Republican Front Runners Snub Yet Another Debate

by Melissa Ryan, Sun Sep 16, 2007 at 09:32:57 AM EDT

Giuliani, McCain, and Romney have all declined an invitation to Tavis Smiley's All American Presidential Forum.  

Rikyrah of Jack and Jill Politics has the details:


This is not an isolated incident. In forum upon forum, the GOP has come up missing when it comes to speaking and presenting in front of Black audiences. ONLY TOM TANCREDO has bothered to present himself to a Black Audience, where he was received well.

Tavis did a 'Shout out' to his fellow Black Republicans, asking them why they were so silent on this matter. They keep on yapping that the GOP is a valid alternative for Black America, yet, when a nationally televised forum is put together so that GOP Candidates can present what they believe are GOP answers to concerns of the Black community, three of their Major Candidates don't even bother to respect Black Americans with their presence.

It's the YouTube debate all over again, and the Univision debate.  And as Rikyrah also points out: the NAACP national convention.  I don't know about you but I'm begining to get the impression that much of the Republican field just doesn't care for debates and forums.  If it's not a choreographed staging of tightly scripted interactions with supporters enthusiastically waving campaign paraphernalia they're just not interested.  

The All American Presidential Forum has been my favorite debate so far.  The Democratic candidates got roughly the same amount of time to speak, and the questions were completely devoid of fluff.   Perhaps it's that kind of substance that the GOP front runners are afraid of.  

Candidates Brownback, Huckabee, Paul, and Tancredo are all confirmed to appear.  According to a press release from CWBA and PBS Fred Thompson is also expected to appear, but as of today he isn't confirmed on the Forum's website.  The Republican half of the All American Presidential Forum will air on September 27, at 8PM live on PBS.

Tags: 2008, Fred Thompson, John, mccain, Mitt Romney, Republicans, Rudy Giuliani (all tags)

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7 Comments

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Re: Republican Front Runners Snub

That's fine.  Tavis Smiley said last week on the Tom Joyner show that they are going to put empty podiums up there for every Republican that doesn't show up.

Hopefully, he'll also have their names on the podiums for where they were supposed to stand, as well.

If he doesn't put the names up there, he only "barely" makes his point.

by OE 2007-09-16 09:55AM | 0 recs
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Re: Republican Front Runners Snub Yet Another Deba

I always wondered why we would expect them to show up at an African american debate , its not their constituency and they are not interested in the votes because they are not going to get it anyway .

Its almost like getting a dem to show up at an NRA debate . Most of them will show up but I won't be shocked if they skipped it.

by lori 2007-09-16 10:05AM | 0 recs
Mjrtwitter2009
Re: Republican Front Runners Snub Yet Another Deba

Skipping one debate is one thing.  Skipping several is quite another.  I think it's a pattern worth pointing out and keeping an eye on.

And personally I'd love to see Democrats at an NRA forum.  

by Melissa Ryan 2007-09-16 10:15AM | 0 recs
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Re: Republican Front Runners Snub Yet Another Deba

You are right they have been skipping a lot of these debates , but if you notice they have appeared at debates they felt was their constituency to win the primary.

So even though they seem to not want to debate at these arena's it probably has something to do with it not being useful to their primary fight and of course they would like to skip as many as they can because frankly most of them are bad at it , but who won't want to limit debate appearances.

I am not making excuses for anyone , but all I am saying is I am not surprised they are skipping an AA debate because it doesn't help them in the primaries and even the general.

by lori 2007-09-16 10:27AM | 0 recs
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Re: Republican Front Runners Snub Yet Another Deba

RedState currently has a diary up titled:  This is why the GOP must nominate a black man for VP.

In general it continues the popular Republican belief that the way to address their unpopularity with the African American voter is by nominating or appointing token blacks to office or positions of power.  When one of the commentators suggests that maybe the reason they aren't getting the black vote is because Republicans aren't addressing their issues and not because they fail to have a black man on the ballot, that commentator is derided and we see silly statements like:  "We are defending blacks from more 911s".  How about this one:  "We can win over blacks just like whites, with the power of conservative principles and the good results of conservative policies. But we need a black man to sell it."  Heck, they even suggest that David Horowitz has the answer to their problem in his book, Left Illusions.

The embrace of racism in the GOP doesn't even seem to cross their minds as a problem.  

by msstaley 2007-09-16 10:27AM | 0 recs
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Re: Republican Front Runners Snub Yet Another Deba

"We can win over blacks just like whites, with the power of conservative principles and the good results of conservative policies.

- Like Reagan right , with his Reaganomics crap.

by lori 2007-09-16 10:33AM | 0 recs
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Re: Republican Front Runners Snub Yet Another Deba

No self-respecting minority could ever think of voting GOP as I had said before, but there are several of these without any self-respect particularly in the Asian community.

by Boilermaker 2007-09-17 03:57AM | 0 recs

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