Posted on 10/27/2006 5:13:31 AM PDT by Republican Red
Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin this afternoon declined to participate in an NAACP-sponsored debate with the other two candidates for U.S. Senate tonight in Charles County, Md.
"I just spoke with Mr. Cardin about an hour ago, and he said he had three other engagements," said the Rev. Willie Hunt, pastor of New Community Church of God in Christ in Waldorf.
Mr. Cardin's forgoing of tonight's debate comes one day after the 10-term congressman stammered and stumbled through a debate with Republican nominee Michael S. Steele and Green Party nominee Kevin Zeese.
Mr. Hunt and the Rev. William Braxton, president of the Charles County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said Mr. Cardin, the Democratic nominee, had not officially confirmed that he would attend.
"We were actually in talks with [Cardin spokesman] Oren Shur, and we were under the impression that this thing was going to work out and [Mr. Cardin] was going to be here," Mr. Braxton said. "Initially when we talked, he said they had some scheduling problems they had to work out, and his final comment was that they could not work them out."
Mr. Shur said in an e-mail that Mr. Cardin "never confirmed his attendance."
"He's campaigning at community events in Prince George's County tonight and has accepted an invitation to debate at the statewide NAACP conference on Saturday. We expect to see Michael Steele there," Mr. Shur said.
Mr. Steele said he was "disappointed" that Mr. Cardin would not be attending the debate.
"I don't know why," said Mr. Steele, the lieutenant governor. "Both our teams negotiated with the pastor and the NAACP."
excerpt---
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
From Ben Cardin's own official website:
NAACP Statewide Convention: Ben Cardin Accepts Invitation To Debate; Will Michael Steele?
Contact: Oren Shur, 410-366-1900
One month ago, the organizers of the Maryland NAACP sent a letter to Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-MD), inviting them to debate at this statewide conference in Baltimore City on Saturday, October 28.
Rep. Cardin accepted the invitation. Word is that Lt. Gov. Steele turned it down.
Will Michael Steele really turn down an invitation to debate before representatives from ALL of the local NAACP chapters?
“While Ben Cardin has participated in more than a dozen candidate debates, Michael Steele has been avoiding a real discussion on the issues for more than a year,” said Cardin campaign spokesman Oren Shur. “The NAACP and its members are very important to Ben Cardin and that’s why he has accepted an invitation to debate before the statewide convention on Saturday. We expect to see Michael Steele there.”
I can't believe Cardin was that stupid.
With Cardin's dependence on keeping the "black vote", dissin' the NAACP is going to hurt him worse than if he showed up and got his clock cleaned again. Steele himself should take the high road, but supporters such as Michael Mfume should start using this to point out how Cardin doesn't respect black Marylanders.
It does scream out FEAR
Maybe Steel should suggest to Kwaisi that next time he should run against Mikulski in the Dem primary..
Cardin seems to be self-destructing in the final stretch.
"Why on Earth would Cardin ditch a debate in friendly territory for a RAT? Perhaps, Cardin fears of not being able to connect culturally with blacks while Steele can."
This is SOP for Demcrats this election cycle. They don't want to be exposed for what they are so they are hiding.
Freaking Cowards!!
LOL Mfume running agains the midget Dyke. Now thats funny.
Mfume has 5 iligitimate kids and was fired from the NAACP for fondling the hired help to run agains the leftist Mikulski. It would be fun to watch, but remember Mikulski has a war chest almost as big as Hillary's.
Dear Republican Red,
I'm not entirely sure, but I think that you're discussing two different NAACP debates.
The one that Mr. Cardin has clearly declined was scheduled yesterday night, or tonight, in Charles County, which is in Southern Maryland:
"Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin this afternoon declined to participate in an NAACP-sponsored debate with the other two candidates for U.S. Senate tonight in Charles County, Md."
The debate that you're mentioning from Mr. Cardin's website is in Baltimore City, and is Saturday (tomorrow) night:
"One month ago, the organizers of the Maryland NAACP sent a letter to Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) and Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-MD), inviting them to debate at this statewide conference in Baltimore City on Saturday, October 28."
That being said, it doesn't look good for Mr. Cardin to have performed poorly at a debate, get mentioned in the WashPost as a "stammering congressman from another planet," and then turn down another debate by the NAACP of all people, a few days later.
Then again, maybe Mr. Cardin is trying to cut his losses from debates. You know, the first rule of holes - when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
sitetest
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