We like Mike – Just Not for President
Huckabee surges but he's not our guy
By Ericka Andersen Posted in 2008 — Comments (93) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Mike Huckabee is rising steadily in nationwide polls and that isn’t good for the Republican Party. There is now a split among four main candidates (excluding John McCain): Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Huckabee and arguably (some would say) Fred Thompson.
People like Huckabee for his Southern charm, calm speech and ability to connect – due in large part to his role as a minister. He has performed impressively at every Republican debate and been generous with his time to news stations, print publications and radio interviews (unlike some of the frontrunners who barely return press phone calls – but I won’t name any names.) Huckabee has stuck it out, but for what end? When he spoke with Human Events in June – before the ‘Huckalove’ was flowing – he was irritated with the assumption that his campaign wasn’t gaining more attention:
READ BELOW TO FIND OUT WHAT HE SAID AND MORE
“And, one of my frustrations is right now, all you hear about is through the filter of the national media, who has anointed 3 people to be the presidential candidates, and even Fox News, the fair and balanced one, will put the faces and names of: Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and John McCain as if they’re the only three people running for president, and the only issues they want to talk about are Iraq and immigration. Am I talking about things like energy independence and education and health and all, you bet I am. I have a whole book dedicated to it.”
Clearly the times have changed but Huckabee is detracting attention from the candidate who might actually win the national election. Despite his claims of being the real conservative, we know that’s not true. The Club for Growth has ripped him over and over for his tax policies and he’s altered views on immigration. He has a new immigration plan out but he told Human Events that he didn’t want to punish illegal immigrant children for their parent’s crimes so he would like to include a scholarship program for them.
In an interview with Real Clear Politics in March of this year, Huckabee said the following about immigration issues:
”...we need in our economy to do jobs that are going unfilled because nobody here wants to do them.
You know, when people say, ‘they're taking our jobs’ - I used to hear that as Governor - and I started asking this question, ‘can you name me any person, give me their name, who can't get a job plucking a chicken or picking a tomato or tarring a roof that would like to do that work? In fact, I won't ask, I'll challenge you: give me their name and their phone number by five this afternoon and by eight o'clock tomorrow morning I can have them at work.’
And I'd hear ‘well, it's a lot of people,’ and I said, ‘no, no, don't tell me it's a lot of people, don't tell me you heard, or that your friends have said, or that you have this uncle. Tell me their names. Take a few hours. Go get them. Give me their names.’
I never, ever, had a person who could come up with the name of a person who could not get a job because an illegal immigrant had stepped in front of them because it was either a job that person didn't want to do or didn't exist. I'm not saying there aren't folks out there like that, but so much of it was more about emotion than it was about the reality of saying ‘gee, I can't get a job because somebody was in front of me.’
People have to make restitution, there's got to be a penalty paid for the crime committed. But it ought to fit the crime; you don't put somebody in jail for ten years because they came across the border to make a living.You make them pay something, you make them go through a process, you may put them in the back of the line for the process, but you create a process that's realistic. You don't say the back of the line starts and for the next 12 years you're going to be filling out paperwork.’
That was back before the Bush-McCain Immigration bill was squashed. Now Huckabee’s not so lenient about his tone towards the issue. His new plan is pretty tough but again, it causes one to wonder how much he’s played it up because of the killed bill.
Besides his questionable stances on these key issues – and as much as I like him personally – I don’t see him beating Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in the national election. Apparantly, the the Democrat Party agrees with me. Headlined on Drudge today:
“Democrat party officials are avoiding any and all criticism of Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee, insiders reveal.
The Democratic National Committee has told staffers to hold all fire, until he secures the party's nomination.
The directive has come down from the highest levels within the party, according to a top source.
Within the DNC, Huckabee is known as the "glass jaw -- and they're just waiting to break it."
In the last three weeks since Huckabee's surge kicked in, the DNC hasn't released a single press release criticizing his rising candidacy.
The last DNC press release critical of Huckabee appeared back on March 2nd.”
Jonah Goldberg summed Huckabee up recently, saying:
“A devout social conservative on issues such as abortion, school prayer, homosexuality and evolution, Huckabee's a populist on economics, a fad-follower on the environment and al all-around do-gooder who believes that the biblical obligation to do 'good works' extends to using government -- and your tax dollars -- to bring us closer to the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth."
Last but certainly not least, he harbors little foreign policy experience and though his thoughts on how to combat Islamic extremism and win the War on Terror point in the right direction, his steps toward success are often vague and wordy.
Mike Huckabee is a great guy trying to the right thing but becoming President of the United States isn’t where he’s headed. We may not have the greatest choices this election but the more there are, the less of a chance we have of actually achieving a Republican victory.
