The Republican Presidential Debates: Who was Excluded and Why?

CONTACT: To schedule an interview, call Special Guests, Jerry McGlothlin, 212-699-2518 or Shauna Whitlock, 630-848-0750.

News Conference in front of Reagan Library 1:00 pm PT

May 3, 2007-- Some political campaign watchers view this Presidential Campaign season a bit like a heavily choreographed, wrestling match with a predetermined outcome. The fix is in, as they say...

And the winner is:

"Rudy McRomney!"

The three media-anointed Republican "frontrunners," a.k.a. "Rudy McRomney", a bloated, conjoined RINO (Republican In Name Only) of "moderates" who have been so puffed and spun by the national media it would not be surprising for us to soon see one or more of these candidates (Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney) unravel before our eyes.

The May 3 GOP Presidential Debates being conducted at the Reagan Library will give Americans a closer look at some of the lesser known candidates like James candidates like Actor Fred Thompson, Businessman John Cox and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich are not included in the debates.

Granted, Newt and Fred are not officially announced candidates but conspicuous by his absence is Reagan-esque conservative John Cox, who was not invited to the debates.

Having finished first place in a recent South Carolina Straw Poll, John Cox has been rising in popularity without the national platform of being a media darling or featured in national debates.

But like the Energizer Bunny, Cox keeps on going.

While Jim Gilmore has spent virtually no money on his campaign, John Cox, has spent upwards of a million dollars of his own money and maintains paid staff and campaign offices throughout the country. On top of this, he was the first declared GOP Presidential Candidate. So, why is he not included in the Reagan Library Debates?

John Cox has scheduled a News Conference for 1:00 pm PT today in front of the Reagan Library, located at 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley, California 93065, to give the media the opportunity to provide reasonable coverage to all Presidential Candidates, in the spirit of freedom of speech upon which this country was founded, to give Americans a more informed choice.

The first GOP Presidential Debate Thursday night is sponsored by the Politico and MSNBC. Ten Republican Candidates have confirmed their attendance for the event, but when asked what the criteria was for deciding who would attend the debate, the Politico and MSNBC didn't seem to make the rules clear.

The first debates are critical for all candidates, especially the lesser known candidates. It's during these first debates that all candidates should have the opportunity to show their face to the country and let the country decide who they want to hear. Americans love to watch American Idol because it showcases a wide variety of choices and Americans get to see the elimination process early on. Unfortunately, the "behind the scenes" rule makers have made their back room decision with America's input. The result? More career politicians never leaving politics and the fresh face reformers locked out from public view.

Despite John Cox not being able to be in the debate itself, he, along with some local supporters, will be staging a quiet protest on the grounds of the Ronald Reagan Library to get his message of political reform out to anyone who cares to listen.

John Cox is available for interviews before, during or after the Republican Debates, for those brave media souls who dare break from the Rudy McRomney pack.

REASONS TO BREAK FROM THE RUDY McROMNEY PACK:

John Cox has been featured as a Presidential Candidate on Fox News Channel, Fox & Friends, a long in depth feature on C-Span and on hundreds of radio shows. He even was featured three times in one afternoon on MSNBC for his expertise on immigration reform but not on his Presidential Candidacy.

John Cox has visited nearly every county in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The campaign has mailed literature to voters and aired TV commercials nationwide. John has hired staff or organized volunteers in more than 30 states, and has campaign headquarters established in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. The John Cox campaign for President has spent more than $750,000 to date, which is more than several of the other Republican Presidential candidates combined.

John Cox supports the Republican Party Platform, unlike Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney--who was pro-choice before he was pro-life and pro-gay before he was anti-gay and was pro-tax before he was anti-tax. It will be interesting to see how "Flip" Romney reconciles his past and current positions on the issues. It may be more interesting to see if he's even questioned on his flipped positions during the debate.

