"All American Presidential Forum" Served Many Political Masters
Billed as a "Covenant with Black America," six GOP Presidential contenders debated last night at Morgan State University in Baltimore. I have a duel purpose in commenting on the Forum: (1) the role of sponsor/topic focused debates and (2) comment on the actual event.
The "Black issues" forum raises the issue of specialty debates in the primary process. There are predicted to be nearly thirty or so primary presidential political debates, forums, hookups, etc., many hosted by "special interest groups." Some might dismiss the Covenant Forum as another boutique debate, and from one perspective it is, ostensibly limiting topical content and directing a laser beam on the party's relationship with minority voters.
It also can be seen as more than the likes of the Values Voter debate in Fort Lauderdale or the Democrat AARP Health Care debate in Davenport Iowa last week. Arguably it was a "network hosted" (most would give PBS that status) and addresses minorities who, collectively, will not long be a minority. Even more pointedly the "race issue" is party to all Americans.