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We like Mike – Just Not for President 93 Comments (0 topical, 93 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Has anyone asked Huck why he's not a pastor anymore?
I'm a Baptist myself, and believe people to be "called" to the ministry. Without going into detail, it's pretty basic Baptist dogma to state that ministers have a calling, so to speak.
Somebody needs to ask Huckabee why he thinks it is God altered the call, no pun intended.
I'd rather somebody ask it seriously, and not in a Tim Russert kind of way.
I don't know of any Christian who believes that God can't call someone to do several different things, either at once or consecutively. There is no where in the Bible that indicates that once you have been called to do something, and do it for a while, that God can't then lead you to something different.
The cynic in me says "How about the fact that compelling people to pay taxes for you to spend on 'good things' is a lot easier than asking for donations to your ministry." But that's probably not the reason and not fair to Huckabee.
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Two thirds of the world is covered by water,
the other third is covered by Champ Bailey.
They've long been afraid of Huck:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/5/31/134321/725
Or it could be a triple bluff. They could be thinking that you will reason thus and vote for Huck, which is possibly what they have been secretly hoping all along. On the other hand, maybe they anticipated that I would reason thus, and that is their real reason for saying this now . . . . aaaahhhhgh!
This way inevitably leads to endless regression.
It is much better to use our own judgement. I think you have done that. So have I. We have come to opposite conclusions.
I am convinced Huckabee is by far the most vulnerable of the five leading candidates and would tank badly in the general. Do the Democrats think that? I don't know. But they ought to.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
International Editor of
The fact is that we're not bright enough to pull off a double-bluff, much less a triple bluff. To see things like that, you still have to go to France or to Russia.
The rest of your analysis is spot-on, however.
i liked him, too...until i read about all the stuff he did and didn't do and blamed and whined about...etc. etc. etc. ... yes, i can see why the democrats want him as the republican nominee...it's the 'glass jaw' syndrome...we can't afford for huckabee to be the nominee...
janet ney
www.californiaforthompson.com
I will not vote Republican for the first time in my life
The more I read both RedState and Dailykos -- and compare the posts and conversations of the two -- the more it becomes horrifyingly clear that Dailykos isn't having a worthwhile or substantive debate on the candidates. Well, I guess we're discussing YOUR candidates a lot...
Dailykos is much more preoccupied with either broad, non-primary issues (which can be useful, I guess) or, among the frustrated revolutionaries in our midst, a deep-seated desire to do the usual lefty thing and torch all we've built because a floorboard's out of place.
And yet at RedState it's almost all primary coverage except for RedHot, most national and int'l issues besides Putin and Chavez, and even the OH-05 and VA-01 Congressional races, are getting almost no coverage. It's all primary stuff. Why is this?
And just to make this comment completely relevant to the post, yeah, I've been flabbergasted at folks at Dkos bashing Huckabee as if they had the slightest interest in getting the GOP a good presidential nominee.
Anyway, congrats on the vigor and depth of your discussion.
I think it's great for the party..just a short time ago many were wondering where and who the R leaders are.
I think the GOP is still lacking in leaders moving forward in years. ..I hope it doesn't take a major election to bring them out....
" Got to love the Lord for making things like that."
Morally Compromised
A couple of months ago I was hoping he'd run for Senate. Today, I hope he runs for cover.
1. He's a serial liar. He seems incapable of telling the truth on issues that are black and white and easy to research.
2. He's the Holiday Inn Express candidate. That may get him a job as a rodeo clown, but it renders him unfit for elective office outside of the state of Arkansas.
3. He's a wannabe socialist.
Personally, I hope I never hear his name again.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
The rest of us have... I'm sorry, but it's all here on the site. Look for any post where the Huckabot are attacking someone else, that will be a good tell that you are on the right track.
I was just asking if there was a list or something somewhere. Perhaps since you're so passionate about it you can either make one or provide the link I asked for. It was an innocent question; Huckabee's not my guy or anything. Mbecker just made the statement that he's a liar, and I merely wanted proof. He has since provided some.
him. You'll find it here... and they've updated it based on some criticism of their initial work. I'm pretty sure the video of Bubba Jr talking about the fuel tax issue is on their site as well.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
You have been on RS for a while and I thought that either you would have seen some of these articles (there seem to be plenty) or at least would recognize beck as not being one to falsely accuse. Either way, sorry for the attitude.
I have been on RS for a good while now, but I've been swamped with, UGGGGH, work lately so I haven't been as faithful as I have in the past about reading. No hard feelings. I figured you assumed I was a Huckster and trying to bait mbecker, which was not the case.
