5 GOP candidates commit to Baltimore debate

[LibertyEagle]

5 GOP candidates commit to Baltimore debate

By David Nitkin
Baltimore Sun reporter
September 22, 2007


Just five Republican candidates - half the invited field - will take part in Thursday's presidential debate in Baltimore, event organizers said yesterday.

The four leading contenders, Rudolph W. Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson, have each said they will not participate in the forum focusing on issues facing minority voters. Their absence has drawn the ire of Tavis Smiley, the talk-show host who is moderating and organizing the debate at Morgan State University; he said the candidates are making a mistake in not reaching out to black voters.

A list of confirmed participants released yesterday also omits Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, a staunch opponent of current immigration policy. Confirmed are Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Alan L. Keyes of Maryland, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, organizers said.

Also yesterday, former Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, the chairman of GOPAC, a Republican political action committee, said in a statement that he was "hopeful" each missing candidate would "adjust his schedule" to participate.

"African-American voters must not by taken for granted by the Democrats and can't be overlooked or written off by Republicans," Steele said.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/bal-te.debate22sep22,0,508513.story

 

[literatim]

It is good that Ron Paul won't skip out on this, but I really can't see someone wanting to abolish welfare getting much support there.

 

[walt]

I think this is as close to Huckabee vs Ron as we'll ever get.

Let the other guys not show, that will come back to haunt them later when we list all the debates they blew off.

 

[Matt Collins]

Ron will hopefully educate them on why welfare is bad for them.

 

[LibertyEagle]

This debate is targeted towards African-Americans. I really don't think that welfare is their primary issue. C'mon.

 

[literatim]

This debate is targeted towards African-Americans. I really don't think that welfare is their primary issue. C'mon.

Oh, I bet it will be up there on the list with public education, health care, affirmative action and New Orleans.

The benefit is that he will stand out. He will say what he wants to say, no matter what the audience wants.

 

[Dustancostine]

I think that Ron is going to do awesome in this debate. I know that he hasn't gotten a lot of support from AA, but what other Republican has? I would venture to say that RP right now has more than any of the others. There have been many AA to make youtube videos supporting Paul, there was D.L. Hughley yesterday who talked about him. AA generally distrust the govt., they have also been subject to the police state for a lot longer than most of us have. Stuff like the tasing is new to the general public but common place in AA communities. Also RP wants to end the war on drugs which has been a huge problem for that community.

--Dustan

 

[aksmith]

I think RP will do fine with this audience. I only wish Keyes would once again fade into the ozone. He is a distraction intended only to try to subvert Ron Paul. He's a hypocrite and a charlatan, and a bad imitation of a televangelist to boot. Listening to him at that VVD, it occurs to me he may actually be clinically insane.

And I think he should take Michael Steele with him. He's the dork at Fox who said RP should be excluded from further debate. Steele's entire resume is that he was lieutenant governor of Maryland. And as we all know, that's a stepping stone to national prominence . . . . . uh, no it isn't. But if you're on Fox News, you must be an expert, right? He should hang his head in shame as he walks into the ocean and disappears forever.

 

[kylejack]

What the hell is Alan Keyes doing in this presidential candidate debate??

 

[ctb619]

RP will hit a home run with his anti-"war on drugs" policy position

 

[ItDoesNotStopWithRonPaul]

Oh, I bet it will be up there on the list with public education, health care, affirmative action and New Orleans.

The benefit is that he will stand out. He will say what he wants to say, no matter what the audience wants.

Exactly. What is with some of the people on hear who keep saying we should pander to certain minority groups?? Our message is not one of bits and pieces. Ron Paul is the real deal, and watering down his message or omitting pieces doesn't give people the comprehensive view they need.

 

[Hurricane Bruiser]

Ron Paul does target what he says to some degree based on his audience. For instance I found him speaking against the federal war on drugs on his West coast tour but not so much in the South. One thing he does not do is pander in any way and I love that about him. I think this debate will be good for him.

 

[wgadget]

Well, I hope Ron Paul doesn't bust out laughing at Alan Keyes. I know *I* would have a battle up there with that...

