The Republican Forum, the second of the All-American Presidential Forums on PBS hosted by Tavis Smiley, will be held on September 27, 2007 at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. The event will be televised live on PBS and simultaneously Webcast on pbs.org.
The All-American Presidential Forums on PBS mark the first time that a panel exclusively comprised of journalists of color has been represented in primetime. Questions to the Republican candidates will be posed by Tavis and journalists Ray Suarez of of The NewsHour, columnist Cynthia Tucker of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and NPR correspondent Juan Williams.
Guess who has not agreed to come?
Rudy and Flipping Mitt.
Surprise Surprise.
Now, don't call me conspiratorial, but how come regular folks can't send in questions to this one? Did I miss them asking for questions? If I'm wrong about that, please tell me.
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4 comments:
They have missed at least two previous public events.
Perhaps this is part of the Republican outreach toward Black voters...
It shows you that their so-called outreach effort towards minorities (prior to the mid-term elections) was never sincere. It was only designed to split the Black vote as many had suspected all along.
This is why I get irritated by Rev. Al when he complains that the Republicans don't seem interested and that they should continue their "outreach".
This is also an example of why there needs to be (at the very least) a 3rd and 4th Major Political Party added to the mix. That way, more groups in this country can have candidates and political parties truly compete for their vote, instead of what we have today....where one party ignores Black voters and the other takes them for granted. In the end, no one is serious about the issues that Black voters face.
The last big event that they missed was the Urban League conference in St. Louis...
I'm not a fan of having these people pandering to Black voters just for the sake of pandering. I'd rather be treated like any other American rather than someone who is assumed to be part of a voting block and assumed to have certain beliefs because I have black skin.
I would rather see Black Americans hook up with independent groups and other smaller parties to form a viable 3rd Party with strong candidates (not necessarily Black....someone who would represent all). Unity 08 is already working on that effort....but it would be great if it could be done on a much larger scale. The efforts of Black voters would be better utilized if they created their own political infrastructure (an independent one) and their own team of candidates, rather than continuing to beg for attention from a group of candidates who have made it clear that they are not interested is even talking. Unfortunately, Black voters, and the so-called Black leadership in this country are not yet savvy enough to even think along these lines.
50 years from now, Black voters will still be begging for the attention of rich (mostly white) candidates from the same two Party system who really don't care about issues of poverty, education, healthcare, labor rights, blighted cities, crime, etc.
This is why Black folks would be better off joining with other groups, including White, Asian and Hispanic groups, on issues of common interest...like the issues that I just mentioned. They need to stop acting as though poverty is a "Black issue", and stop isolating themselves from the rest of America. Once there is some kind of collective advocacy... and once there are more viable political parties thrown into the fray to provide leverage, positive things will begin to happen...both in blighted urban America and in abandoned White Rural America.
But Blacks will continue to get nowhere politically if they continue to stay in their own world, isolated from the rest of America. This is what the Congressional Black Caucus and the Black elite establishment doesn't understand....and probably never will. Which is part of why I can't stand em...
AI,
BRAVO!
AI,
I believe Black people, well, a select group, are desperate for other political options. We'd love to feel genuinely comfortable in the other major party, but come on - just not real.
The GOP isn't serious about courting Black votes. I do ask what's worse - someone who practices benign neglect, or someone who is outright hostile to you?
So let me get this straight. The DEMOCRATS canceled the Fox News debate and it was cause to cheer for well thinking Black folks because the REPUBLICANS don't have the Democrat's best interests in mind.....the "Black Man's party".
Republicans not showing up to Tavis Smiley's forum, despite his attack after attack over time on Republicans should be seen as a DISS OF BLACK PEOPLE?
Is this what you are saying?
[quote]It shows you that their so-called outreach effort towards minorities (prior to the mid-term elections) was never sincere. [/quote]
Angry - at no time in American history have more Black people and DEMOCRATS of any race represented the Black community. A report that I saw the other day notes that there are now 16,000 Black elected officials in this country.
How is it that you worry about REPUBLICAN OUTREACH more than you worry about WHO IS REPRESENTING YOU during your time of great grievance?
What other entity blames THE GUY WITH NO TRACTION in their organization rather than THOSE THAT THEY FAVOR AND HAVE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS?
For years Black people have lived vicariously through the electoral success of the Democrat and the "First Black". In LA last week "WE RETAINED the seat from the Hispanic threat" was heard. But WHO REALLY WON Angry? The Democrats or the Black Community there - which is STILL POOR despite the growth in representation from "people with THEIR INTERESTS IN MIND".
The Republican's outreach effort not being "sincere" seems to be a cry for attention and a hope for legitimacy from you. After you have held out your behind to kiss for so long what makes you think some people are going to keep bending downward to plant one on you?
The bottom line that as the Democratic PROWESS within the Black community is celebrated the maintenance or increase in the Misery index serves as the bitter hangover.
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