The 3 Republican Frontrunners may be No Shows at Tavis' Debate

[ellacott]

Republicans doubtful for Baltimore debate
Giuliani and Romney declined; Thompson, McCain unconfirmed
By Paul West | Sun reporter
September 7, 2007


WASHINGTON - Former Sen. Fred Thompson left supporters hanging for months before joining the presidential contest. Now he's got them wondering when he'll make his debate debut.

The next Republican debate is Sept. 27 in Baltimore, but Thompson's participation appears to be in doubt, in spite of an announcement yesterday from the event's organizers that he would be there.

At least three other Republican contenders, including front-runners Rudolph W. Giuliani and Mitt Romney, have balked at attending. Aimed at minority voters - a nonfactor in Republican primaries - the debate coincides with the final days of the reporting period for campaign fundraising, when candidates would rather be out collecting money.

According to talk-show host Tavis Smiley, the event's organizer and moderator, Thompson agreed last month to take part. Yesterday afternoon, Smiley and KCET, the PBS station in Los Angeles, said Thompson was expected to appear at the Baltimore debate.

But Thompson's campaign said he hasn't committed to any debates yet.

Thompson spokeswoman Karen Hanretty called the Smiley-PBS statement inaccurate and said campaign officials were "very surprised to see that they did that."

On The Tonight Show, Thompson said Wednesday that he didn't think much of the '08 debates, with up to 10 candidates on stage at once.

"I'll do my share, but I don't think it's a very enlightening forum, to tell you the truth," he told Jay Leno.

Giuliani and Romney have declined invitations to the Maryland debate, to be held on the campus of historically black Morgan State University. And Arizona Sen. John McCain has not confirmed his attendance.

The forum, to be aired nationally on PBS, is the second in a series designed to force presidential candidates in both parties to address concerns of minority voters. The first, at Howard University in June, drew the entire Democratic field, which signed up months in advance.

Corralling the Republicans has proved far more difficult.

"This is the hardest thing I have ever done," Smiley said in an interview yesterday. He said he found it "a little strange" that rival candidates "would beat up on Fred Thompson" for not being at this week's televised debate in New Hampshire, "then decide not to show up in Baltimore."

Any Republican who fails to appear will be making "a huge mistake," predicted Smiley, who has a nightly talk show on PBS. "If the person who ends up being the Republican nominee a year from now, if they skipped this debate in Baltimore, this is going to become a watershed moment in the race for the White House."

There will be an empty lectern on stage for each candidate who fails to show up in Baltimore, said Smiley, who has gone on the attack against Republican no-shows..............

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/bal-te.debate07sep07,0,1622631.story?track=rss

[Brewman_Jax]

1. I'm sure that no one here is surprised

since most repubs work on demonizing, disenfranchising, avoiding black people in general. Why should anyone think they've changed and want to talk to black people?

Notice that there are no major elected black republicans at the senior state or federal levels. I can't find any and I don't think that is a coincidence.

Note: Ken Blackwell is no longer Ohio Sec. of State.