Redstate

Posted at 2:35pm on Dec. 18, 2007 A Message to Huckabee Supporters and Detractors

By swglaw

After reviewing the many articles on the Huckster that have appeared over the last week or so, I have come to the following observations:

1) Mike Huckabee is a fundamentally unacceptable candidate. He is very nearly as unacceptable, and as unserious, as HWSNBN.

2) Mike Huckabee's supporters, just like HWSNBN's supporters, steadfastly refuse to recognize, acknowledge or even address in a meaningful fashion the substantive reasons for #1 above, transforming every substantive argument into an "You hate him because he is a Christian" diversion, despite the fact that very many Conservative Christians (like me - FTR I support Thompson) are finding Huckabee unacceptable.

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Posted at 11:24am on Oct. 1, 2007 A Primer on Christian Voters

By swglaw

I read much on RS that seems to dovetail with what I have perceived to be "Democrat" notions concerning Christians. In short, these folks seem to think that "Christians" or "values voters" or "socons" (or whatever other term one uses - the person using ordinarily is using it as a pejorative to mock anyone who would be stupid enough, in their view, to believe Christianity is anything other than a reasonably well written fairy tale) are nothing more than mind numbed robots who must listen to Dobson or Falwell or Robertson or some other bogeyman to know how, or even if, to vote. When a "Christian leader" (and who exactly is a Christian leader, anyway? There are dozens and dozens of denominations that can legitimately lay claim to being Christian, all of whom have their own hierarchy. Which one gets to count as a leader? Whoever is quoted in the NY Times? Whoever says the most outrageous thing? Who?) such as Dobson expresses any opinion that does not conform to non-believers notions of orthodoxy or "common sense", the trashing begins. I for one am weary of it.

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Posted at 1:50pm on Aug. 5, 2005 Butler Senate (MI) Campaign continues to impress

By swglaw

Keith Butler's Michigan Senate campaign continues to pick up steam.  He has picked up National ((Mehlman, Watts and Kemp) as well as State (Mike Cox, State Atty General, and former senate leader and gubernatorial candidate Dick Posthumus) support.  His fundraising has been phenomenal so far (2 million overall, 1.4 million in the bank per an insider familiar with the most recent FEC filing), and he has been able to hire a first rate team for his campaign.  For more details, see the article:  www.detnews.com/2005/politics/0508/05/a01-270689.htm.

Insiders say the race is beginning to set up to give Butler a decent chance.  Incumbent Dem.  Debbie Stabenow's internal polls put her at 54% for reelection, which has stabilized after successive free falls from the mid 70's.  However, the task before Butler is still daunting.  My source indicates that Butler will need at least 12 million to compete.  He will need to do well in Western Wayne County, Monroe County and Macomb County, as well as with women.  This will be, in a word, difficult, as these areas are typically not Republican strongholds (see earlier Butler posts for more details).  In addition, the presumptive gubernatorial candidate, industrialist Dick DeVos, has virtually no name recognition (a recent survey in Michigan showed that 80% of those surveyed had never heard of DeVos - only 6% in Detroit had heard of DeVos).  He is a multimillion dollar industrialist who fits many of the stereotypes of "rich republican".  Governor Granholm is vulnerable (internal polls put her at 51% for reelection) - perhpas Butler should be the gubernatorial candidate!  Insiders feel that DeVos is a poor candidate, and may drag Butler down.  Granholm was very popular, until the economy tanked and she has been unable to do anything about it.  Still, it is early, and no one is talking about the governor's race yet.

NOTE:  Questions have been raised about Butler's fundraising - specifically, that he has been using his churches (see the article for more details) to fund the campaign.  I predicted earlier that if these types of attacks occurred, it might well be a signal that Butler is a legitimate threat.  So far, it appears he is indeed such a threat.

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