"I'm only going to say this once. I did not have marching excercises,
with that man...Mr. King, I never did. Not once."

SEVERAL of my readers are asking me to weigh in on the MLK debacle that the Team Romney campaign let come about rather carelessly. MANY are accusing Mitt of waxing Billy-Jefferson on the matter, so here goes...

First off it is easily evident through a simple look at the records that Mitt never "saw" his father march with Dr. King. Libs have already picked up on this and are beginning the whispering campaigns in African American communities across the country.

This is exceedingly, profoundly, negligently, and absolutely painful to Mitt's cause - because as sad as it is to admit it - there are many voters in African American circles who are insulated from the mainstream. So insulated they listen only to "black" radio, "black" television cable. Forget the blogosphere, and "new media" in these circles in Chicago, Philly, Detroit, New York etc. this will now become a problem that he will likely not be able to climb past.

Doubt you all me want on that point, but I've probably done more exclusively black media in the nation than just about any other white evangelical Christian conservative pundit - maybe ever. I've worshipped in more African American churches, I talk to the largest community of church going African Americans in the nation every single day... Doubt me, sure its your choice - but I am not wrong.

Coupled with the fact that Mitt's "faith of his fathers" was openly hostile towards blacks until he was "in college" and if there had never been an MLK flip/flop at all - suspicion, whispering, and lack of trust would have cost him votes to begin with.

Now it turns out that Mitt's exact words weren't true and in election cycles those "read my lips" moments ALWAYS get used against you.

And here's the most horrific part of all of it: IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THIS WAY!

Primarily because George Romney - Mitt's father was such an ardent supporter of Dr. King in so many ways. All courtesy of Geraghty the Indispensable.

1. 1963: Governor Romney Participated In Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Freedom Marches" In Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

2. As Governor Of Michigan, George Romney Fought For Civil Rights And Marched In Support Of Martin Luther King Jr.

3. In 1965, George Romney Led A March In Michigan To Protest Selma.

4. Martin Luther King Jr. "Spoke Positively" About The Possible Presidential Candidacy Of George Romney.

5. George Romney Attended King's Funeral In 1968.

6. After King's Assassination, George Romney Declared An Official Period Of Mourning, Ordered All Flags To Be Flown At Half Staff And Said King's Death Was "A Great National Tragedy."

I mean seriously compare George Romney's response to King's murder as compared to "Rev." Jesse Jackson's plunging his hands into MLK's blood and smearing it on his sweater so that he could claim "mantle being passed."

What Mitt's people should have done from the beginning of this campaign cycle was to as one aspect of his campaign already be reaching out to African American voters - some of which if they registered as Republicans for GOP Primary dates could help him in tight races where a high level of mistrust still exists for many as it related to Rudy Giuliani.

Huckabee's bonafides amongst African Americans is perhaps the highest I've ever seen amongst a nationwide race for office. Mitt has deficiencies on this level - not personally - but caused by the perception of his faith (which HE chose to emphasize), and now the stumble on the facts concerning MLK...

But it didn't have to be...