“Journalists of color” to question GOP presidential candidates
I don’t know about you, but I’m all “presidential debated” out. There’s yet another one tonight, sponsored by PBS and hosted by “journalists of color” (read: liberal, non-white journalists):
The “All-American Presidential Forums on PBS” Moderated by Tavis Smiley will give Republican presidential candidates an opportunity to make their case on the issues of concern for people of color. The Forum will take place on September 27, 2007, from 9 to 10:30 p.m (EDT), broadcast live on PBS from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Candidates appearing at the Forum include Senator Sam Brownback, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Congressman Duncan Hunter, Ambassador Alan Keyes, Congressman Ron Paul and Congressman Tom Tancredo. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Senator John McCain, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Senator Fred Thompson have thus far declined the invitation.
The first Forum was held on June 28, 2007, at Howard University in Washington, DC, featuring all eight Democratic candidates. Both events have historic significance as the first-ever nationally broadcast election events specifically oriented towards voters of color.
Moderator Smiley commented: “No one should be elected president of this country in 2008 if they ignore people of color. If they want to be president of all America, they need to speak to all Americans.”
He added, “The candidates who have confirmed will be sending a powerful and unprecedented message to people of color and all Americans of conscience and goodwill that their vote is being competed for and fought over. For those who are choosing not to attend, it is a missed opportunity. We will have four extra lecterns on the stage should they ultimately choose to participate.”
Like the Democratic event, the Republicans will field questions from a distinguished panel featuring three journalists of color: Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Juan Williams of National Public Radio and Ray Suarez of PBS/The NewsHour.
La Shawn Barber’s liveblogging it.
They should have had her serve as one of the questioners, IMO. Then they’d have some real diversity.
Here’s a flashback: My column on “journalists of color” and groupthink.
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After Hillarys skipity doo dah yesterday and the lame debates so far with the exception of ‘fox’s’ I’ve had it also.
Journalists of color? are they being interviewed by the people who paint themselves at the ballgames?
MM Said:
I actually think the early start to all this campaigning for something still over a year away has a darker and more sinister purpose …
I think the DemoCraps figure that if everyone gets completely fed up with all these “debates” they will get turned off to the election and stay home on election day and somehow that will give them an advantage at the polls.
Have to watch them even though it’s mostly smoke up the rump anywho.
I wonder what it is like to go through life using the color of your skin as an excuse for all manner of self-induced problems. That must be convenient.
Funny thing is that the people who bemoan the supposed lack of “equality” the most are the same ones who make their own skin color a primary talking point for any argument.
I bet DK will chime in.
Or – GOD forbid – have Michelle Malkin serve as one of the questioners or, is she not
dark“of color” enough?It’s not really about issues affecting “people of color”…it is about the issues affecting “people of color” who ALSO have a victim mentality and whose ideology is decidedly liberal.
Michelle wouldn’t be welcome to serve as a panelist there because she thinks for herself and doesn’t use her ethnic background as an excuse for anything.
This would just be an opportunity for the MSM to bash the candidates over their hatred for minorities and immigrants. Lots of sound bites taken out of context for the Moonbats and their mouth pieces in the Liberal press. No Thanks.
Agreed. I guess I should have used the /sarc. I just thought it was obvious.
C’mon OMSB, I’ve been here long enough to know you were being sarcastic
I just had similar thoughts.
It is not black vs white. It is seriousness vs nonsense.
To say that “black issues” such as reparations for slavery, white chess pieces moving first, bad guys wearing black in westerns, and every other non-issue that becomes Selma Alabama merit a 90 minute discussion is an insult to thinking black Americans who see issues such as tax cuts, the War on Terror, and other important matters as human issues, not “white” issues.
Liberals refuse to go on Fox News, which many people watch. Conservatives do not need to go on a network nobody watches to face hostile questions from journalists who despise them as racists for being conservative.
It’s the liberalism, stupid.
