Posted on 09/20/2007 6:10:41 AM PDT by indcons
Key Republican leaders are encouraging the party's presidential candidates to rethink their decision to skip presidential debates focusing on issues important to minorities, fearing a backlash that could further erode the party's standing with black and Latino voters.
The leading contenders for the Republican nomination have indicated they will not attend the "All American Presidential Forum" organized by black talk show host Tavis Smiley, scheduled for Sept. 27 at Morgan State University in Baltimore and airing on PBS. Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.) and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) all cited scheduling conflicts in forgoing the debate. The top Democratic contenders attended a similar event in June at Howard University.
"We sound like we don't want immigration; we sound like we don't want black people to vote for us," said former congressman Jack Kemp (N.Y.), who was the GOP vice presidential nominee in 1996. "What are we going to do -- meet in a country club in the suburbs one day? If we're going to be competitive with people of color, we've got to ask them for their vote."
Making matters worse, some Republicans believe, is that the decision to bypass the Morgan State forum comes after all top GOP candidates save McCain declined invitations this month to a debate on Univision, the most-watched Hispanic television network in the United States. The event was eventually postponed.
"For Republicans to consistently refuse to engage in front of an African American or Latino audience is an enormous error," said former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), who has not yet ruled out a White House run himself.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Gingrich: "I hope they will reverse their decision and change their schedules. I see no excuse -- this thing has been planned for months, these candidates have known about it for months. It's just fundamentally wrong. Any of them who give you that scheduling-conflict answer are disingenuous. That's baloney."
Former Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman urged candidates to "reconsider this opportunity to lay out their vision and other opportunities in the future." Mehlman's successor at the RNC was Sen. Mel Martinez (Fla.), a backer of legislation that would allow illegal immigrants now in the country to stay and eventually become citizens.
[...] "'What's the win?' said the adviser, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. 'Why would [the candidates] go into a crowd where they're probably going to be booed?'"
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
>> “’What’s the win?’ said the adviser, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. ‘Why would [the candidates] go into a crowd where they’re probably going to be booed?’” <<
I dunno. Maybe to demonstrate courage, leadership, strength, conviction? I don’t think skipping Univision is a bad idea, since that debate is pandering to people who think adopting our language is a setback to their agenda, but I’m disappointed in Thompson for skipping this debate.
Simply put, these two groups are not primary voters. These two debates are all risk and no chance of reward.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
How many of these ‘debates’ do we need? 10...20...30....100? The format make them pretty worthless anyways. Each candidate gets a couple 30 sound bites and that is about it. I have yet to hear any deep discussion of any issue.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
from the Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #6 – Fort Lauderdale, Florida 09/17/07
A question to former NY Mayor Rudy Giullani:
A question to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney:
A question Senator John McCain:
Fred Thompson missed that debate, as well.
How many Dems would show up to a debate sponsored by the GOA and NRA?
This is not rocket science and Gingrich knows it...he's just playing politics himself.
Agreed. In any case, such selective debates are nothing short of racial pandering.
They should have attended.
Keyes is now in.
Whoops...
As to Newt (who perhaps is a brilliant History teacher/writer/speaker), he is a disgraced "former" GOP leader, who sold out his 1996 team to go along with Clinton on more than one occasion, so listening to him on such matters is ridiculous!
Whether or not candidates choose to appear, is purely up to them, their schedules and their expenditures to do so, end of story WaPo.
No more calls, we have a winner.
Well, we disagree. All downside and it would be precisely playing to their toon. After the primaries, tell them they would be happy to attend.
I won’t vote for a GOP candidate who kisses up to illegal aliens...
But then my white vote is not desired...
But they should go to events where there are black AMERICANS.....
By placing black Americans and “Latinos” in the same sentence ...illegal aliens are stealthfully made “legal”
Finger nails on a chalk-board...
Today, I'm adding has-been Jack Kemp to this list.
No doubt I'll be adding virtually a name-a-day of GOP ex-office holders, elder statesmen, philosophers and supporters, formerly of common sense and measured oratory, who are actually going bonkers these days attacking the GOP and GOP candidates in order to get their moments in the sun.
What monumental egos! They're in love with their own destructive words.
Does anyone hear them regularly attacking the 'Rats/socialists/radicals/pacifists/liberals/traitors/home-grown commies when they're interviewed or get face time on TV??
No? I thought not. Just attack the only party that will save us from Hillary, the ACLU, Al Queda and Al Sharpton.
Leni
The only way to get any kind of significant vote out of today’s dominant black culture would be to out-welfare the Far Left. The juice ain’t worth the squeezing.
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