Six candidates to participate in historic 2008 S.C. GOP Presidential Candidates Debate (No Hunter)

SC GOP ^ | 1/9/08 | Staff

[pissant]

Contact: Rob Godfrey, Communications Director 803.807.7144

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Excitement surrounding presidential politics in South Carolina continues to grow as South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson today announced that invitations have been extended to and accepted by six Republican presidential candidates to participate in the 2008 South Republican Party Presidential Candidates Debate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

"The stakes couldn't be higher this election, and we couldn't be more excited to extend a warm South Carolina welcome to six White House hopefuls who are seeking the Republican nomination to be the next President of the United States," said Dawson. "These candidates join tens of thousands of Republicans from across the country and hundreds of journalists from around the world who are converging on Myrtle Beach for this debate because they know the 2008 election could be decided on our stage that night."

The following candidates will be receiving formal invitations from the South Carolina Republican Party to the 2008 South Carolina Republican Party Presidential Candidates Debate (in alphabetical order):

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani - New York City

Former Governor Mike Huckabee - Arkansas

U.S. Senator John McCain - Arizona

U.S. Congressman Ron Paul - Texas

Former Governor Mitt Romney - Massachusetts

Former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson - Tennessee

Candidates who received invitations to participate in the debate have announced formal campaigns for president; filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and the South Carolina Republican Party to run for president; paid all candidate filing fees associated with their candidacy; met all U. S. constitutional requirements; and garnered at least 5% of the national electorate as determined by an average of the most recent national telephone polls of registered voters conducted by non-partisan public opinion polling organizations leading up to the registration deadline as determined by the South Carolina Republican Party and FOX News Channel; or, place in the top five in the New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary on January 8, 2008.

The 2008 South Republican Party Presidential Candidates Debate will be televised live by FOX News Channel at 9:00 PM from the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on Thursday, January 10, 2008. FOX News Channel Washington Managing Editor Brit Hume will moderate the debate while FOX News anchor Chris Wallace and White House Correspondent Wendell Goler will ask questions of the candidates.

FOX News Radio (FNR) will also provide listeners with live debate coverage beginning at 9 PM/ET. FNR’s Mike Majchrowitz will anchor the debate live from inside the hall. Following the debate, Majchrowitz and FNR Political Analyst and Washington Post columnist Jeff Birnbaum will provide post-debate analysis. They will be joined by FOX News Radio Correspondent Todd Starnes and several special guests live from “Spin Alley”.

[Little_GTO]

>They have blackballed Hunter...

That is exactly the term I used on other threads. Another more revealing term is the "Tancredo treatment" which was a result of Karl Rove telling Tom Tancredo not to show up at the Whitehouse anymore due to his stance on immigration.

Who is the only candidate committed to building the fence in 6 MONTHS?

[Jokelahoma]

Perhaps, although Fred has delegates, so only Paul and Rudy would be left out. But they didn't simply make it one criteria. They made it one of two. Either A or B, neither of which seems irrational or arbitrary, and both of which, I believe, have been used in the past to pare down debate rosters. Hunter met neither, unfortunately.

[Kevmo]

When you have a debate you have to have a cutoff somewhere. If not, they would have 40 guys on the stage! I know the Hunter people don’t like it, but he has had no traction in any voting.
***Fascinating. If they included how many candidates had delegates at the time of New Hampshire debates, there would have only been 3: Hunter, Thompson and Romney. But instead they choose Poll results rather than ACTUAL VOTES. Pull your head out.

[Jokelahoma]

By the way, I sincerely wish you and the others luck in getting him reinstated onto the debate roster. That sort of grassroots thing would be helpful, to say the least.

[AuntB]

“Democrat style thinking has infected the GOP and I can’t stand to watch it.”

It’s killing this country. If all I can do to not see this further slide into oblivion is hide my head in the sand like the rest of the electorate, I may just do so.

[Picklezz]

Unfortunately, I think it does explain it. Hunter has always been shunned in all the debates. We have to pray that God will make the way for him to be heard in a big way.