I found the number of AA's in downtown Atlanta who rolled their windows down to take Ron Paul literature Saturday afternoon very encouraging.

 

[smtwngrl]

If they are talking about racial issues, I think they may like what Alan Keyes has to say. Of course, I'm basing that on his previous runs for president, and he sounded (in general) better then than he does now. Keyes is not for affirmative action, either.

Hopefully, though, they will like Ron Paul even better---especially if freedom-related issues are covered.

 

[fourameuphoria]

If I may play Devil's Advocate; Mike Gravel pretty much hit the drug war home at the PBS debate last summer, and he still didn't have much of a bump.

 

[lisajames96]

I think that Ron is going to do awesome in this debate. I know that he hasn't gotten a lot of support from AA, but what other Republican has? I would venture to say that RP right now has more than any of the others. There have been many AA to make youtube videos supporting Paul, there was D.L. Hughley yesterday who talked about him. AA generally distrust the govt., they have also been subject to the police state for a lot longer than most of us have. Stuff like the tasing is new to the general public but common place in AA communities. Also RP wants to end the war on drugs which has been a huge problem for that community.

--Dustan

I haven't read the post below yours, and know some may disagree, but I agree with your post. RP wont appeal to every black person that listens to the debate, but if he is constistant with his platform, he will be respected and hopefully researched. Especially when the others candidates get up there and sing and dance for the people, like they did in the VV debates. I am a southern black woman. Most would say Democrat from the get go. I was a Democrat for 8 years, then I was neo-conned for another 8. So I was basically through with voting until I heard someone that I didn't totally agree with, but he wasn't running in circles trying to get a reporter to forget what question he asked, or bowing out ungracefully to a question about his voting record. RP was being transparent! That will resonate with alot of black voters who jumped ship in 2000 and voted for Bush's snake oil. I was embarrassed to learn that my vote didn't count for good all those years, yet thrilled at the same time because now it can.
So I am looking forward to the debate. If they do that "lightening round" mess, I will be disappointed though.

 

[aksmith]

I haven't read the post below yours, and know some may disagree, but I agree with your post. RP wont appeal to every black person that listens to the debate, but if he is constistant with his platform, he will be respected and hopefully researched. Especially when the others candidates get up there and sing and dance for the people, like they did in the VV debates. I am a southern black woman. Most would say Democrat from the get go. I was a Democrat for 8 years, then I was neo-conned for another 8. So I was basically through with voting until I heard someone that I didn't totally agree with, but he wasn't running in circles trying to get a reporter to forget what question he asked, or bowing out ungracefully to a question about his voting record. RP was being transparent! That will resonate with alot of black voters who jumped ship in 2000 and voted for Bush's snake oil. I was embarrassed to learn that my vote didn't count for good all those years, yet thrilled at the same time because now it can.
So I am looking forward to the debate. If they do that "lightening round" mess, I will be disappointed though.

I sure hope you're right about this. I am Jewish and no groups or "spokesmen" speak for me. And I've always wondered why a couple of self-appointed spokesmen seem to be encouraged by the major media to suck all oxygen from the room whenever an issue pertaining to blacks arises. Frankly, I think Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are pretty clever and very good at self-promoting. But it has always seemed to me that they are as counterproductive for black people as Jewish groups are for Jewish people.

I've seen Tavis Smiley's show on PBS and he's a pretty good interviewer. He allows people to answer and even explain their answers. I hope the debate allows some of this. But good for Ron Paul that he is willing to go into any debate. He walked into that values voters debate and did not pander. And I expect him to tell the truth at this debate too. Now we'll see if people can handle the truth.

 

[1000-points-of-fright]

What RP really needs to do is get on Tavis' show for a nice long, in depth interview.

 

[NewEnd]

It is good that Ron Paul won't skip out on this, but I really can't see someone wanting to abolish welfare getting much support there.

Well, that was racist.

Haven't you ever seen Chris Rock's routine? Maybe you should

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDfSDuKzbvs

 

[V-rod]

Tavis interviewed Congressman Paul couple months ago on his PRI radio show. It was conducted fairly well.