Front-runners are no shows at GOP debate

Front-runners are no shows at GOP debate
By Alex Wong

Republican presidential hopeful former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks as he stands next to an empty podium which was prepared for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani during the debate Thursday night in Baltimore.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Republican presidential candidates discussed the importance of reaching out to people of color during a minority issues debate Thursday night and criticized the leading four GOP contenders for skipping it.

"I think this is a disgrace that they are not here," said Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback. "I think it's a disgrace to our country. I think it's bad for our party, and I don't think it's good for our future."
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said he was "embarrassed for our party, and I'm embarrassed for those who didn't come."

The four no-shows — former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Sen. Fred Thompson, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — cited scheduling conflicts in saying they could not attend the debate at historically black Morgan State University.

"Fortunately, there are those in the Republican Party who do understand the importance of reaching out to people of color," said talk show host Tavis Smiley, the debate moderator, thanking the six other candidates for participating.

Besides Brownback and Huckabee, the other candidates who participated in the debate were: Reps. Duncan Hunter of California, Ron Paul of Texas and Tom Tancredo of Colorado, and conservative activist Alan L. Keyes.

The forum, which had black and Hispanic journalists questioning the candidates, was broadcast live on PBS.

The candidates answered questions ranging from what they would do to help minorities, their views on illegal immigration, the war in Iraq, minority unemployment rates and their position on capital punishment.

Huckabee said he would want his legacy in helping minorities to be more equal treatment for them in the criminal justice system. Brownback said he would continue to push for the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington. Keyes spoke of bringing more religious values into schools.

Paul received loud applause when he told the audience that minorities are unfairly punished in the criminal justice system. He also called for ending the war on drugs. "It isn't working," Paul said.

Among the Republicans who have criticized the leading contenders for skipping the forum are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, the first black official elected statewide in Maryland.

"I'm puzzled by their decision. I can't speak for them. I think it's a mistake," Gingrich, who is considering joining the race for the GOP nomination, said this week.
Smiley also moderated a debate in June among the Democratic presidential candidates at
Howard University in Washington, another historically black school.
Earlier this month, seven of eight Democratic candidates participated in a debate aired by Univision, the Spanish-language TV network. A Univision-sponsored GOP debate was canceled after only McCain agreed to participate.

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Second-tier hopefuls rally for Black vote By Stephen Dinan September 28, 2007

Second-tier hopefuls rally for Black vote By Stephen Dinan
September 28, 2007

None of the top four Republican presidential candidates showed up last night for a debate aimed at addressing minorities, ceding the stage to the lower-tier candidates who said they would take steps to try to win black voters to their party.
"I'm embarrassed for our party and I'm embarrassed for those who did not come," said former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, the top-performing Republican to show up, who touted having won 48 percent of Arkansas' black voters during one of his elections.
He advocated extra funding for blacks to bring down higher levels of hypertension and diabetes, and said drug crime penalties that strike harder at black criminals than whites should be ended.
Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas Republican, called for an official apology for slavery and promised to pursue the "symbolism" of a national black history museum.
But those race-directed solutions drew a strong rebuke from Reps. Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo, who said the solution is instead to extend freedom and opportunity.
"It is destructive to only talk about the politics of race," Mr. Tancredo said. "It really does not do a service to us as Americans."
Last night's forum, at Morgan State University in Baltimore, was moderated by talk show host Tavis Smiley, and the questions came from black and Hispanic pundits. It aired nationally on the Public Broadcasting Service.
The first 10 minutes of the debate were dedicated to bashing the four no-shows and, in some cases, Republicans as a whole.
"Let me take a moment right here and now to say hello to those of you viewing from home: Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Senator John McCain, Governor Mitt Romney and Senator Fred Thompson," talk show host Tom Joyner said.
He then expressed his own skepticism of the Republican Party, saying there is "a perception out there that the Republican Party holds only the interests of the majority population." It was a theme repeated throughout the night.
Mr. Brownback said he had a solution for black voters to prove to Republicans that they matter: "Register Republican and vote for one of the six of us."
Former Ambassador Alan Keyes, who announced his candidacy earlier this month but who is being excluded from some of the debates, made a pitch for his own inclusion: "They may or may not be afraid of all black people, but there seems to be at least one black person they're afraid of."
Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Romney were both in California. Mr. Giuliani raised funds and accepted the endorsement of former Gov. Pete Wilson, while Mr. Romney met voters in Sacramento. Mr. McCain was in New York yesterday while Mr. Thompson was in Tennessee.
The stage included four empty lecterns representing them.
Some clear differences emerged between the candidates who did show.
Mr. Huckabee and Mr. Brownback both identified themselves as strong supporters of giving the District of Columbia voting rights in Congress, though Mr. Brownback said it must be through a constitutional amendment.
Mr. Brownback, who until now has been a staunch advocate of granting citizenship to illegal aliens, did a U-turn and said he "will not support new paths to citizenship."
On the death penalty, all but Mr. Paul agreed that it needs to be retained for the most serious crimes. All six candidates said states can require identification to be shown before a voter may cast a ballot, though Mr. Paul said that has to be within limits.
"They might want to think it's a good excuse to have a national ID card to vote, and I am positively opposed to any move toward the national ID card," said the former Libertarian presidential candidate.

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