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Dodd, Richardson to Skip Fox News Debate
Democratic presidential candidates Bill Richardson and Chris Dodd will not participate in a Democratic debate co-sponsored by Fox News Channel this fall, joining their three top rivals in bypassing the event. Their decisions, acknowledged by campaign aides Wednesday, is sure to disappoint the Congressional Black Caucus, whose political education and leadership institute is Fox's partner in the debate. But Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, and Dodd, a senator from Connecticut, have been under pressure to shun the debate from liberal groups who say Fox is biased against Democrats. The debate exodus began two months ago when John Edwards became the first candidate to announce that he would not attend the Sept. 23 debate in Detroit. A week later, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama announced they also would not participate.
Story Continues Below Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, have said they intend to be at the debate. Several campaigns have agonized over the decision, especially because of the participation of the Congressional Black Caucus, the group that comprises Congress' black lawmakers, including Obama. But Colorofchange.org, an organization of black online activists, and the liberal MoveOn.org have agitated against Fox with an Internet campaign that includes video excerpts of conservative Fox commentators. MoveOn this week initiated an e-mail campaign urging backers to call Biden's campaign to demand he back out of the debate. "The Congressional Black Caucus represents an important base within the Democratic Party," Biden campaign manager Luis Navarro said. "We think Democratic candidates ought to be willing to respect that." The caucus is co-sponsoring another Democratic debate with CNN in January. No one has indicated they will miss that one.
Meanwhile, the Financial Times and the Center on Politics and Foreign Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies have been trying to secure commitments from Democratic candidates to participate in a debate next week devoted exclusively to Iraq. Biden, who has been demanding a war-only debate, is the only one so far to say he will attend. Robert Guttman, the director of the center at Johns Hopkins said other campaigns have indicated interest and said some cable news organizations and public television have said they would cover the debate. It is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday's at Johns Hopkins' Kenney Auditorium. Guttman said he planned to place chairs on the stage for the candidates, whether they attended or not. "We're ready to roll, with full seats or empty seats," Guttman said.
© 2007 Associated Press.
Editor's note:
Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
2008 Presidential Race Inside Cover Stories
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