The Commandments of Politics

THOU SHALL ATTAIN FREE TV MEDIA
Circuit Clerk Steve Helms Calls Press Conference To Talk About a 10 Commandments Poster, But First Gives a Campaign Stump Speech

The clip touting his election is ABOVE

Greene County Circuit Clerk Steve Helms called a press conference Monday to say he was removing a 10 Commandments/September 11th poster from his office wall after a complaint about the separation of church and state.

But while that was the tease, one could argue the real goal was to win some free media coverage and allow himself to tout his election campaign for Circuit Court Clerk. In fact, Helms started his press conference by listing his accomplishments since his February appointment by Gov. Matt Blunt and his future goals. Only after that did he speak about the poster.

But there was no real news about the poster. Since he agreed to take the poster down (to avert a lawsuit that would be paid for by taxpayers, he says), the controversy was basically over. KY3 Reporter Linda Russell was unable to reach Brooke Hobbs, a Republican primary opponent who's threatening to take Helms' position from him. Yesterday, we reported that longtime Clerk Mike Carr has endorsed Hobbs. But another candidate, Peggy Kubicek, responded without offering a judgment on the poster or the substance of Helms' news conference.

"I'm very sorry that we have this conflict in the office at a time when there are so very many immediate needs," Kubicek said in a statement to KY3.

Helms, in the end, got what he wanted. He made it into multiple evening newscasts on several local TV stations. Mission accomplished.

Helms, Hobbs and Kubicek are in a 3-way primary vying for the Republican nomination for Circuit Clerk.