May 28, 2009

Only Republicans think it’s OK to charge admission to political debates


Only in the world of Republicans can a decision by a candidate to skip a so-called political debate where admission is charged can he earn their scorn.

Both the Michigan House and Senate canceled session on Thursday so lawmakers can attend the annual three-day Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce's Mackinac Policy Conference. Thursday evening an event called “The Great Gubernatorial Debate” moderated by “Off the Record’s” Tim Skubick was held.

Invited to participate were Republican gubernatorial candidates Sen. Tom George, Terri Lynn Land, Mike Cox and Peter Hoekstra, and Democratic candidates Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith and Lt. Gov. John Cherry.

Cherry decided to skip the debate because admission was being charged and it was a fundraiser. Over at the official unofficial GOP blog “Right” Michigan, they gave Cherry a hard time for skipping it, saying he “snubbed the event.”

I say good for him. Who the heck charges admission to a political debate? The tickets were $175 in advance and $200 at the door. Plus, Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder, a GOP candidate, was not even invited. The rightwing blog failed to mention that.

In the 14 years I have been a journalist and in politics. I have only heard of one other time where admission was charged for a political debate between candidates for elected office.

Last June the Livingston County Teen Age Republicans (TAR) sponsoring a candidate forum for the two open Michigan House seats and charged admission.

4 comments:

Not Anonymous said...

Rick Snyder is not an announced candidate yet. Caught you in yet another lie. Having a rough week?

Communications guru said...

You are absolutely full if it. Rick Snyder has formed exploratory committee just like George and Land.
http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/03/analysis_rick_snyders_potentia.html

I believe only Cox and Hoekstra have officaly announced they are running, and Cox only announced he was officially running two days ago on Wednesday. That would mean he would not have time for the chamber to invite him to the fundraiser this post is about. That means if they can invite an undeclared candidate like Cox, they can do the same for Snyder. He will notice in the same article it says, “Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder is expected to announce later this summer.”
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/05/press_exclusive_mike_cox_joins.html

You have never caught me in a lie, and you never will. The only person lying is you, brett.

But again you use your favorite tactic of focusing away from what the real issue is: charging admission for attending a political debate and then giving someone a hard time for objecting while only certain candidates are invited. You did the same thing with the smoking ban.

Not Anonymous said...

Thank you for confirming exactly what I said.

I said that Rick Snyder is not an announced candidate yet.

You said "...Rick Snyder is expected to announce later this summer."

You're constantly caught in lies. You denying it doesn't make it less true.

Communications guru said...

Great, but neither is Land or George, yet they were invited. I said they did not invite Snyder; that is true. Where is the lie, brett?