GOP Candidates Rip Four Who Skipped Race-Issues Debate

Second-tier Republican presidential candidates reached out to black Americans at a debate last night while the party's top-tier candidates stayed away in favor of reaching out for cash. In a decision criticized by some Republicans, the top four candidates cited schedule conflicts as their reason for skipping the nationally televised All-American Presidential Forum at Morgan State University, a historically black school. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson were represented by empty podiums on the stage.

Tavis Smiley, the debate's moderator, jabbed at the no-shows in his opening comments. “Some of the campaigns who declined our invitation to join us tonight have suggested publicly that this audience would be hostile and unreceptive,” Mr. Smiley said. “Since we're live on PBS right now, I can't tell you what I really think of these kinds of comments.” He praised the six candidates who showed up, and noted “there are some in the Republican Party who do understand the importance of reaching out to people of color,” singling out former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Rep. Jack Kemp of New York and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. Mr. Smiley also noted that President George W. Bush last week said it was important for GOP candidates to reach out to racial minorities.

On hand for last's night debate were Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, California Rep. Duncan Hunter and former Ambassador Alan Keyes. “Frankly, I'm embarrassed,” said Gov. Huckabee. “I'm embarrassed for our party and I'm embarrassed for those who did not come, because there's long been a divide in this country, and it doesn't get better when we don't show up.” Sen. Brownback apologized for the no-shows and called it a “disgrace that they're not here.” “You grow political parties by expanding your base, by reaching out to people and getting more people,” Sen. Brownback said. “What they're doing is sending the message of narrowing the base, and that's not the right way to go. It's not good for the Republican Party, it's not good for the country. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry to you and I'm sorry to those watching that they're not here.” Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who might join the presidential race, noted that invitations were extended in March and called the schedule conflict excuse “baloney.” “African Americans have been hurt more by the failures of government” than any other group, Mr. Gingrich said this week on “Good Morning America,” adding, “I think Republicans could have, if they had the nerve to do it, a tremendous message” for black voters.

The evening's first question came from Lucille Victoria Rowels of Chicago, winner of an online contest. She wanted to know why blacks “are not able to name even one Republican president in the 142 years since Lincoln's death who have left a positive and significant legacy for black Americans.” She also wanted to know what each candidate would do as president to leave a positive legacy among blacks. Gov. Huckabee said he hoped blacks would remember President Eisenhower's move to federalize the National Guard in Little Rock in 1957 when a Democratic governor denied blacks admission to schools. He also vowed to fix inequities in the criminal justice system. Rep. Paul called for “repeal of most of federal laws on drugs and the unfairness of how blacks are treated with these drug laws.” Sen. Brownback said he'd back “an official apology from the U.S. government for the institutions of slavery and segregation in this country.” Rep. Hunter said, “I can't talk about young black Americans, the need for them to be shielded from pornography, which is certainly a need, without talking about the need for all Americans to be shielded from pornography.

My response: The top-tier Republican presidential candidates did not show up for one reason: blacks are not a key constituency in the Republican primaries that they need to win in order to secure the Republican Party's nomination. Thus, they knew that they could literally get more bang for the buck elsewhere and focus on their fundraising efforts. Especially given the overwhelmingly liberal, Democratic audience at Morgan State University. Right or wrong (and I would argue that it's wrong as they should have viewed that the negative publicity was not worth it for them and may hurt them down the line as they try to secure votes for the general election), that is the top-tier candidates' political calculus....even though they lacked the integrity to just state it. The second-tier candidates need all the votes and especially publicity that they can get, and hence why they were there. This is no different than when Democratic candidates make the same calculation and skip debates sponsored by self-identified values groups, knowing that they are not a needed constituency to secure the Democratic Party's nomination.