No Show - No Vote

That's the attitude minority voters need to take at
election time for those major GOP candidates that were
a no-show in last nights debate in minority issues. Now
is the time to speak out on those candidates that have
given us no respect.

The lesser-known Republican presidential candidates condemned their top rivals Thursday for skipping a debate on minority issues and said their absence hurt the party's image and amplified racial divisions.

Four empty lecterns highlighted the decisions of former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee to skip the debate at historically black Morgan State University.

"Frankly, I'm embarrassed," former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said in the debate, broadcast on PBS. "I'm embarrassed for our party, and I'm embarrassed for those who did not come, because there's long been a divide in this country, and it doesn't get better when we don't show up."

The missing candidates -- the top four Republicans in the 2008 presidential race -- cited scheduling conflicts in skipping the forum, which was designed to address issues of interest to blacks.

Their absence sparked criticism from some Republicans, particularly after the Spanish-language network Univision had to postpone its Republican forum this month because only McCain accepted its invitation.

"I apologize for the candidates that aren't here," said Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. "I think it's a disgrace for our country, I think it's bad for our party, and I don't think it's good for our future."




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