GOP 'Scheduling Conflicts' Postpone Another Black Voter Forum

In recent weeks, Republican presidential candidates have found time in their busy schedules to speak or debate before the Republican Jewish Coalition, "Value Voters," conservative Floridians, even Wyoming Republicans, who hold virtually no sway in the primary race. They've also agreed to appear at the CNN/YouTube debate they at one point shunned.

But it appears that some GOP frontrunners are once again letting an opportunity to appear before African-American voters lapse, just as they decided to sit out a black voter forum hosted last month by Tavis Smiley.

The Congressional Black Caucus Institute announced in September that it had scheduled a debate for November 4 on Fox News for Republican presidential candidates. But a spokeswoman for the group confirmed to the Huffington Post that it has now been postponed, with no new date set.

"The debate will not take place on November 4, and we're still considering the debate schedule," said CBC Institute spokesperson Georgella Muirhead.

Republican candidates have cited scheduling conflicts in resisting new proposed dates, Muirhead said.

"It's the same issue they had with some of the other debates," she added. "We're getting a new working date, that's what's being considered."

The CBC Political Education and Leadership Institute is a non-profit organization linked to the Congressional Black Caucus, which includes 43 African-American members of the House and Senate.

The leading GOP campaigns were coy about whether they planned to attend the rescheduled CBC/Fox News debate when contacted by the Huffington Post. Of the frontrunners, only Mitt Romney's campaign said he was considering attending.

"The debate was canceled before we confirmed our participation one way or another," said spokesman Stephen Smith. "We were considering this debate before it was canceled. As soon as we have rescheduled dates, we will consider them, it depends on when it's scheduled."

The campaign of Rep. Ron Paul said he would "try very hard" to attend the rescheduled event.

In September, the Huffington Post reported that the Republican frontrunners would all sit out the African-American voter forum at Baltimore's Morgan State University. The debate's hosts set up four empty lecterns to highlight the absence of the leaders in the race for the 2008 nomination. The candidates who did appear, such as Paul and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, criticized their opponents for failing to reach out to African-American voters.

Earlier this month, the question of reaching out to minority voters again emerged when Senator McCain confirmed he would attend a December Spanish-language forum hosted by the Univision network.

The CBC Institute has confirmed a January 17 debate on CNN featuring the Democratic presidential candidates. Earlier in the year, all but three of the Democratic hopefuls had boycotted another debate planned by the CBC Institute and Fox News after party membership objected to the idea of appearing on the conservative-oriented network.

Comments

[rtjohnson1]

Doug is a fool ignore him. Act as if he doesn't exist.

[Warmglobe]

Why appear in front of a group that is never going to vote for you under any circumstances? I wouldn't. Any group that has voted 99% for the Democrats without anything to show for it isn't worth having any respect for.

[Grannysue]

Maybe someone whould invest in a "day planner" for them. They don't seem to have any trouble showing up at the religious right wacko conventions.
But then they are following by example, their Boss only represents the wealthy and corporations, who needs the rest of the peons.

[gopindrag]

This is sung to the tune of an old folk song, 'where have all the pansies gone' ...........

where have all the good republicans gone
long time passing
where have all the good ones gone
long time ago
where have all the good republicans gone
gone to burials every one
when will they ever learn
they need to die and burn
before they'll ever earn
their get out of the closet card

[eddieinc97]

Republican don't have time for black people.

[FoundersFan]

You do realize that the Congressional Black Caucus has actively shunned Black Republicans from the organization? The real name should be Congressional Black Democrat Caucus and that is what the Republican candidates are shunning in this case.

[eddieinc97]

Can you please give me the name of one black Republican congressman shunned. Don't be cowards and hide behind scheduling problems. The candidates should say how they feel just as you did. Anyway, ignoring minority issues plays to their white base.

[RMLESQ]

How can anyone claim to want to be President of the United States and ignore an entire voting group? Black Americans are more than one-tenth of all Americans. I would expect that a black audience would not welcome conservatives with open arms. But a well-prepared candidate could score on issues such as education and support for minority businesses. And the experience would be a taste of what the candidate should expect in a general election.

[zannamar]

Why complain about this? Let the Republican party slowly kill itself off by sticking to their base(white rich men).

[Qbear]

I'd just say the debate is on THIS date.

be there or look racist....AGAIN

[DallasNE]

Interesting how the GOP never has scheduling conflicts when Fox News comes calling. Hmmmmmm.
So much for passing the smell test.

[ChiGuy]

The Republican candidates don't care about blacks and are all gutless and afraid to face tough questions.

It's as simple as that.

Anyone even considering the possibility of voting for one of them needs their head examined.

[barrycourage]

This is about as Republican as it gets.

They would undo civil rights legislation in a heartbeat if they could. What's totally egregious is that the GOP candidates first didn't think they even needed to make a false pretense about holding such a debate.

Scheduling my tush.

Now they're making a half-hearted effort because of the initial noise.

And what a pain for them.

CBC (all 43?) notwithstanding, it must take a lot of searching to find a black audience that would not be hostile. Of course, the GOP will screen each observer.

That's now post-Bush SOP.

[AKJM]

I think it is something other than race.
Black folks would ask about health care, jobs, NAFTA, education... All issues Repubs are avoiding.

[Qbear]

or they might mention the K-word

KATRINA

[Ginzaman]

This is way beyond a massive insult to all people of color. They'll let them cut their grass, take care of their kids, and work like a dog for minimum wage. But actually show up to a debate and treat them with respect like a human being? No f*****g chance.

[Gonzalez]

I wouldn't vote for any republicans for the rest of my life. And I'm only a hispanic. I can't believe the racism in the republican party. I never thought this country would EVER get to this. I guess I was wrong.

[jaywalker]

AMEN to that! It's not just the Repuke Neo-Cons, it's people like Doug that belong to their fan club. I wonder what it feels like to be Doug and just live to spread hate and lies.

[groucho]

Is Condi busy?