Six candidates to participate in historic 2008 S.C. GOP Presidential Candidates Debate (No Hunter)

SC GOP ^ | 1/9/08 | Staff

[pissant]

Contact: Rob Godfrey, Communications Director 803.807.7144

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Excitement surrounding presidential politics in South Carolina continues to grow as South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson today announced that invitations have been extended to and accepted by six Republican presidential candidates to participate in the 2008 South Republican Party Presidential Candidates Debate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

"The stakes couldn't be higher this election, and we couldn't be more excited to extend a warm South Carolina welcome to six White House hopefuls who are seeking the Republican nomination to be the next President of the United States," said Dawson. "These candidates join tens of thousands of Republicans from across the country and hundreds of journalists from around the world who are converging on Myrtle Beach for this debate because they know the 2008 election could be decided on our stage that night."

The following candidates will be receiving formal invitations from the South Carolina Republican Party to the 2008 South Carolina Republican Party Presidential Candidates Debate (in alphabetical order):

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani - New York City

Former Governor Mike Huckabee - Arkansas

U.S. Senator John McCain - Arizona

U.S. Congressman Ron Paul - Texas

Former Governor Mitt Romney - Massachusetts

Former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson - Tennessee

Candidates who received invitations to participate in the debate have announced formal campaigns for president; filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and the South Carolina Republican Party to run for president; paid all candidate filing fees associated with their candidacy; met all U. S. constitutional requirements; and garnered at least 5% of the national electorate as determined by an average of the most recent national telephone polls of registered voters conducted by non-partisan public opinion polling organizations leading up to the registration deadline as determined by the South Carolina Republican Party and FOX News Channel; or, place in the top five in the New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary on January 8, 2008.

The 2008 South Republican Party Presidential Candidates Debate will be televised live by FOX News Channel at 9:00 PM from the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on Thursday, January 10, 2008. FOX News Channel Washington Managing Editor Brit Hume will moderate the debate while FOX News anchor Chris Wallace and White House Correspondent Wendell Goler will ask questions of the candidates.

FOX News Radio (FNR) will also provide listeners with live debate coverage beginning at 9 PM/ET. FNR’s Mike Majchrowitz will anchor the debate live from inside the hall. Following the debate, Majchrowitz and FNR Political Analyst and Washington Post columnist Jeff Birnbaum will provide post-debate analysis. They will be joined by FOX News Radio Correspondent Todd Starnes and several special guests live from “Spin Alley”.

[gidget7]

I don’t dislike Thompson, but if that happens, the way this is playing out, I will be saying to them “how does it feel?” No sympathy at all. I will be outraged inwardly just as I am for Hunter though. And we know it's coming, they will at least try.

[Jokelahoma]

Your opinion and you're entitled to it. Doesn't read that way to me, though. Seems to be fairly common procedure. Otherwise, we could invite Pat Paulson to the debate too. Sure he's dead, but really, is that a realistic criteria to exclude him?

[rideharddiefast]

What is cut and run doing in a GOP debate? He is no more Republican than Dennis Kucinich.

[EternalVigilance]

I think you’re right.

[gidget7]

No they are not EV, nor will they.

I am wondering when I fell asleep, and what planet this is, that I woke up on.

[Little_GTO]

Good point.

[Jokelahoma]

Blame sohuld fall to his campaign. It's rather easy to blame outside forces for any ill which befalls us. It's easier still to make excuses. But had he run a better campaign, he'd be doing better.

[pissant]

Did Pat come in a virtual tie in SC’s most distinguished GOP straw poll, or pay $35K?

[Little_GTO]

The Fredheads should be just as concerned. Their guy is next.

[EternalVigilance]

It’s Bizzaro-World.

[gbscott1954]

I don’t always agree with Fox and I think they have given Fox short shrift at times, but have to say this. When you have a debate you have to have a cutoff somewhere. If not, they would have 40 guys on the stage! I know the Hunter people don’t like it, but he has had no traction in any voting.

[Jokelahoma]

No, but come to think of it, Pat also didn't poll 5% or above nationally, nor did he place in the top 5 in NH. So I guess we can exclude him too.

Look, I understand the frustration. But the wailing and gnashing of teeth, the blanket accusations of the media, Fox, the Republican party, and Free Republic as a whole..., well, it's all a bit much. A better campaign, and none of this would have happened.

[Kevmo]

They’re not worried. They’re counting on a huge upsurge in support when Hunter drops out of the race and endorses Fred. Of course, since they’ve been calling Hunter a 1%er all along, that number changes when they start counting on the support behind Hunter.

[CAluvdubya]

He is being looked at in CA for governor

Seriously? I haven't heard that. Awesome!

[Jokelahoma]

Fred is underperforming as well. If he continues to slip, he'll start polling lower, He'll finish lower in primaries preceeding debates. And he'll either drop out voluntarily or be excluded. Rightfully so, I might add.

[Coldwater Creek]

Mc Cain’s exact words were “I will get OBL, even if I have to follow him to Hell.” And, no it is not funny. Once he found OBL, he would probably make some kind of a deal that would stab the American people in the back.

I absolutely despise the man.

[WildcatClan]

Well he has had no traction in any blue sates in the voting, who will vote for a Democrat in the generals. In Texas, he won handily by more more than doubling Fred in 2nd place. He came in third in Wyoming.

[pissant]

I posted this so Hunter fans here will contact the powers that be and give them hell. If you want to rationalize their actions, that’s your business. If they changed the criteria to who had committed delegates after 3 primaries, Rudy and Fred and Paul would have been excluded instead. And I reckon their followers would be pitchin a fit, no?

[Picklezz]

"But nah, Fox and the GOP don’t want him in the debates."

I have to think it is because they know he would put everyone else to shame with his solutions of the issues and for whatever reason, Fox isn't into the true conservative candidate.

I will continue to support Duncan Hunter with word and money. Wish I had a couple ready mil to give him but I guess that would be illegal. He really needs money folks.

[cripplecreek]

You all should be outraged that the media is picking our candidates. This is sick.

All day long the news has been all over how wrong the polls have been and here are so called "conservatives" agreeing with the polls to justify screwing a real conservative so their guy doesn't have competition.

Democrat style thinking has infected the GOP and I can't stand to watch it. I'll write my guy in and support the individual candidates but the future of the GOP isn't looking too bright.