Thompson Refuses To Debate At Historically Black College

Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson has become the fourth leading GOP presidential candidate to shun the PBS debate this month at a historically black college in Baltimore, the Huffington Post has learned.

The debates, moderated by Tavis Smiley, will go on as planned, despite the absence of Thompson, former mayor Rudy Giuliani, former governor Mitt Romney, and Sen. John McCain. Each campaign cited scheduling issues as the reason for their absence. Nevertheless, the rejections underscore the consistent absence of GOP candidates at minority voter forums.

"There is a pattern here," Smiley told the Huffington Post. "When you tell every black and brown request that you get throughout the primary process that 'no, there's a scheduling problem.' That's a pattern... Are we really supposed to believe that all four of these guys couldn't make it because of scheduling?"

The Republican frontrunners' snubbing of Smiley and PBS comes on the heels of their rejection of a debate sponsored by the Spanish-language network Univision (McCain was the only GOP candidate to accept that invitation). This past June, only one Republican presidential candidate, California Rep. Duncan Hunter, showed up at the convention of the National Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials.

"It's not just that they are not coming. It's that some of them are visibly insulting us," Cecilia Munoz, vice president of NCLR, told the Politico.

According to Smiley, the Thompson campaign knew about the debate - taking place at 9 pm on September 27 at Morgan State University- well before he declared his candidacy. Former RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman chose the date because it worked best for all the potential candidates, Smiley said.

An official on Thompson's staff called up the PBS host on Monday to deliver the message.

"I told them I thought they were making a grave mistake and I thought they should reconsider," said Smiley. The Thompson campaign did not respond for a request for comment by the time of print.

The five other Republican candidates for president have all committed to the PBS debate and Smiley plans to proceed with the plans - albeit with four empty lecterns on stage.

"Unlike Univision which cancelled their debate, unlike CNN, which changed their date [of the YouTube debate] we are going live," said Smiley. "We are delighted the other five are coming and appreciate their courage for showing up. The beat goes on."

Comments

[Whipcord1200Jesus]

Why ain't you mention all 4 also didn't attend the Values Voter debate? That's very germane to this story, no?
http://wingnutsmoonbats.blogspot.com

[Firaxis]

Liberals favorite despot:

Sep 17 02:49 PM US/Eastern
By IAN JAMES
Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened on Monday to close or take over any private school that refuses to submit to the oversight of his socialist government as it develops a new curriculum and textbooks.
"Society cannot allow the private sector to do whatever it wants," said Chavez, speaking on the first day of classes.

All schools, public and private, must admit state inspectors and submit to the government's new educational system, or be closed and nationalized, with the state taking responsibility for the education of their children, Chavez said.

A new curriculum will be ready by the end of this school year, and new textbooks are being developed to help educate "the new citizen," said Chavez's brother and education minister Adan Chavez, who joined him a televised ceremony at the opening of a public school in the eastern town of El Tigre.

The president's opponents accuse him of aiming to indoctrinate young Venezuelans with socialist ideology. But the education minister said the aim is to develop "critical thinking," not to impose a single way of thought.

[Firaxis]

I think Thalia wrote this part:

"But the education minister said the aim is to develop critical thinking, not to impose a single way of thought."

Stalinistas, ya gotta love 'em.

[oneseye]

Furry ass hates critical thinking. That's why he never does any himself.
A single way of thought is simpler for his tiny brain to handle.

" USA good! Them bad!"

[duridu55]

He's popular and he has oil.

You Lose.

[Firaxis]

Another Stalinista speaks.

You are known and judged by your friends.

Seems you have no problem with the voter suppression of Senor Chavez.

[TonyaDLuv]

Afghan Officials: Taliban Leader Behind South Korean Kidnappings Killed

KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. airstrikes targeting a meeting of Taliban leaders killed a high-ranking commander involved in the kidnappings of 23 South Koreans two months ago, Afghan officials said Tuesday.

Mullah Abdullah Jan, the Taliban commander of Qara Bagh district in Ghazni province, was among 12 killed in the strike on a mud-brick housing compound overnight, said Ghazni provincial police chief Gen. Ali Shah Ahmadzai.

Jan was the fifth Taliban commander allegedly involved in the abductions who has been reported killed in recent days, and believed to be the highest-ranking one eliminated so far. Jan watched as his fighters stopped and kidnapped a tour bus carrying the South Koreans in July, Ahmadzai said.

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You can run, but you can't hide. They will all be hunted down and assassinated.

Why does't the liberal media announce these evil people's blessed deaths?

[duridu55]

"You can run, but you can't hide. They will all be hunted down and assassinat­ed."


grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

You betcha.

