Many people are noticing a Libertarian shift in the GOP, especially since CPAC this past weekend. I seem to remember a certain blogger predicting a Libertarian shift in the GOP as far back as July, 2009. Let me see, who was that again? Oh yeah…

IT WAS ME.

Mike Huckabee doesn’t like this shift and went so far as to criticize CPAC this year for being too Libertarian but as Allahpundit points out at Hot Air, this just makes the Huckster look a bit out of touch…

What political benefit is there, in this year of all years, to knock CPAC for being “more libertarian” and “less Republican”? Libertarianism has never had more cachet within the GOP than it has right now; it’s not perfectly synonymous with the tea-party movement (of which Huckabee is predictably complimentary) but it’s close enough, especially with Beck in the role of TPers’ patron saint.

My feeling is that Mike Huckabee is just angry about Ron Paul winning the CPAC straw poll this year. If you remember the Republican primaries leading up to the 2008 election, you’ll recall that there was no love between Huck and Paul as they both slugged it out to the end, even when it was apparent that McCain was the nominee.

But forget about the Ron Paul win in the straw poll. It’s very doubtful that Ron Paul would run in 2012 and even if he did, the chances of him getting the nomination are slim to none. The significance of Paul’s libertarian leanings are the only matter of relevance. His young supporters from the Campaign for Liberty were out in force at CPAC. Even Ann Coulter acknowledged the libertarian contingency in the room.

Even Ann Coulter, who drew a huge crowd herself, felt compelled to give a shout out to Paul-mania, saying she agreed with everything he stands for outside of foreign policy — a statement met with cheers.

The younger, Libertarian Republicans in the room were largely responsible for booing one speaker offstage when he singled out a gay Republican group which had co-sponsored the event. Whether the establishment GOP realizes it or not, this was a defining moment which wasn’t lost on the conservative gay blog, Gay Patriot…

Folks, I’m relegated to writing this from my iPhone. But it is big news and a huge topic tonight at CPAC.Earlier today, during a student activist session on the CPAC main stage, one brave young man thanked the group for including GOProud as a sponsor this year. A few minutes later, another student launched into an anti-gay tirade from the same podium. The CPAC attendees turned on him and booed him off-stage.

You see, when libertarians and conservatives can focus on fiscal conservatism, smaller government and increased personal liberty, amazing things can happen. It also scares the living hell out of rank and file Democrat voters. Even the liberal gay blog Americablog sat up and took notice…

When conservatives are standing up for gays, and Democrats treat us like we are an embarrassment, there’s a problem. And when the Republicans increasingly say the right things, like repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell now, and even supporting marriage, and all the Democrats show is political homophobia, gays get the message. To the White House, the DNC, and our leadership in Congress: You are messing with people’s lives, and we know it. And the day that an anti-gay bigot gets booed at CPAC, you all better start being very afraid.

If libertarians feel as welcome in the Republican Party as social conservatives, and they should, America’s independent voters will follow in even greater numbers.

If that alliance can hold together in 2010 and 2012, it will be an unstoppable force.

Young Libertarian style Republicans care about fiscal conservatism, defense, liberty, love of country, and many more of the same things that motivate conservatives. What they don’t care about is if their friends and neighbors are gay or straight, what people choose to eat drink and smoke, and which religion a person does or does not practice.

If the GOP really wants to attract more young voters, they will embrace this young Libertarian Republican faction. With their enthusiasm and activism the sky would be the limit.

Just remember, I said “if.”

I mean, since President Obama is referring to a Navy man as a member of the “corpse”, why not? I’m betting Obama would never refer to the press corps as the press “corpse.”

Allahpundit at Hot Air does a good job explaining why this is resonating with many Obama critics.

Here’s the video:

Robert Stacy McCain provides the excellent video below of Scott Brown’s big Middleboro rally today. Stacy’s site was down for a little while tonight (traffic much?) but he’s back online now.

DaTech Guy has a great account of the Middleboro rally here, as well.

There is a “part 2″ video which is even better than this one but for that, you’re going to have to go to Stacy’s post at Hot Air.

According to a new poll conducted by Suffolk University and Channel 7 of Boston, Scott Brown is now leading Martha Coakley by four points. Brown 50% to Coakley 46%.

This is great news for Scott Brown. The Boston Herald reports:

Riding a wave of opposition to Democratic health-care reform, GOP upstart Scott Brown is leading in the U.S. Senate race, raising the odds of a historic upset that would reverberate all the way to the White House, a new poll shows.

Although Brown’s 4-point lead over Democrat Martha Coakley is within the Suffolk University/7News survey’s margin of error, the underdog’s position at the top of the results stunned even pollster David Paleologos.

