As a sort of opening act to the "Hands off My Healthcare" rally, video clips played on the big screen.

The first clip featured a speech by Dallas Woodhouse, state director of Americans for Prosperity, which sponsored the rally. The second clip featured Woodhouse's appearance on CNN in which he debated health care with his brother, Brad Woodhouse, who is communications director for the Democratic National Committee.

Woodhouse knew there were a lot of good applause lines in his performance. Like when he said that unlike his brother, "I'm just a little simple community organizer."

Or when anchor John Roberts asked the brothers how could the nation agree on health care reform plans put forward by Democrats if two brothers couldn't. 

"I think the rest of the country has agreed on it. They don't like it," Woodhouse said. 

The videos done, it was time for Mr. Woodhouse to get to speechifying. 

"Mr. President when you take the podium tonight, we will be listening," Woodhouse said to the crowd. 

North Carolina's Woodhouse brothers will square off, again, on CNN Tuesday morning.

Brad, who is communications director for the Democratic National Committee in Washington, and Dallas, who heads the North Carolina chapter of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity, will debate President Obama's health care reform proposals.

The ideologically fractious freres are slated to appear at 7:30 a.m. on "American Morning."

Brad Woodhouse previously worked for U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge and then-U.S. Senate candidate Erskine Bowles, both Democrats, before beginning a string of high profile communications posts in Washington. Dallas Woodhouse is a former television reporter in Raleigh.

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The Woodhouse brothers are taking each other to the woodshed.

The two Raleigh natives are fighting directly over the North Carolina airwaves about the economic stimulus package being discussed in Congress.

Dallas Woodhouse, spokesman for the limited-government group Americans for Prosperity, is leading a radio campaign urging Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan to vote against the bill.

Brad Woodhouse, president of the liberal advocacy group Americans United for Change, is running a radio campaign urging Republican Sen. Richard Burr to vote for it.

The brothers, who both graduated from Broughton High, started out in the middle of the political spectrum. After working for U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, Brad worked his way up the Democratic ladder in Washington, while Dallas went from being a TV reporter to a conservative advocate.

This is the first time they've directly campaigned against each other, but not the first time they've disagreed over politics.

"He tells me that I'm out to destroy America and stop progress," said Dallas, "and I tell him he's trying to tax us into oblivion and steal all our prosperity." 

U.S Rep. Bob Etheridge may not be that close to Barack Obama, but his former staffers are.

Two former staffers for the Lillington Democrat are now working for the Democratic National Committee, according to the Washington Posts' The Fix blog.

Brad Woodhouse served as a policy aide and then press secretary Etheridge's for nearly five years before leaving to work for Erskine Bowles' 2002 campaign against Elizabeth Dole. He previously worked for Gov. Jim Hunt's administration.

He will now share communications duties at the national party with other staffers.

Woodhouse has a close relationship with Robert Gibbs, a spokesman with Obama's campaign. Gibbs worked as Etheridge's press secretary, leaving to join John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and later the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

When he left that job, he was replaced by Woodhouse.

Americans United for Change is targeting U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes. 

The Washington-based liberal advocacy group is joining other organizations in putting ads out to target the Concord Republican for his vote against expanding SCHIP, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, Barb Barrett reports.

The group isn’t targeting any of the other N.C. members who voted the same way, including Democrats Mike McIntyre and Bob Etheridge.

President Bush vetoed the bill, and Democratic leaders are trying to get House members to change their vote to override the veto.

Brad Woodhouse, president of Americans United, said he doesn't want to waste money and that McIntyre and Etheridge appear “unmovable” on the issue. Both oppose using an increase in the tobacco tax to pay for the expansion and say it would hurt the state’s economy.

More after the jump.

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