They'll simply breed more of them.

Idiot.

[TonyaDLuv]

Are you saying the South Korean Christian kidnappers should be left alone?

[oneseye]

Gonna kill'em all Keyboard Rambo?

MrrrKKKhun forces don't keep track of civilian casualties. Oh...unles­s their American. Furrin casualties are all al Qaeda or Taliban. Fucking liars.

Why is it that you MrrrKKanazis still think that 'other people' are only worth 3/5 of a white MrrrKKKanazi???? Some furriners ain't worth nothing in your filthy eyes. Like the kids murdered by American troops using Whiskey Pete in Fallujah.

[TonyaDLuv]

There are no civilian casualties in Iraq or Afghanistan.

[TonyaDLuv]

Home Foreclosures Soar in August...J­ohn Edwards main forecloser.

[Firaxis]

Yeah, John Edwards' two Americas.

The one he lives in and the other one his neighbors live in.

Elizabeth won't even let "those people" on her property.

[TonyaDLuv]

In reality, Elizabeth Edwards is a stereotypical "rich bitch."

[duridu55]

This ain't no big deal.

We talked to Rove on this.

Nigras and other brown people don't matter.

We can acquire the Executive Branch solely on the votes of backwardsassed, snake handling, rhythm-deprived Caucasians.

Florida and Ohio are still rigged for us.

[dhfsfc]

I guess the Republican tradition of pandering to Blacks an Latinos is over! It was all a lie anyway.

Plus, the Repugs needed to do this in order to continue to pander to lower and middle-class white folks who don't see their pockets getting picked even as they pull the lever for these lying bastards.

[JohnKemp]

Typical liberals.

The Dems boycott the Black Caucas debate & are hero-worshipped for it.

Republicans boycott this one & are ridiculed for it.

When one registers to be a Dem, does he have to take the "Hypocritic Oath?"

[Firaxis]

Well, the Democrats like their "negroes" not to stray from the Democrat Party Plantation.

After all, white liberals all believe that black people need affirmative action or they can't succeed.

[duridu55]

Like Colin Powell.

You betcha.

[JohnKemp]

I heard an analysis of LBJ's great Society this week.

In 1965, poverty levels (probably becasue of Kennedy's economic policies) were rapidly declining & had reached the 12% level.

Forty years and 11 TRILLION dollars later, the current "poverty rate?" - 12%.

You may have seen where Philadelphia's Police Chief, Sylvester Johnson, has admitted that violence in the bluest of the blue cities is past the point of control and is asking 10,000 Black men to begin patrolling the streets.

And I read in today's paper that LBJ has had the Education Building in DC named for him.

Go figure.

[WilliePilgrim]

The so-called "debate" hasn't even begun and alread the contentious atmosphere is being generated as if the way a candidate reacts to the toxic environment is more important than any substance created to adddress the horrible legacy of slavery and racism.
Can anyone be blamed if they think that there's a sizeable and coveted industry in exposing and making political hay over this? The media for one, loves this sort of controversy so that the viewer is stimulated to watch and while doing so, consider the commerial offerings.

[TonyaDLuv]

The Democrat White Flag strategy is to punish the troops just when the counterinsurgency / surge measures are showing signs of success:

At the Pentagon on Monday, officials released a quarterly report on the war that echoed last week’s testimony of Gen. David Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq. The report cited recent gains in security, including a decrease in sectarian killings, but little political progress in Baghdad.

Recent operations “have started to create the security conditions that will allow the government of Iraq to implement reforms and pursue reconciliation initiatives,” the report states.
No matter:

In February, Bush requested $147 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in budget year 2008, which begins Oct. 1. As early as this week, Bush is expected to ask for another $40 billion to $50 billion.

[John] Murtha, who chairs the House committee that oversees military spending, estimated Congress is likely to ignore the request until November.

But don’t question their…never mind.

I WILL! DEMOCRATS ARE UNPATRIOTIC!

[oneseye]

"But under the rules that govern private security contractors here, the Iraqis do not have the legal authority to do so."
Tony the paper Tiger!
You are just plain silly.

The Eyerackis already had criminals running the country before the ILLEGAL invasion and occupation. The Eyeracki criminals were more competent in running the country than the American criminals who took over.
Your idiot admission that "the rules" do not allow Eyerack control over the private army of foreign mercinaries on their own soil puts the lie to the "spreading democracy" codswallop. Imagine 25,000 heavily armed furriners roaming around MrrrKKKhuh? answering to no one. What would you do asshole?
The Eyerackis have every right to throw out the invaders using any method they choose except killing innocent Eyerackis.

