Vigo the Destroyer lookalike and Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson has added his name to a long list of candidates unwilling to participate in presidential debate sponsored by PBS to be held later this month. The debate is scheduled to take place at historically black college, Morgan State University in Baltimore.

Thompson joins Presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Senator John McCain. Each of the liars are basing their cancellation on scheduling conflicts. You would think if you're at the level of running for President, you would be accustomed to lying, therefore you would come with a better lie than 'scheduling conflicts' - especially when you were alerted about the debate several months ago.

Only a few short months ago did this same Republican snub occur, this time for a debate sponsored Spanish-language channel, Univision. Only John McCain accepted the invitation to appear. The debate was subsequently cancelled. And, as The Huffington Post reports, only one Republican presidential candidate bothered to appear at the National Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials convention. That candidate was Congressman Duncan Hunter, and no, I have no idea who that is either.

Tavis Smiley on Republicans ignoring the colored folk:

"There is a pattern here, when you tell every black and brown request that you get throughout the primary process that 'no, there's a scheduling problem.' That's a pattern... Are we really supposed to believe that all four of these guys couldn't make it because of scheduling?"

Hell nawl.


Figures.

This isn't the first debate Republicans have played around with. The date for the You Tube/CNN debate for Republicans had to be changed after Romney and Giuliani used the same scheduling conflict excuse. What they meant by scheduling conflicts was, "We saw the Democratic debate and noticed CNN didn't censor questions, and we're not about to make asses of ourselves."

I'm sure they're even less enthused at the idea of explaining their bullshit to an audience of minorities, particularly in a city like Baltimore where its effects are increasingly evident. They've seen The Wire. They don't want none. Hopefully they're reminded of their cowardice when they begin pandering to minorities with their Spanish-ads and newly-learned Southern accent in various black churches across the country next year.

Despite the bitchdom displayed by four of the leading Republican candidates, the debate will go on as scheduled - with the empty podiums left on stage.

I love my people.

Labels: politics as usual