The You Tube Debate, and Supposed Huckabee "Catholic" Issue

The You Tube Debate-

I think Huckabee did great last night. I thought that type of format would suit him well. He was not the only one that helped himself. I thought Governor Romney put forth a solid performance himself. However before going to Mass this morning, I did a quick survey of the blogs by googling "Huckabee". Huckabee good performance was noted by many folks. I think his performance will help him as he heads into the important Iowa straw poll

If you happen to watch Fox this morning the focus group that Frank Luntz was running gave the debate to Huckabee. Also Frank Luntz says as to the crowd that was present by Body language alone hewas winning them over. That is important because the crowd was in IOWA.

OneMom has news that Huckabee is moving up in the ABC poll and also has her notes from the after the debate blogger conference call that Governor Huckabee was involved in.

There is more debate news at Mike Huckabee For President.

The so Called "Catholic" Controversy-

Tip of the hat to Louisiana blogger Astonished, Yet at Home! that noticed this Deal Hudson article on the matter titled Brownback Campaign Defends Important Principle.

Let me relate a personal story. A few years back I was real active in a Republicans campaign for US Senate here in Louisiana. I was often the go to guy for her in the Shreveport area. Part of my activity was making sure a political booth was manned for the Louisiana State Fair. The fair lasted two weeks and I was up there most of the time making sure every thing was running smoothly.

Next to our booth was one of our Republican opponents . The rub was that his family was very involved in running that booth. I made it my mission to win those people over so they would support us after the primary was over.. They were generally nice people. I ran and got them cokes, watched their booth if someone had to take a bathroom break , and tried to represent my hopeful for Senate in the best light possible. I always had the volunteers treat them with respect also.

One night I decided to take a break and go watch Louisiana Tech play Hawaii in football. I was gone a total of 7 hours. The first real break I had taken in weeks. I left some high school Young Republicans there to man the booth.. What could go wrong?

A few days before someone approached me with material that was put out by several Louisiana Pro-life groups including a Catholic one. I felt after reviewing the material that it perhaps put one of our opponent's votes in a unfair light and was misleading. It was legitmate campaign material being put out by major Louisiana Pro-Life and Conservative organizations I made a choice not to distribute it. There was nothing that explosive about it, but I knew this charge was a sore spot with their campaign. I politely put it away and sadly forgot all about it. Well guess what happened when I was gone.

A few days later it exploded. I was driving in my car when I heard on a STATE WIDE RADIO show our opponent's family member call in and say some LAWYERRRRRR(me) was involved in a massive smear campaign . You would think I was head of the "dirty tricks" department. All over something so innocent and so minor. Good Grief. Well that is politics

My name was mentioned. I later found out the family was supposely hurt because some high school kid had passed out about twenty of those flyers out while I was at the game. They never brought their outrage to me or asked me about it. I will give them the benefit of the doubt that this outrage was not fauz outrage. I have been told often I am naive in giving that benefit of the doubt.

At the end of the day I, an unpaid volunteer , and the person I supported got smeared more than they did. I was broadcast to be a part of a "whisper campaign" . The campaign and I just shrugged it off. Stuff like that happens everyday in politics and is just part of it. Iwasnt thrilled about it but I am a big boy. I was not going to hurt my Candidate by keeping it alive.

Think of my experience when you read Deal Hudson's article. I like Senator Brownback alot. But his campaign and that campaign I am talking about had something in common. That was a campaign that was having a tough time getting off the ground and we were taking a lead on them. People when in a bad spot see things that are not there.

I have no doubt that the Huckabee campaign has some supporters that say things that would keep us awake at night. Guess what- the Brownback campaign has them too. So does everyone!!! I am not thrilled about Pastor' Rudes comments but I am not losing sleep over it. I have had family members that are not Catholic , including my beloved grandmother, say worse to my face.

Newsflash here folks, Catholics have their own set of jerks. I have seen some stuff on Catholic blogs and sites that is not exactly tactful. If those people support Brownback does he need to apologize for what some Catholic yahoo said on a blogger account? As I have stated before we can open up that can of worms but it will just be framed by the media as "look at those crazy religious folks".

Kudos to Governor Romney that is taking much more grief but is only calling out for the most part campaign staff of his opponents when they cross a line.

In the end I will agree with with Mr Hudson when he says "It's the principle that we do not help America when we pit conservative, pro-life Christian voters against each other.
In other words, by dividing the pro-life, pro-family, pro-common sense religious voters for the sake of promoting an Evangelical over a Catholic, or vice versa, the country will be the loser."

Amen to that.

Unless the Brownback campaign or the media continues to keep a silly story that Huckabee is encouraging an ANTi-Catholic campaign against him. this shall be my last thoughts on the matter. But if this continues I hope some evidence is produced and not just political hearsay. Like I said I was a victim of that myself.