[Califreak]

>Who is the only candidate committed to building the fence in 6 MONTHS?<

They all seem to be concerned about securing the border and getting the fence built now that they’ve thrown Hunter under the bus.

McCain said himself we have to secure the border.

Lying SOS!

[Little_GTO]

Drop out voluntarily yes, excluded no. Let the candidate make the decision, not the party and not the Media.

[gidget7]

We have to pray that God will make the way for him to be heard in a big way.

I do, and will continue to, every night!!

[CJ Wolf]

I actually agree with you. Just wanted to make sure that y’all know it just ain’t hunter getting excluded. Frankly with our current choices perhaps one of these people are better.

[Jokelahoma]

Well, technically speaking, the people made the decision, judging by poll numbers.

[gidget7]

BTTT

[WildcatClan]

Yes, where are these principled conservatives I keep hearing about so much? Did you hear them speak up for Hunter at the debates? They will surely say it is not our place to advance Hunter.

It is also not Hunters place to continue playing nice. It is time to take off the gloves and bare-knuckle box. Hunter can start by getting the photo of Romney on the border enlarged. Carry it around with him and ask Romney and the media what he has ever done to get a fence built or secure our borders.

I think we have to, in some way, if we can, give Fred the credit he deserves for CFR, and ask him what he meant by “aspirations of citizenship”. McCain needs to own CFR and needs his clay feet smashed with the Amnesty hammer. Rudy and Huckabee are so easy there is no reason to even bother. :)

[Marak]

It surely is coming. One way to ensure a Democrat victory in the Presidential election is to promote the most liberal of primary candidates on the Republican side. This will drive the conservatives away from the ballot boxes in November. That is exactly what the press has been doing, and the comments on FreeRepublic show that it is indeed working. There are so many people on this forum willing to shed their beliefs for the god of electability, but theirs is a false hope. Come November there will be angry debates here on FreeRepublic over why conservatives won't vote for the liberal Republican candidate. The people screaming the loudest will the very same people who are now pushing those liberal candidates down our throats.

As is often said here, "elections have consequences", and that includes primaries. Promote a liberal in the primaries today, and we will elect a liberal in November. What will make them angry is that it won't be 'their' liberal who gets elected.

[Little_GTO]

The people of South Carolina have not tallied any votes yet.

[Jokelahoma]

And not being in a debate does not prevent them from voting for him during the primary, if they so choose. Other states have voted, and the results of the most recent of those elections were but one criteria used. National polling numbers were also used. All of this is unfair how, exactly?

[RasterMaster]

Another example of why some folks should NOT have ability to vote....another phoney media created buzzword, “electability” or “curb appeal” is NOT the issue! It is who is best QUALIFIED to lead. Who has the background (resume), leadership (results), and character (honesty & integrity).

If you base your vote on the latest Faux News “poll”, “looks”, “charisma”, “star power” or any other media-driven buzz word, you should have your citizenship revoked! Since that will probably not happen, those are they type that will most likely a have a DNC ID card in their future.

[WildcatClan]

Very well said, we will have to see what the trends are in the South and West before we can be sure. But, so far, not so good.

[RasterMaster]

“The candidates were weighed and he was found lacking in strength to carry on.”

Frankly I read your posts, and would not trust your judgement, or that of Faux News to determine who is worthy to carry on.

[Terrence DoGood]

McCain’s been campaigning here for over a year, but he’s got a tough row to hoe to be victorious. SC is a very conservative state, but the Huckster has fooled a lot of people here. He’s polling very well with conservatives, but it has nothing to do with his conservatism – but the fact that he’s an evangelical.

Back to the point; I had an interesting conversation with a Libertarian/Conservative colleague in the office this morning who she spoke glowingly of McCain - not because if his politics, but his “hero” image. She’s supporting him. When I tried to explain that I admire his service as well (I’m USAF), but his politics is very left of center, she was genuinely surprised. She just “didn’t know”!