JOHN COX IS STRONG IN SOUTH CAROLINA: John Cox finished in first place, beating out all of the other Presidential candidates recently in the Aiken County, South Carolina GOP Straw Poll, and earned 2nd place in the McCormick County South Carolina GOP Straw Poll. On April 21st, two of the largest counties in the state, Greenville and Richland, conducted a Presidential straw poll at their GOP county conventions. By combining the results from all four of these counties, John Cox finished in 5th place; defeating better-known candidates John McCain, Sam Brownback, Fred Thompson, Newt Gingrich, Tom Tancredo, Ron Paul, and Jim Gilmore.

JOHN COX IS STRONG IN IOWA: A survey was conducted by IowaPolitics.com. The website contacted all of the Iowa Republican county chairmen during the months of February and March. According to the survey posted on the website www.IowaPolitics.com on March 23rd, John Cox received more support from the GOP county chairmen than Tom Tancredo, John McCain, Sam Brownback, Tommy Thompson, Duncan Hunter, Ron Paul, George Pataki, and Jim Gilmore.

JOHN COX IS STRONG IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: Although there has been no significant GOP Straw Polls conducted as yet in New Hampshire, the Cox Campaign is well organized in that state. For impressive details regarding the Cox organization in New Hampshire, call Cox Campaign Coordinator Chris Richter at: 603-391-4684.

SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR JOHN COX:

1. Why are you running for President of the United States? You are not elected to an office and not well known - why do you think you have a chance? (Answer includes being a fresh face reformer, rather than a career politician.)

2. Iraq is a huge issue - how would you deal with it if you were President? (The answer includes having Iraq raise their current oil pump levels of 40% up to the full 100% capacity by October 1, 2007.

3. The illegal immigration issue has fractionated the Republican Party. How would you solve this problem, including the fact that there are already millions already living here and the need for an inexpensive work force for American businesses? (The answer includes arresting the CEOs who knowingly hire illegal workers.)

4. Taxes are always an issue. The President wants his tax cuts made permanent but Democrats don't. What would you do? (The answer includes supporting the Fair Tax.)

5. Political experts realize that entitlement spending is going to eat up the budget in the near future. How would you deal with Medicare and Social Security? (The answer includes utilizing personal investment retirement accounts.)

6. The big three early tests each Presidential year are the Iowa Caucus, The New Hampshire Primary and the first Southern Primary in South Carolina. How have you done in the straw polls in those strategic states? (The answer includes that Cox finished 1st and 2nd in South Carolina county straw polls and 5th place in Iowa.)

7. Your resume shows that you are a businessman. What specific management experience do you have that would qualify you to lead a very large organization-- like the United States of America? Have you ever managed a significant number of people, and, frankly, how well did you do it? (The answer includes that Cox oversaw hundreds of people and manages over $100 million in financial portfolios.)

8. What, if anything, did I leave out that you might want to tell our audience and how can they learn more about your campaign?

ABOUT JOHN COX...

John Cox is the author of "Politic$, Inc., Principle, not profit: why we need statesmen, not career politicians" and "Campaign for Prosperity and Renewal."

A Chicago resident investment advisor, John attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, graduating with honors and a degree in Accounting and Political Science. He also has a law degree from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law, graduating with high honors in 1980.

The father of four daughters, Cox opened his first business--a law and accounting firm--in 1981. An investment advisory firm, real estate management company and a venture capital firm soon followed. During the 1990's, Cox led the investment group that purchased Jays Potato Chips, a major regional food manufacturer and saved over 600 jobs in the Chicago area.

John has been a member of the Club for Growth since its inception, ran for Congress in 2000 and U.S. Senate in 2002. He was also the President of the Chicago Cook County Republican Organization in 2004 and is active in national politics, serving on the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

John serves as the co-Chairman of the Illinois Branch for the Coalition for Modernization and Protection of America's Social Security System and as Chairman of the Midwest coalition for Tax Reform and Economic Growth.

Additional information is available at: www.cox2008.com

Further information about Rudy McRomney is available at: www.RudyMcRomney.com