by Matthew Hay Brown
With Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson all taking a pass on last night’s Republican presidential forum on minority issues, a couple of reporters became the most sought-after figures in the post-debate spin room.
John Oliver and Larry Wilmore, correspondents for The Daily Show, attracted a growing crowd as they taped candidate interviews after the forum at historically black Morgan State University in Baltimore. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas all submitted to questions. Some examples:
"Governor, explain to me. What is it about black votes that makes them so difficult to count?"
"Current health care plan: Wack or dope?"
"Democrats have done virtually nothing to help African-Americans for the last 40 years, but they still get 93 percent of the black vote,'' Comedy Central's correspondents noted. "My question to you is, what does that say about your party?"
Hunter showed why comedy is best left to the professionals.
Told by Oliver that Romney had skipped the event in part to campaign at an International House of Pancakes, he responded: "Well, that’s probably the most foreign affairs experience he’s going to have."
"You got that one, right?" he asked. "International House of Pancakes? International? Foreign affairs?"
"I got the zinger," Oliver assured him, and quickly moved on.
Below are other questions they asked:
"How did you prepare for your role tonight as someone who cares about issues of black people? Did you spend time with someone who cares about issues of black people?"
"Are you the James Meredith, Jesse Owens or Rosa Parks of black-sponsored Republican debates? Huckabee took Meredith, just so you know."
"A lot of the candidates who didn’t show up said they were afraid of a hostile audience. Now, weren’t you surprised at how well-behaved the black people were tonight?"
"Sticky issue: Hurricane Katrina. We all know the government effed up on that one, right? Now if you had been president, how long would you have let the black people stay at the convention center?"
"Governor, what’s the biggest, blackest issue that you’re terrified of?"
"A lot of people want to get rid of drug enforcement. What about riding dirty?"
"How much, congressman, are you willing to go against everything your party stands for to appeal to black people?"
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Comments
"After eating dinner at a famed Harlem restaurant recently, Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly told a radio audience he "couldn't get over the fact" that there was no difference between the black-run Sylvia's
and other restaurants.
"That's right," O'Reilly said. "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's
who was screaming, `M.F.-er, I want more iced tea.'"
Posted by: BC | September 28, 2007 11:43 AM
Has Fred Thompson participated in ANY debate since he announced his campaign?
Posted by: Janstress | September 28, 2007 11:52 AM
Posted by: BC | September 28, 2007 11:43 AM
BC,
Bill-O got two "Worst Person's" awards that day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52JIdUgAfgs
Posted by: John E | September 28, 2007 12:55 PM
There's certainly an ENDLESS amount of material for comedians with these characters.
"Governor, what’s the biggest, blackest issue that you’re terrified of?"
Posted by: Force of Darkness | September 28, 2007 1:16 PM
"Democrats have done virtually nothing to help African-Americans for the last 40 years, but they still get 93 percent of the black vote,'' Comedy Central's correspondents noted. "My question to you is, what does that say about your party?"
Don't know what that says about the GOP, but it says a LOT about the voting habits of Black Democrats.
Posted by: Bruce | September 28, 2007 2:36 PM
What does it say Bruce? Come out from behind your white hood and paint the black race with your broad brush. What does it say?
Posted by: jethro | September 28, 2007 2:57 PM
Bruce, Jethro
What it says is that the GOP is a rascist organization. The dems may not have done a heck of a lot for black voters, but they haven't turned blacks into the boogy man and used hatred of them to win elections. That is the GOP's trick.
Posted by: nisleib | September 28, 2007 4:58 PM
Well some republicans feel they don't even need to make an active attempt at face time with African Americans so obviously the poor souls will go to someone who will it to them. Even if its all talk and not much to show for it. At the very least, it's not like they are in the Gulf going through hell while republicans shop for shoes and fly over on the way to somewhere ales. Beats being ignored or penciled in.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 28, 2007 8:01 PM
"nisleib", if you're going to call everyone you disagree with a "rascist", could you at least learn how to spell the word correctly?
Posted by: Bruce | September 29, 2007 4:28 PM
'Fascists (Repub candidates) know no irony.'
How true the old adage rings today.
Posted by: C.Morris | September 29, 2007 9:37 PM