I think the last time I talked about Republicans and what they need to do to win black votes was back in July (see Republicans and the Black Vote, Again). In it, I referenced the words of one of their own, Jack Kemp, about what the party needs to do to be more inclusive of people of color.

Well, the leading GOP candidates must have missed that article.

Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney have all turned down invitations to a PBS debate at predominately-black Morgan State University. Is this a pattern of ignoring minority voters? I think so. This is not the first time in this presidential cycle that Republican candidates have shunned black audiences. Back in July, Tom Tancreado was the only Republican candidate to show up to an NAACP forum and the Spanish-language network Univsion had to postpone its Republican candidates’ forum after only one candidate, John McCain, agreed to be there.

Examples like these indicate that these candidates don’t really care for minorities and/or feel that any “pandering” for minority votes would put them at odds with their base. At any rate, the moderator of the PBS debate, Tavis Smiley, is calling out Giuliani, McCain and Romney and has a clear admonition for Republicans who ignore the minority vote at their own peril:

“No one should be elected president of this country in 2008 if they think that along the way they can ignore people of color… If you want to be president of all America, you need to speak to all Americans.”

Tavis will also be carrying this warning with him when he appears on tonight’s episode of the Tonight Show. Smiley is expected let these candidates know that they are squandering an opportunity to win over black voters by not taking advantage of the platform provided to them by the PBS debate.

Oh, well, they must not want my vote but, know that it’s up to the highest bidder. If you are the candidate that I feel has the most to offer people of color, you just might get it.

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