(CNN) - Mitt Romney and Ron Paul told the Georgia Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party and CNN Thursday that they will not participate in the March 1 Republican presidential primary debate.
"Mitt Romney and Ron Paul told the Georgia Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party and CNN Thursday that they will not participate in the March 1 Republican presidential primary debate," CNN said in a statement. "Without full participation of all four candidates, CNN will not move forward with the Super Tuesday debate. However, next week, CNN and the Arizona Republican Party will host all four leading contenders for the GOP nomination. That debate will be held in Mesa, Arizona on February 22 and will be moderated by CNN's John King."
Georgia Republican Party Chairman Sue P. Everhart responded to the developments saying she is "deeply disappointed."
"The efforts that Republican grassroots activists put in day after day should not go unrecognized, and it is my sincere hope that the candidates will reconsider this opportunity to speak directly to the driving force behind all that our Party will continue to accomplish," she said in a statement Thursday.
Wonder why, thinking they will not be in it by March.......
Why would Romney care one way or another about another debate – It's not like he has never laid out any plans or made any substantive comments during any debate. What's stopping him from another opportunity to shoot the bs like he always does. Romney = Empty suit and flip-flopper extraordinaire.
No voters. Now no debaters.
After 20 debates, it's all been asked and answered ten time over. A complete waste of time. Get back to campaigning.
Why was there no mention that Santorum also stated he would not go to either debate? Is CNN trying to push yet a different candidate this week as they did Gingrich a few weeks ago?
No one cares about their propaganda any more. Why does CNN keep trying to shove them down our throats? They don't answer the questions we want them to answer.
Past two weeks Romney campaign is in panic
CNN should do the unthinkable and host this debate as a Lincoln/Douglas style debate between Gingrich and Paul. This would give these two candidates an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with the voting public. People are sick of the debates because of the way they have been formatted. Tired of 30 second answers to questions that are of no help in deciding a candidate. Tired of questions that serve only to serve up fights. We don't have time for this. CNN, step it up and host this as a Lincoln/Douglas style debate. Give these two candidates as well as the voters the time and respect we are due. I think the ratings would be amazing!
Romney's running scared! I guess he doesn't want questions about the auto bailout or health care! LMAO
What's Paul's excuse? Not sure.
Its about some of these candidates realize that CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC are Obama supporters and would like to take them out. The questions are designed to make them look stupid. I wonder how the left would feel if vitually all media was right-wing? You know that they would be marching in the streets because they live on the state's teet. Unfortunately, conservatives are the people who make this country work and great.
There's a thought cali girl.
It occurred to me that Romney plunging in the polls as he is may have been wisely advised to curtail his ddeabting activities as they are not aiding his cause. Paul, like you stated, may indeed not be around for March.
Go Romney! Not everyone hates you.
I have decided that I will not vote for the GOP party that created a near depression, caused the stock market to drop from 14,000 to under 7000 and ruin my retirement fund, gave us two unfunded wars, and added $12 trillion to our national debt (including Bush's TARP)
Pardon my typos, at work. That should've read "debating".
Should have declined the other state media GOP bash fests as well. Going on CNN as a GOP candidate is like flogging yourself with a chain made out of razor blades.
Without another GOP debate, the fact checkers will probably become unemployed.
Mitt Romey has a 54 page economic plan, and he hasn't said a single word on it in any of the debates...all he has been saying is Obama this, Obama that; and all the other GOP candidates are pretty much in lock-step, sounding clueless without saying a word on how to fix anything, other than to undo all that President Obama has done! – Tell us about your plans or end the debates or clown show already!
From here on out, President Obama won a 2nd term!
Swear him in already...let's carry on with the economic recovery and fixing the mess the GOP/Republican party created!!!
Everyone is beginning to see through Mittens' lies, and another lousy debate performance would send definitely send him home to the Caymans.
Interestingly enough we've stopped hearing from the diehard and enthusiastic Ron Paul crowd. Equally notable is the fact that even as he is 'soaring' in the polls Santorum doesn't have a following on this site. On the contrary, the more exposure he gets the more his detractors are coming out of the woodwork to expose him.
Not everyone hates Mittens, he has an unfavorable rating of 54%, and a favorable of 34%. One out of three like him.
None of them, except maybe Ron Paul, were going to discuss serious issues in a serious manner regardless.
Too bad. I haven't seen this much excitement on TV since Mike Tyson was knocking someone out every other week.
Wire Palladin, S. F. - I have decided that I will not vote for the GOP party
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Really? Now that's a real SHOCKER!! We all know you're a devoted Communist Party/Democrat party supporter so enough with the joke posts.
Hmmmmmmmm! This seems fishy!
Its about some of these candidates realize that CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC are Obama supporters and would like to take them out. The questions are designed to make them look stupid. I wonder how the left would feel if vitually all media was right-wing? You know that they would be marching in the streets because they live on the state's teet. Unfortunately, conservatives are the people who make this country work and great.
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LOL! What a silly statement! How could a question be designed to make someone look stupid if they are already stupid to begin with? A conservative president got us into this mess, so no thank you as far as conservatives in charge. At least the networks mentioned do cover the news. FOX Noise is just that – noise and entertainment. I can see why a lot of Fox viewers are ignorant. LOL!