Rep. Tom Tancredo, one of my favorite Republicans, was the lone GOP presidential candidate who showed up at a NAACP presidential forum. The Detroit Free Press reported:

Earlier in the day, and standing in the middle of 10 podiums, nine of them empty but waiting for Republican candidates, U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo asked, “Do you think we should wait a few minutes to see if these other guys show up?”

The Colorado Republican was the only one of 10 GOP candidates who accepted an invitation to speak at the convention.

“Do they know something that I don’t know,” Tancredo said. “The fact is that I know something that they don’t. We may not agree on all issues, but we do have a very common cause – that the playing field is level for everyone, and the gates of opportunity are open for all.”

One of the leading critics of immigration legislation on Congress, Tancredo used his three-minute opening statement to talk about the issue, calling it one of the most serious domestic problems facing the nation.

“The federal government refuses to do its job,” he said.

The audience gave Tancredo a standing ovation, more because he was the only Republican to show up, rather than approving of his stance on issues.

Unfortunately, Tancredo makes the mistake of assuming that NAACP leaders believe in a “playing field [that] is level for everyone.” They don’t.

Still, I give Tancredo a salute for appreciating that sometimes showing up is half the battle.