Brown, rationalizing his cop-out by pointing the finger at Carter.

Nationally televised debates are one of the best ways to get candidates to discuss difficult, specific issues. In 1976 they gave Carter an edge over Gerald Ford; last week they gave voters a valuable look at Republican contenders.

Carter has tried to disguise his unwillingness to meet his opposition head-on with that old boogey man national security. But the Iranian crisis has stirred up fundamental issues--over American aupport for repressive regimes, over America's ability to defend its citizens and interests abroad. These important issues must not be ignored until the election is over to preserve a national unity that is a political fiction.

Obviously, candidates should not make specific statements about the Tehran Embassy crisis that could endager hostages' lives or imperil secret negotiations that might be underway. But after three months of crisis, the danger of harm to the hostages is less than the danger of artificial repression of the political dialogue in an election year.