9:02 p.m.: OK. I’m here. There’s a decent showing in the media center, but it’s not as packed as it was at Howard. I have a feeling this is going to be boring. Tavis is on. I wish bloggers could sit in the debate auditorium. So Tavis is talking about the Little Rock anniversary. Two of the “Little Rock Nine” are here: Terrance Roberts and Jefferson Thomas.
Tavis is supposedly hot about the top four Republican candidates not being here. It’s important to “reach out to communities of color,” he says.
Former MD Lt Gov Michael Steele just got a standing O. I saw him in the hall and didn’t try to meet him. He looked busy. He says “we” have the opportunity to change the course of the nation, or some such.
Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Sam Brownback, Tom Tancredo (my guy!), Duncan Hunter, and Alan Keyes in the house. Tavis says missing candidates are represented by empty podium. Huckabee says he’s disappointed in missing candidates. Something about “African Americans” and “we” need to work through issues. He’s honored to be here. Blah, blah, blah.
9:14 p.m.: Here blogging with Casey Lartigue.
Ron Paul wants to bring the troops home. Big applause. Brownback says it’s a disgrace missing candidates aren’t there. They’re sending message of narrowing the base. He’s apologizing on behalf of the candidates. Will this thing focus on missing candidates? Get to the issues!
Keyes says don’t assume it’s about race. He says he was at values voters debate. Says he’s been BANNED from other Republican debates. Interesting…
A contest winner got to ask a question: What legacy do you want to leave for the black community as president, or something like that. Huckabee says housing opportunities would be better. GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS? Is a Republican pushing more government programs on black people? Panderfest!
Ron Paul’s pushing property rights but with a “black” spin. No wonder the other candidates didn’t show up. Brownback’s talking about some “African American” memorial on the mall. OFFICIAL APOLOGY FOR SLAVERY AND SEGREGATION!
TANCREDO IS ON THE MARK. He says it does not do us service to focus on race! Let’s do something for EVERYONE, he says, and enforce immigration laws. Duncan’s on the same theme. Lifting all Americans, regardless of color. Keyes says he doesn’t believe there’s deep divide between blacks and whites. He wants to see unity in moral imperative.
Juan Williams in the house! Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution fires first bullet. Something about disparity in graduation rates, employment. Tancredo says he can’t agree with race-baiting comments on why we have problems. If only he’d get the nomination. Man! He talked about success in the black community when families were intact. Tancredo and Keyes are the only ones who aren’t race-pandering. The rest are shameless fools. Hunter’s pushing small business. Keyes is talking about the destructive force of government programs. Family breakdown. Selfish hedonism. Promiscuity. Preach it!
The hispanic journalist asks if candidates will sign amnesty bill or support rounding up 12 million illegal aliens (my term, not his) and sending them home. Ron Paul says he WILL NOT vote for amnesty. Brownback says he won’t vote for amnesty. Tancredo is straightening out the “rounding up” myth. If you simply enforce the law, people will go home. The rest of the candidates are pretty much saying the right things. Get the employers. Enforce the law. Slave class.
Ian Schwartz, who’s not a teen anymore, is here. And Matt Sheffield. Bob Cox. Eric Scheie.
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I’m trekking up to Baltimore tonight to “live-blog” this. Glad to see Juan Williams on the panel of questioners. I mentioned his book in yesterday’s post. I’ve interviewed him but never met him. Looking forward to it.
Watch this post and this space for live-blogging and photos. (Special thanks to Bob Cox at Media Bloggers Association.)
By the way (haters will love this), I had a CNN near-miss today. As you know, the top Republican candidates (Thompson, Romney, Giuliani, and McCain) will not debate tonight at Morgan State, a black college. Some say it’s racially motivated, but the candidates cite scheduling conflicts. Producers were looking for someone who believes the declined invitations have nothing to do with race (like moi). They found someone else, though.
It’s too bad FOX News doesn’t reach out to bloggers, conservative or otherwise.
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