GOP Debates

[feeblepizza]

So far, two people - Buddy Roemer and Rick Santorum - have agreed to appear, as established in the link below.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52392.html

The fact that Rick Santorum, who hasn't made any official motions for the presidency, has agreed to a presidential debate makes me think that he'll announce pretty soon.

[CarlSchulz]

I voted for Santorum for Senate in 2006, but I wouldn't vote for him for President.

[You kip if you want to...]

Santorum must be running, hoping to secure a cabinet post. He can't really think he can win the nomination, can he?

[feeblepizza]

Santorum must be running, hoping to secure a cabinet post. He can't really think he can win the nomination, can he?

I don't even know what Cabinet post he would qualify for anyway...but no, everyone knows he's doomed, him especially.

[California8429]

Santorum must be running, hoping to secure a cabinet post. He can't really think he can win the nomination, can he?

I don't even know what Cabinet post he would qualify for anyway...but no, everyone knows he's doomed, him especially.

^

though in his defense, he has absolutely nothing to lose. If he comes out of this with just more influence and a stronger PAC, that's still something for him

[Bacon King]

Santorum must be running, hoping to secure a cabinet post. He can't really think he can win the nomination, can he?

I don't even know what Cabinet post he would qualify for anyway...but no, everyone knows he's doomed, him especially.

I was going to say Secretary of Commerce because that position is infamous for being the "useless" position, but then I realized that would put him in charge of the National Weather Service so he's not even qualified for that.

[Mr. Morden]

The SC GOP has announced that the following people have told them they're interested in participating in the May 5th debate:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52827.html

Gingrich
Paul
Pawlenty
Roemer
Santorum

So far, no Romney.  If they're not going to have Romney, Huckabee, Palin, or Trump, then I imagine the ratings for this will be quite low.  I still think there's a chance they might delay this debate at least a few weeks, if it means that they can get Romney.

Interestingly:

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I guess this sheds some light on the Paul situation, as I mentioned in the other thread.  It's not clear that he has "filled out the paperwork for an exploratory committee" as the Daily Caller suggested, but he'll have to do so within a few weeks if he's going to participate in this debate.

[Mr. Morden]

The Hill says that Fox is expected to announce these criteria for participation in their May 5th debate:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/155255-gop-candidates-must-file-to-enter-first-2012-debate

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Those are awfully restrictive requirements.  Cain, Gingrich, Pawlenty, Roemer, and Romney all have exploratory committees, and let's suppose Johnson, Paul, and Santorum set up exploratory committees or official campaigns by the end of the month.  OK, Gingrich's committee is actually structured differently, so it's set up with the IRS rather than the FEC.  Will it count?  Cain, Johnson, and Roemer are rarely ever even included in polls, so I doubt they're going to average 1% in five polls, simply because they're not even listed as choices.  I'll predict that Romney actually skips the early debates, and that he's only set up his exploratory committee so that he can start fundraising.

So that leaves maybe Pawlenty, Paul, and Santorum (if Santorum can average 1% in five polls)?  Maybe Barbour if he's also announced by then?  Maybe Gingrich if his exploratory committee counts?

Have any of these people filed specifically in South Carolina yet?

[feeblepizza]

Yes, those are some pretty tough requirements. I doubt that Cain, Johnson, Roemer, or Gingrich will compete because of polling and/or the structure of their campaigns.

[Bacon King]

If participation is looking low they'd probably change the rules to allow more candidates (especially if the SC GOP refuses to let it be cancelled).

[Mr. Morden]

So this debate is coming up in less than a week and a half, and we currently have zero candidates who have actually met all of the qualifications for inclusion, as none of them have actually paid the South Carolina filing fee yet:

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-fox-debate-20110425,0,5772908.story

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Maybe Pawlenty will file in SC at the last minute, and have a debate with himself.

[Ⓐnarchy in the ☭☭☭P!]

So this debate is coming up in less than a week and a half, and we currently have zero candidates who have actually met all of the qualifications for inclusion, as none of them have actually paid the South Carolina filing fee yet:

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-fox-debate-20110425,0,5772908.story

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Maybe Pawlenty will file in SC at the last minute, and have a debate with himself.

Now that would be funny. It would be more like a standing interview in a large, empty room with podiums with an audience. Maybe there would be polls on how good T-Paw was doing against himself.

