Helmke Defends Obama to National TV Audience

[beevul]

Helmke Defends Obama to National TV Audience

FORT WAYNE, IN (Indiana's NewsCenter) --- A well-known republican from Northeast Indiana is in the odd position of defending Barack Obama and his stance on a major issue in the Presidential campaign. But will former Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke vote for Obama come November 4th? For the past two years, Paul Helmke has been serving as the President of the “Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence”, an organization that last week endorsed Senator Obama over John Mc Cain. On “Fox News” Thursday, Helmke appeared as a guest, saying that the National Rifle Association is wrongly accusing Obama of trying to take away citizen rights to own guns. Helmke, a long-time republican, says he has not personally endorsed Obama for President, but he concedes his organization's stance has to play a role in his own decision. Helmke says Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama is an indicator this election is "outside the box". Paul Helmke: " I saw a poll that 20 percent of self-described conservatives are going to be voting for Obama This is a different sort of election, there's a lot of concerns about what the republican party stands for, and there's a lot of concerns about possibly where the different tickets might take us on issues." Helmke says he’s not ready to commit his vote to Obama. He does say, he often votes a split ticket, and when he does vote for a democrat, he says he rarely makes that public. This is the first time Helmke has been in his new role during a Presidential election, and he feels like he's being pulled in a couple of different directions.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27345695/

Helmke says he’s not ready to commit his vote to Obama. He does say, he often votes a split ticket, and when he does vote for a democrat, he says he rarely makes that public.

Now theres a huge surprise...not.

[SteveM]

1. So many who complain of the NRA defend GOP talking points on guns...

The Brady Center is die-hard GOPer and they get a nice warm place to sit near the head of the Democratic Party, then let their farts seep out. Oh, poor Helmke. He's "pulled in a couple of different directions." The exquisite agony of a win-win situation.