[TonyaDLuv]

A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf, said Monday that authorities had canceled the company’s license and that the government would prosecute the participants. But under the rules that govern private security contractors here, the Iraqis do not have the legal authority to do so.

The shooting took place in Baghdad on Sunday, but the details were still unclear...
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...but that didn't stop the liberals in the media and in America from blaming America first....b­efore the truth came out, just like they did to our soldiers regarding the Hadita incident, in which all of the soldiers were acquitted.

[Qbear]

From the evidence I've been gathering I've come to the Conclusion Fred Thompson is a Stealth DEMOCRAT

First, he likes women (OK girls a third his age) but there's no evidence money was left on the nightstand, or diapers involved in the wooing.

Second, he won't meet with the FAMILY or CONCERNED haters, and even has an openly gay Communications Director Robert Traynham, and he's even African American. He's a damaged little self loathing gay who worked for man-on-dog Santorum, but at the end of the day he loves men.

Third it was Fred who asked in the Watergate hearings about audio tapes, which single handedly KILLED NIXON.


So if Fred is a stealth Democrat his purpose is to so split the GOP that pro-gay Mittler, and pro-gay, pro-choice Bush-in-a dress Rudy don't get nominated.
Maybe Fred just hates Sean Hannity who is shoving Rudy down the throats of values voters, who Rudy won't even attend their debate...o­uch.

[mike53]

I suppose he also likes to store his cigars in interns.

[oneseye]

OK now that is funny!

[PODdem]

Republicans went to the crossroads all right and made a deal with the devil. Now he's coming to collect.

[Qbear]

btw,,,Cuban Americans Republicans had all locked up...not so much.

Blame your Radio HATE JOCKS for trashing ALL LATINOS...­boy is that going to bite ya in the a$$ in Florida...­.yikes!

[kittycago]

Maybe it is the liberals who should be taken to task for having their "segregagted debates" rather than having those in front of all Americans. So far they have had a "union" debate,a YOUTUBE a gay debate, one in a foreign language, and an African American debate.
----------­----------­----------­----------­-------
really this bothers you?how curious when we live in a nation where we all have a voice and seperate issues that are unique to our color,gender,or workplace.­I guess unless your a WASP you just do not get you issues addressed in a way that actually addresses your personal life by the people who say they want to lead you.Gays serve and die in our military ,blacks and hispanics are serving and dying too.Does this not give them a seperate voice to address their concerns?Do you know that even certain diseases are unique to certain races?You think a black person should not ask about voter disenfranchising or a hispanic about American citizen classes that are given in so few places they can not get attend?You actually think a gay person should not be concerned about losing their job and henceforth their medical benefits because the boss does not want to work with a gay ?
Of course they have seperate debates they are paid less for the same jobs and live in neighborhoods with the worst schools.if that were you you would want a candidate to address your concerns.
it is not a straw argument it is harsh reality and to not address them as seperate but equally important voting blocks is permeating the status quo.That is unacceptable.

[Warmglobe]

I guess under the pure definition that makes you a racist!

[Warmglobe]

Unlike liberals..­..there are those amoung us that think that all racism is bad. This includes the delusion that we have to seperate groups to debate in front of. It is the liberals, as well as many in "the community" that want to seperate people into categories like this. Maybe it is the liberals who should be taken to task for having their "segregagted debates" rather than having those in front of all Americans. So far they have had a "union" debate,a YOUTUBE a gay debate, one in a foreign language, and an African American debate.
It is also setting up a straw man. There is no requirement that anyone attend these debates. So if someone declines it they call him a racist.
So the whole thing is stupid and an illustration of what is really wrong with many in this country.

[Qbear]

Keep rationalizing, dissing, and refusing to meet with Black and Brown Americans.­..and they'll not just thump your a$$ in 2008, they will spank you, and bend you over and make you be their B*TCH!

[KBAR]

"We started our party with the express intent of protecting the American people from the Democrats' pro-slavery policies that expressly made people inferior to the state," wrote Rep. Christopher Cox (R., Calif.), who authorized the calendar last year as House Policy chairman. "Today, the animating spirit of the Republican Party is exactly the same as it was then: free people, free minds, free markets, free expression, and unlimited opportunit­y."

The GOP's embrace of color-neutral policies parallels Martin Luther King's dream of racial equality over racial scale tipping. "The constitutional amendments that the Republican party supported after the Civil War did not advance preferences by race," Cox told me. "They made government view every person as an individual, not as a member of a racial group."

[jmc42]

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Another Stupid White Guy with the brains and morals of a fruit fly.

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