Posted on 09/17/2007 3:45:48 AM PDT by Man50D
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The latest Republican presidential debate takes place here tonight, but all four of what some in the national news media call the "top-tier candidates" will not be on the stage.
Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson have all chosen not to participate in the Values Voter Debate being moderated by WND Editor Joseph Farah.
"Isn't it amazing they all have more important things to do to get elected president than to meet face to face with Christian and Jewish leaders who represent millions and millions of votes?" asked Farah who called them "gutless wonders" in a column previewing tonight's event.
tell you it is gut-wrenching fear that kept them away. They are scared to death of the questions. They're scared to death they won't have a good answer. They're scared to death they might say something they will live to regret."
Farah said he was particularly disappointed in Thompson, who has yet to participate in a single GOP debate.
"This one would have been his first opportunity since officially announcing his candidacy. He could have changed all the dynamics. He could have made this debate the biggest national news story of the day. He could have forced others to join the debate. But, he, too, had better things to do."
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
Both WND and Joseph Farah have made themselves irrelevant.
Is it on TV?
There’s an obvious contradiction between wanting smaller government and wanting to legislate values of any sort. Smaller government is supposed to be the most major ‘value’ which republicans stand for.
>>The GOP already has been gradually and incrementally replacing core Conservative values with Socialism for decades.
If we have Value Voters “debates”, maybe no one will notice.
Duncan Hunter will be there. If the ones not there can’t handle a controversial moderator (your assessment) and a few church ladies, then how will they face down Hillary, Obama, Al Qaeda or illegals who make a mockery of our sovereignty?
I wonder what the source of their trepidation is as far as values voters are concerned? They probably think they can snub voters and still get their vote. They are probably looking at the polls and believing it’s all set in stone. They better think again.
Not on TV as I am aware, but there will be a stream. Here’s the link, the site is down right now:http://www.afa.net/debate/index.asp
Either that or no one wants to waste their time stroking the egos of a bunch of internet kookburgers.
LOL.
There's a fundamental problem with moderated debates. If the moderator is a journalist, he will promote himself and his own views. Journalists are all self promoters, that's why they are in the publicity business.And there is a fundamental problem with multicandidate debates, especially when moderated. Not all candidates have the same opportunity to make their statements in the same context, if at all.
In reality, if you wanted to sort out the pro's and cons of the candidates you would let them ask the questions, in the context of their own statements. And all the candidates would answer them, on an equal footing - that is, they would literally all speak at the same time. Obviously that would only be possible if the candidates were in different rooms. And if in different rooms, why do they have to be at the same venue??
And if you actually want the views and attitudes of the candidates, why put them in a position where they are at pointed risk of committing a faux pas? Why should they not have feedback which would point out when they have misspoken? Why should they not have notes? Why should they not have computers? Why should they not have the ability to provide links to reference data? Why shouldn't they use Power Point for their presentations?
The answer is of course that they absolutely should - and the reason those things are ruled out is that they do not suit Big Journalism, which wants heat and not light.
You can view the debate, live from 7:30-10:30 PM ET, on September 17th on Sky Angel's Angel One channel & Dish Network channel #262, and streamed live at: www.ValuesVoterDebate.com and www.AFA.net.
Well - if the Republican party adopts your position it will cease to be a major party. Because if Social Conservatives like myself leave - which we will if the Republican Party turns libertarian then you will lose most of the current Red States. So, like it or not, you can’t afford to snub Religous Conservatives.
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