U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo may soon have another opportunity to give a speech in Miami after his earlier talk was called off.
A small Rotary Club in the South Beach section of Miami today offered to host the Republican congressman from Littleton if he’ll come to the city, which he last month said resembles a “Third World country.”
“Let the fireworks begin,” said Steven Shulman, who arranges speakers for the 23-member Rotary Club of Miami Beach.
Tancredo is interested in going to Miami and talking about why he made the Third World statement, spokesman Carlos Espinosa said.
“Everyone is really taking offense to it, which I don’t understand,” Espinosa said. “The interesting thing is, to this day, no one is denying (that it’s true).”
Meanwhile, Tancredo issued a statement challenging Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to post the speech Tancredo had planned to give on the governor’s website. The speech already is posted on Tancredo’s own website, http://tancredo.house.gov/.
“The governor has characterized my canceled speech as unfortunate,” Tancredo said. “I would like to give him the opportunity to show everyone just how much he truly supports the free exchange of ideas by sharing my speech in an open forum on his website.”
Tancredo’s statement comes in response to Bush telling the Miami Herald that a visit by Tancredo “would have afforded him the opportunity to enjoy the city’s many attributes and … would have started a worthwhile dialogue on Florida’s rich heritage and cultures.”
Bush’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Rotary Club issuing the latest invitation is not the same one that invited Tancredo to come to Miamia this week. That was the larger Rotary Club of Miami, which was supposed to hear Tancredo speak Wednesday at the Rusty Pelican restaurant on Biscayne Bay.
The restaurant blocked the speech after it decided Tancredo’s appearance wasn’t a good fit with a number of holiday parties that day. The business also said it was concerned about protestors and an onslaught of media attention.
The smaller Rotary Club said it isn’t worried about the potential circus that Tancredo might draw.
“What the congressman has to say is worthwhile, whether you disagree with it or agree with it,” said Bill Coffman, Rotary Club of Miami Beach president.
The Rotary Club of Miami Beach still needs to find a location to have the speech, and realizes that means a large building. So they’re thinking big, potentially the city’s convention center. They’d sell tickets to cover the cost, Coffman said.
Coffman and Shulman of the Rotary Club already fall on opposite sides of the debate over Miami’s virtues. Coffman finds the numerous languages spoken in the city appealing.
“We ought to celebrate diversity instead of celebrating sameness,” Coffman said. When asked what he thinks about Tancredo calling Miami a Third World country, Coffman said “It’s the differences of opinion that makes us strong.”
Shulman agrees with Tancredo.
“Miami’s a filthy, dirty, disgusting, corrupt banana republic,” Shulman said.