“It’s a Brown-out,” said Paleologos, director of Suffolk’s Political Research Center. “It’s a massive change in the political landscape.”

Change in the political landscape. Hmm.. I seem to remember another writer using those exact words.

For an excellent analysis of this poll, be sure to read this post from Allahpundit at Hot Air.

Jessica Taylor at The Politico has more:

Brown’s favorability ratings are also higher than Coakley’s, with 57 percent saying they have a favorable opinion of the state senator and just 19 percent having an unfavorable opinion. Forty-nine percent say they have a favorable opinion of Coakley, while 41 percent have an unfavorable opinion of the attorney general.

Against the backdrop of an election that could possibly play a decisive role in the health care debate—a point both parties have begun to press on their supporters—51 percent said they did not support the health care bill, with 36 percent supported it. Sixty-one percent said they didn’t believe the government could afford such a plan.

A plurality of respondents also believe Brown fared better during the televised debates between the candidates, with 41 percent saying they believed Brown won, compared to just 25 percent for Coakley.

FOOTNOTE: Here’s why Obama isn’t coming to Massachusetts…

With Mrs. Coakley flagging in the polls and Republican Scott Brown closing fast — one recent polls puts him 2 points ahead — Mr. Obama has decided to keep his fingerprints off a race that would be an embarrassment for Democrats should they lose, given that Mr. Obama won the state in 2008 by a 27 point margin.

Scott Brown can win this election and if he does, get ready to hear the loudest gnashing of teeth from the Democrat political establishment since Reagan turned Massachusetts red in 1980.

UPDATE: Scott Brown has raised a million dollars a day, every day this week.

UPDATE II: Martha Coakley says Catholics shouldn’t work in Emergency Rooms.

My video of the best moment from tonight’s Massachusetts Senate debate. Scott Brown reminds everyone that “Its the people’s seat.”

NOTE: This video is guaranteed to go viral.

It’s being shown at Gateway Pundit and Hot Air.

The video is also being shown at Legal Insurrection and to give credit where it’s due, Professor William Jacobson has done an outstanding job covering the Scott Brown campaign.

UPDATE: The video is also being displayed at Althouse, NEO-NEOCON, Instapundit ,The Other McCain, Gay Patriot, and Weasel Zippers.

Please visit my YouTube Channel for more great vids.

BIG shout out to Smitty at The Other McCain for citing American Glob as his source for this video.

Thanks, man.

Moe Lane at Red State links, thanks Moe!

UPDATE: Linked at the top of Drudge. Wow!

I’m guessing Helen Thomas won’t be giving Obama a solid B+.

Video provided by Freedom’s Lighthouse.

In reverse order!

3. Smitty at The Other McCain has a cartoon that made me laugh out loud.

2. Allahpundit notes Obama’s new role as a “fiscal conservative.”

1. Patrick at I HATE THE MEDIA spotlights NBC’s “Year of Obama”

For additional laughs, you can always check out Pookie’s Toon archive at The Right Reasons.

OK, here’s one bonus political cartoon…

I never thought I’d find myself between KOS and Allahpundit. It’s almost obscene.

KOS to the left of me, Allah to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you…

Last month, the liberal website Talking Points Memo, joined the White House press pool.

Today, we learn the liberal website The Huffington Post is joining the White House press pool.

When will the White House press pool include Hot Air, Patterico and Red State?

I look forward to an official White House report from Hot Air’s Allahpundit that starts with the words “obligitory” or “heartache.”

Seriously though, how would HuffPo and TPM react if the shoe was on the other foot?

Indulge me as I state the obvious… Democrats won’t be in control forever and elephants never forget.

Hey, why not? The Democrats are having a civil war, the Republicans are having a civil war, it’s about time Libertarians got in on the game.

Allahpundit made Libertarian unrest the subject of Hot Air’s “Quote of the Day” today citing an article at Reason.com about Glenn Beck.

More evidence of the Libertarian cannibal blood feast can be seen in South Park’s recent parody of Beck.  South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, like Beck, are Libertarians.

“Libertarians are eating each other alive. And it doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t make any sense. But see, there’s no, there’s no structure to it. And I’m fine with that. But that’s why libertarians lose is because there’s no, there’s no system. There’s no system. And so there’s no one to defend. And so the, both parties, when they start to grind down on you, you have the entire system against you, and it’s quite amazing. It’s quite amazing.”

“So here’s Cartman. Now, this is South Park, and I’m flattered. But remember these guys are libertarians. Here’s South Park.”

Frankly, I don’t see a civil war happening among Libertarians. You’re either a Libertarian who supports Pelosi & Obama or you’re a real Libertarian.

Robert Stacy McCain understands the issue that concerns most of us: Libertarian Sideboob!