ST. PETERSBURG, Florida, November 28, 2007 1957 (UTC) IMNS & Politisite.com) — On a tempestuous evening in St. Petersburg, Florida, the highly anticipated CNN YouTube Republican debate is set to commence. The candidates and VIPs arrived an hour earlier, coming from various hotels and villas throughout the Tampa Bay region. Notable figures from the media landscape made their appearances one after another.
Among them was Carl Cameron, Chief Political Correspondent for Fox News, who seemed to maintain a considerable distance from the other media representatives, as his tent and crew were stationed well away from the main gathering at the Progress Energy Arts Center. I managed to engage Carl in conversation for a few minutes. He is highly regarded in political journalism for his extensive knowledge of the candidates. Although I typically refrain from interviewing media personnel, he is an exception, as his insights are invaluable. Carl enjoys access that is typically reserved for top-tier professionals.
As a former Public Relations Chair of our political party, I decided to pose a challenging question. “Carl, which candidate offers the best food?” He chuckled and replied, “I don’t dine with the candidates.” Thus, the tough question fell flat. I had hoped to uncover which candidate might impress attendees with their culinary offerings.
For those on a diet, attending debates may not be advisable, as even the media are well-fed. CNN and YouTube deserve recognition for providing the finest catering in St. Petersburg, as well as during the last debate I attended in Charleston.
With the debate about to start, I noticed Chuck Norris seated in the front row, who recently released a video endorsing second-tier Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. Governor Huckabee performed exceptionally well in this debate, surpassing his previous appearances. He communicated his points clearly and succinctly, offering direct responses to the questions posed. When confronted with a video inquiry regarding the Death Penalty and Jesus’ perspective, he cleverly remarked that Jesus was wise enough to avoid running for public office. As a former Baptist preacher, Huckabee has a knack for delivering memorable one-liners, a skill often honed in seminary to engage an audience effectively. His remarks elicited enthusiastic applause, and real-time electronic polling indicated that this moment was a highlight of the debate.
Subsequently, in the Spin room, Governor Huckabee and Congressman Ron Paul were the only candidates present. Earlier in the day, Carl Cameron from Fox News mentioned that this trend began in 1996 when a candidate, frustrated by a debate, chose to engage with reporters in the Spin room, typically reserved for campaign managers and media specialists. Bay Buchanan was also present, celebrating Tom Tancredo’s performance, as immigration emerged as a significant topic for the first time in the debates, aligning with Tancredo’s primary focus.
A notable surprise was the appearance of actor Chuck Norris and his wife, former model Gena O’Kelley. Norris, a renowned martial artist and action star best known for his role as Cordell “Cord” Walker in Walker, Texas Ranger, is recognized for his tough persona and has recently endorsed Governor Mike Huckabee, making him one of the few conservative voices in Hollywood.
INTERVIEW WITH CHUCK NORRIS
Politisite.com and Iron Mill New Service had the pleasure of conducting an exclusive interview with Mr. Norris. Before we began, I took out my small silver Olympus Digital recorder. When Chuck spotted it, I half-expected him to react as if it were a weapon. However, once I explained it was just a digital recorder, he laughed it off. The equipment surrounding us was quite large and outdated, so I hadn’t considered that my Olympus WS-100 might be seen differently. But with Chuck Norris as my interviewee, perhaps a larger black recorder would have been more fitting.
Politisite.com – Chuck, what makes Gov. Huckabee your choice?
Norris – I believe he possesses the leadership skills and intelligence necessary to guide our country into the future. After researching the other candidates, he stands out to me as the leader we need.
Politisite.com – Is it because of his Christian faith?
Norris – No, not at all. Romney and McCain are also strong Christians; it’s not about that.
Politisite.com – So, what qualities were you looking for?
Norris – I’m looking for someone with true leadership qualities, someone who can lead us toward prosperity and peace in the future, and I genuinely believe Mike Huckabee is that person.
Politisite.com – In previous debates I’ve observed, it seemed like he wasn’t receiving the same media attention as the other candidates. But just take a look at him now (with media surrounding Mike on all sides).
Norris – I have to say, he’s a really sharp individual, and if people would take the time to learn about him, I believe they would agree with me that he’s the right person to lead our country.
Politisite – Politisite published an article considering him as a strong alternative to the frontrunners, but not many people are familiar with who Mike is.
Norris – I wasn’t either! You know how I discovered him? Two boys from a site called the Rebelution, the Harris twins, reached out to me via email and suggested I look into Mike Huckabee because they were supporting him for president. Like many others, I didn’t know who Mike Huckabee was, so I started researching him and realized he could truly lead our country. I did a lot of homework on all the candidates before making my decision, which is why I’m here tonight.
Politisite.com – Given that you’re one of the few conservative voices in Hollywood, I imagine you were quite thoughtful before endorsing a candidate.
Norris – Absolutely, and I’m proud to stand with Mike Huckabee.
Politisite.com – Thank you very much!
Norris – You’re Welcome!
