Bachmann, Cain, Paul and Perry will attend DeMint’s Labor Day forum

thestate ^ | 8-23-11 | Gina Smith

[Mozilla]

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, businessman Herman Cain of Atlanta, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and Texas Gov. Rick Perry will appear at U.S. Jim DeMint’s Labor Day forum in Columbia for GOP presidential candidates.

Also invited were U.S. House Newt Gingrich, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. They have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to accept.

GOP candidates had to average 5 percent support in realclearpolitics’ poll average to be invited. Not qualifying — because of weak support — were former Nevada Gov. Jon Huntsman and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.

“Hopefully, this event will be an important part of the process to choose the next president of the United States,” said DeMint, a Tea Party favorite.

This forum will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center at 3 p.m. on Labor Day. Attendance is by invitation only. However, S.C. Educational Television will broadcast the event live on its S.C. Channel.

[BuckeyeTexan]

It should be interesting that’s for sure.

[so_real]

Agreed. I'll make time to watch it. Don't care a whit if Romney or Giuliana are a no-show. It'll cut down the "noise" considerably.

[Allegra]

Three out of four of those are the declared candidates I’m most interested in hearing.

Paul, as usual, will provide the nutball-factor comic relief.

[EDINVA]

I really LIKE Santorum, always have. Too bad he can’t get ‘traction’ but I hope he’s given serious consideration for VP by whoever the eventual nominee may be.

While everyone rails against Washington, one person on the ticket has to have experience in the federal govt. and the mysterious ways it operates. Of the 3 currently leading contenders, all are governors or former governors with no federal experience.

Santorum, folks forget, won his first seat by running independent of the PA GOP machine. He never lost his conservative principles, and I’ve never heard a whiff of scandal associated with his name.

[llandres]

Yeah, Paul just keeps turning up everywhere like a bad penny. But I’m curious - if it’s a forum for GOP presidential candidates, why are Palin and Giuliani invited?

Too bad Santorum hasn’t gained enough traction since the last debate - I’m beginning to like him more. He’s been on more shows lately, though.

[Allegra]

Too bad Santorum hasn’t gained enough traction since the last debate - I’m beginning to like him more.

I agree. I would certainly like to see him in another debate.

As to Palin and Guiliani being invited - I suspect the organizers recognize that either one of them, especially Palin, would garner a lot more interest from the general public.

[NoRedTape]

............Just invite Sarah. All the others are hot air.

[MestaMachine]

Interesting isn’t it that the one person everyone keeps saying can’t win is the person they invite to ratchet up public interest. Hmmmm.

[MestaMachine]

I don’t think Santorum is hot air at all. Other than Sarah Palin, he is the one true conservative in the whole field of announced candidates. I wish he would click more and at least make a good showing.

[Tempest]

exactly

[Happy Rain]

Iowa and NH are not the Tea Party strongholds that SC is. We only have one Democrat US congressman and his district is so gerrymandered Left Al Sharpton would win it.
Ergo,the SC GOP primary is more important than ever and the endorsements of TP favs DeMint and Haley could be makers or breakers.
Both are big Palin fans and if she announces (on Sept 16,Constitutional Day,is my prediction) it will be tougher though not impossible for the rest to win the state.
The overwhelming majority of our liberal voters are African American and they WILL vote for Obama during our OPEN primaries no matter how much the DNC tells them to vote for Romney or Perry.
It's the race thing you know.

[Happy Rain]

I meant “Constiturion Day” sans the “al”

[Soul Seeker]

Not that interesting when you read further.

GOP candidates had to average 5 percent support in realclearpolitics’ poll average to be invited.

I would have to look to be certain but I suspect Rudy and Sarah may have registered 5% or above at RCP at the time they were issuing invitations.