Next Week’s First Republican Presidential Debate Currently Features Nobody

by toma

I know that current big-name Republican presidential candidates generate golf tournament-like excitement, but they won’t even show up for the first 2012 campaign debate? Won’t bother with South Carolina’s kickoff to the season, hosted by Fox News?

The debate is set for May 5 in Greenville, South Carolina, and the deadline for candidates to register has already been pushed back, from April 29 to May 3.

The requirements for participation, according to a joint press release from Fox News and the South Carolina Republican Party, include formation of an exploratory committee, filing paperwork and paying fees to the South Carolina Republican Party and garnering at least 1 percent support in five national polls, among other bulletpoints.

In addition to the sparse number of candidates with exploratory committees, The Spartanburg Herald Journal pointed out, as of late last week no candidates had paid filing fees in South Carolina.

Maybe Republican bigwigs are scared of Barack Obama. He politicks pretty good, btw.

The hosts announced recently that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum would participate in the debate. Sawyer said the party expects to add to that list.

Well, that should be a barn-burner, if your barn is made from asbestos. Seeing Roemer and Pawlenty refuse to argue with each other will be like watching lettuce wilt. But mark your calendars! Only one week from today.

Guaranteed not to be there: Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney. Out of that list of front-runners, media pundits say only that Romney will definitely run.

By: toma

Foul-mouthed blogger.