An African American questioner asks the candidates, "Why don't we vote for you?"
Instead of answering the question directly, Giuliani talks about school choice and cutting welfare programs. "There are many issues on which we can reach out," he said. "I moved people out of the welfare program ... and made it a job program." He also said he thinks that's the reason for the decline in crime in New York City: "I think the reason that crime declined ... is that many of those people who were hopeless 10, 12 years ago, have hope."
Huckabee says, as a matter of fact, black people did vote for me in Arkansas, because, "I asked for their vote, and I didn't wait till October of election year to do it."
This is an interesting point, since most of the GOP candidates have blown off every single debate and forum targeted at voters of color. Seems like they're waiting till October to think about this one.
--Kate Sheppard