I personally think the 4 “big dogs” should have a separate last minute debate tonight on Fox News to further marginalize the dwarves kissing the PBS-Al Sharpton rumpus wing of the democratic party.
http://blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com/2007/08/16/al-sharpton-colon-cancer-and-other-pains-in-the-rumpus/
Respectfully,
eric
Didn’t Cynthia Tucker, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, change a lettr to the editor to alter the meaning, then got caught at it?
She’s as dishonest as they come.
After Juan Williams’ interview with the President I’m surprised that he is still considered a “journalist of color”. He actually brought up the fact that while Bill Clinton promised a cabinet that “looked like America”, George Bush had quietly actually put one together. I think that was supposed to be a big secret, Juan. Big MSM doesn’t really like that uncomfortable truth repeated very often.
I think Barber’s absence would be felt like Obama’s on the senate floor.
I have watched one GOP debate so far this year. The candidates are underwhelming. On the democrat side of the aisle, the selection is equally dismal. Maybe, maybe after the national conventions I will watch the presidential debates.
From Michelle’s 1999 column…
Fearlessness and honesty are in severe shortage at PBS and the MSM in general. In addition, our political discourse is saturated with cynicism. Questions from journalist who are clearly not ready for prime time to people who aspire to be leader of the Free World are practically useless.
Michelle, we know you for your ideas, ideology, and idiosyncrasies, we know you as fearless and independent, and that is why this blog has had more than 100,000,000 visitors. That’s why we’d rather have you asking the questions.
Local pundits in their post-debate
obituarycommentary went 4-0 for Huckabee. Personally I can’t take anyone seriously who has a name like a cartoon character, or who sounds like Gomer Pyle (Edwards).Tom Terrific put in a good performance tonight. I finally got a chance to hear him answer several questions, and I liked what I heard. Usually he just gets to answer one or two questions. I’d like to see more of him.
Huckabee moved down my list. I agreed with very little he said tonight.
“Journalists of color”?Are they the ones who write in crayon?
“Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Senator John McCain, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Senator Fred Thompson have thus far declined the invitation.”
Wise of them.
Diversity is code for racial preferences for African-Americans, homosexuals, females who are Democrats and excluding caucasians. That is not diversity, but a prostitution of the word. Typical 1984 news speak.
Looks like I missed another liberal love fest with soft ball questions. I am sick and tired of this “color” fascination the MSM and their liberal friends have. It is long overdue to put away all the race cards and forget the victim status that goes with it. Can’t we all just be Americans first? I judge an individual on who they are and how they behave (good character, morale fiber, integrity, etc.) not on their color or race. I guess I’m a little grumpy this morning too many long days at work (fiscal year close-out) and not enough caffeine.
I really am out of it this morning. It was the GOP candidates willing to prostrate themselves on PBS. I guess I really am Dumass material today. DOOOH!
I had no idea there was another debate and like you I am all debated out now. I mean what is up with a debate every other week it seems now and all the do is ask the same questions over and over. I will wait till after the primaries now to make a decision on candidates.
Duncan Hunter did a fine job. Huckabee…naw. Too many things I disagree on. Mr. Alan Keyes was a hoot. Eloquent as usual, never letting the audiance forget that many of the problems in the black and hispanic communities are their own fault. Why he was there I don’t know, but said things the rest of the field didn’t dare utter. I enjoyed his banter. After the Juan Williams bashing by CNN the past few days he was a bit subdued I think.
“Journalists of color.” Yeah, sure. When they have Michelle asking the questions, then I’ll know it’s about “journalism” and not “color.”
And yeah, I’ve yet to watch a single debate and I’m already debated out. This campaign season has started way, way too early – it’s like watching stores putting up Christmas displays before Halloween.
Meantime, whenever I hear garbage like “person of color” as another way to promote the concept of hyphenated-Ameericans, I always recall Redd Foxx’s immortal line from the old sitcom, “Sanford & Son”:
Oops. Clicked the wrong button…
Quote is,
“Yeah, they was colored — white.
I wish someone would show BlackTygerrr how to use the link button. Then, he could post a comment that looked like: Sharptan is a PITA instead of posting a link that stretches wayyy outside his comment box.