GOP front-runners absent from race debate
Six attending Republicans critiqued Giuliani, Romney, Thompson and McCain for not participating in discussion
The Maryland GOP, which co-sponsored the debate with GOPAC, did not wish to comment on the absent frontrunners, but did applaud the people who came.
"We are always excited to be able to host something like this" said John Flynn, the executive director for the Maryland GOP. "It's not every day that Maryland gets to hold a debate like this … so we're happy to have anyone who is in Maryland to come and share their ideas."
The debate, held at historically black Morgan State University and moderated by Travis Smiley of PBS, was geared toward addressing issues of importance to black Americans. A similar debate was held for the Democratic candidates - where all the front-runners were present - in June.
Other than Brownback and Tancredo, the candidates who did take their podiums were Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, California Rep. Duncan Hunter and former Amb. Alan Keyes.
All of the candidates at the debate currently poll in single digits, if not in decimals, in most state and national surveys.
Despite their low standing in polls, each was able to command the stage at Morgan State.
Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who was narrowly defeated in his 2006 campaign for the U.S. Senate by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), serves as the chairman of GOPAC, which co-sponsored the debate. He also showed disappointment with the front-runners.
"Each of us has a duty to be involved in the public debate of ideas," Steele said, explaining that blacks and Republicans have been standing at arm's length from each other for a long time, and that "both have missed a genuine opportunity to communicate and reach out to each other."
Keyes, the only black Republican running for president, stood up for the missing candidates. Because the front-runners also missed the "values voter" debate - a forum for social conservatives - it would be unfair to assume that their absence shows they don't care about blacks, he said.
He did point out his own troubles in getting into a Republican debate in Michigan earlier this year, though and suggested that the other candidates "may not be afraid of all black people, but there seems to be at least one they're afraid of."
"We are always excited to be able to host something like this" said John Flynn, the executive director for the Maryland GOP. "It's not every day that Maryland gets to hold a debate like this … so we're happy to have anyone who is in Maryland to come and share their ideas."
The debate, held at historically black Morgan State University and moderated by Travis Smiley of PBS, was geared toward addressing issues of importance to black Americans. A similar debate was held for the Democratic candidates - where all the front-runners were present - in June.
Other than Brownback and Tancredo, the candidates who did take their podiums were Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, California Rep. Duncan Hunter and former Amb. Alan Keyes.
All of the candidates at the debate currently poll in single digits, if not in decimals, in most state and national surveys.
Despite their low standing in polls, each was able to command the stage at Morgan State.
Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who was narrowly defeated in his 2006 campaign for the U.S. Senate by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), serves as the chairman of GOPAC, which co-sponsored the debate. He also showed disappointment with the front-runners.
"Each of us has a duty to be involved in the public debate of ideas," Steele said, explaining that blacks and Republicans have been standing at arm's length from each other for a long time, and that "both have missed a genuine opportunity to communicate and reach out to each other."
Keyes, the only black Republican running for president, stood up for the missing candidates. Because the front-runners also missed the "values voter" debate - a forum for social conservatives - it would be unfair to assume that their absence shows they don't care about blacks, he said.
He did point out his own troubles in getting into a Republican debate in Michigan earlier this year, though and suggested that the other candidates "may not be afraid of all black people, but there seems to be at least one they're afraid of."
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