[feeblepizza]

So this debate is coming up in less than a week and a half, and we currently have zero candidates who have actually met all of the qualifications for inclusion, as none of them have actually paid the South Carolina filing fee yet:

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-fox-debate-20110425,0,5772908.story

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Maybe Pawlenty will file in SC at the last minute, and have a debate with himself.

Now that would be funny. It would be more like a standing interview in a large, empty room with podiums with an audience. Maybe there would be polls on how good T-Paw was doing against himself.

Maybe he can walk to different podiums to answer each question and show a new personality at each turn.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

With the current crop of candidates, I'm starting to think this is going to be better than Prime-time comedy.

[California8429]

Has anyone met all the qualitifications for the May 5th debate?

[Mr. Morden]

Has anyone met all the qualitifications for the May 5th debate?

No, no one has, because no one has paid the South Carolina filing fee yet.

[Mr. Morden]

"First GOP Debate May Just Be Pawlenty Talking to Himself":

http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/first-gop-debate-may-just-be-pawlenty-talking-to-himself/

In seriousness, there may be a few candidates who pay the SC filing fee at the last minute, to be included in the debate.  But if it's just, say, Pawlenty, Paul, and Cain, then I assume Pawlenty will bow out of the debate.  I can't see him participating unless there's at least one other "serious" candidate there.  (And I'm defining "serious" here the way that Pawlenty would, meaning "establishment".)

Either they're going to relax the rules for inclusion, or this thing is going to be delayed.

[Mr. Morden]

Pawlenty has doubled down on his debate participation, and insists that he'll pay the SC filing fee in time, and will participate in the debate:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53920.html

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What's the smallest # of participants we've ever had in the first presidential primary debate of the cycle?  Usually, it's about 8 or 9 candidates.  This one might only be 3 or 4.

[Likely Voter]

2-4 candidates? If Romney isn't there, then what is the point? They should delay this like the Reagan/POLITICO debate

[Mr. Morden]

Romney has confirmed that he will NOT be attending the debate on Thursday.

According to various news outlets, Pawlenty, Cain, and Paul will all be participating, and they all plan to pay the SC filing fee by 5pm Tuesday, which is the deadline for inclusion in this debate.

Some news stories also say Johnson, Roemer, and Santorum plan to attend.  However, I don't think either Roemer or Santorum actually meet the requirements that Fox put forward.  Roemer hasn't reached 1% in a single national poll that I'm aware of, and Santorum has a "testing the waters" committee, but not an exploratory committee or an official campaign.

Maybe we'll have a debate with just Pawlenty, Cain, Paul, and Johnson.  That would be rather surreal.

[BlueSwan]

Maybe we'll have a debate with just Pawlenty, Cain, Paul, and Johnson.  That would be rather surreal.

Still, it's a good deal for those "lesser known" candidates amongst the general public (compared to the likes of Palin, Trump, Romney, Gingrich, Huckabee, Giuliani). A good way to heighten one's profile.

[Cincinnatus]

Romney has confirmed that he will NOT be attending the debate on Thursday.

According to various news outlets, Pawlenty, Cain, and Paul will all be participating, and they all plan to pay the SC filing fee by 5pm Tuesday, which is the deadline for inclusion in this debate.

Some news stories also say Johnson, Roemer, and Santorum plan to attend.  However, I don't think either Roemer or Santorum actually meet the requirements that Fox put forward.  Roemer hasn't reached 1% in a single national poll that I'm aware of, and Santorum has a "testing the waters" committee, but not an exploratory committee or an official campaign.

Maybe we'll have a debate with just Pawlenty, Cain, Paul, and Johnson.  That would be rather surreal.

Tag-Team then?  Johnson and Paul work the other two over throughout the debates?

[Yelnoc]

I remember seeing a chart showing which debates each candidate has been invited to.  Can anyone point me to it?

[RogueBeaver]

I remember seeing a chart showing which debates each candidate has been invited to.  Can anyone point me to it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)_presidential_debates,_2012#Attendance

[Yelnoc]

I remember seeing a chart showing which debates each candidate has been invited to.  Can anyone point me to it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)_presidential_debates,_2012#Attendance

Mucho gracias.