I'm against Huck because I think he's a taxer and that he's more compassionate than conservative.
That one was not a "misstatement" or anything but a bald faced lie. To recap: BJ specifically said on at least five occasions on national TV that the people of AR voted to increase fuel taxes. In point of fact, BJ rammed legislation through the AR Legislature increasing the fuel taxes and the people of AR voted on a bond issue to fix the roads and authorized the use of the already passed fuel taxes to pay for the bond issue. He flat out lied on the subject.
There are some other issues, but you can chew on this one, it's the most blatant.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
First of all, some background on me because it affects the way I look at things. I am a recovering addict - 32 years sober, delivered from drug and alcohol addiction by God. I've spent lots of time working with recovering addicts and if there is one thing addicts are driven to do, it's lie. About everything. And their "favorite" lies are the simple ones where really no deception was required and the truth is easy to find.
Now, that said, the thing that disturbs me the most about this specific instance of out-and-out lying about the fuel tax issue is this: he didn't have to do it. We've had Redstate posters make a good case in favor of the fuel tax and the attendant road repairs and I'm sure the Governor could have made at least as good of a case. Second, the issue is black and white. The tax was either on the ballot or it wasn't. It was either passed in advance of the special election or it wasn't. There's no middle ground. And third, the truth is really, really, really easy to research - Google is our friend. Fourth, when he's bagged lying he immediately attacks The Club for Growth, he attacks the fact that they took money from a political opponent of his, he just goes into full deflection mode.
Now, do not read anything into this to the effect that I'm saying that the Governor is an addict, has issues with drugs or alcohol or anything even remotely like that. I'm not. I don't know him & I really know absolutely nothing of his past. What I am saying is that I see people all the time who exhibit the same characteristics I see in the Governor with respect to this incident. Those folks are not trustworthy. Period. And I do not trust Huckabee on anything because of this.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
and I thought at first that you were referring to Big Bubba, himself.
The "Third Worst Person in the World" and aiming higher.
Bubba Jr. just appears to be faithful to his wife.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
You have to be trust worthy enough to put your life on the line for someone else to be a rodeo clown.
what I am sick of is the incendiary diaries that slam each and every candidate that we have running for President. Rudy took his turn, then Romney, then McCain, and now its Huckabee's turn. Either this field is just atrocious or we frankly have too many demagogues on this site, and I am frankly squarely resigned to option b and I am sick of it.
Always tell the truth, George; it's the easiest thing to remember.
We're in a transitional time right now. The last seven years have seen the different factions of the party increasingly spinning in different directions. The work to keep a unified front on the war has tamped down much of the debate that would naturally result.
In the context of the primary, the divisions can no longer be hidden. This primary is part of a fundamental debate over the direction of the party. Each of these candidates is deeply problematic for some segment of our coalition and so it's natural that each would bring out highly negative responses (and highly positive ones).
I understand being frustrated with the negativity, but this discussion has to happen and it's natural that it would be passionate.
We must press our candidates ruthlessly during the primary, for several reasons:
1. See how they handle stress.
2. Shake out all the skeletons from their closet.
3. Innoculate the public on their weaknesses.
The general election will be nasty. That is a given in the modern media age. We don't want to find out after the convention that our chosen candidate is a weak sister. The Dems tried to avoid a "self-destructive" primary in '04, and stuck themselves with Kerry.
The process is unseemly but absolutely necessary.
"If all men were just, there would be no need of valor."
- Agesilaus
I like Huckabee and I think he's the right man for America at the right time. He's performed well at the debates because he speaks eloquently and from the heart. He's rising now because many people see he's running out of love for his country, not for personal power.
That's what I've felt about Guliani and to a lesser extent Romney -- this run is for the acquisition of power for power's sake. I just don't see that with Huckabee.
Yeah, he's not a TRUE conservative but I don't believe anyone is or should be. He's a true American and truly a man of God. His foreign policy experience doesn't worry me too much. I think it might be good in fact to get a fresh Republican perspective on foreign policy.
Mainly, I think Huckabee nailed a huge problem in America other candidates seem to miss: the need for spiritual and physical rejuvenation in America. I think he understands our health care problems, and wants to fix them for the betterment of Americans (not for the betterment of big corporate medicine nor especially for the betterment of government).
And I think he's spot on about the power of church in America and the role it can play in taking back communities and making a healthier society.
I know most of what I say is downright unpopular here at RedState, but I'm frankly fed up with families being torn apart in this country because of liberal ideology and profit-only free market doctrine. We need someone who can damper both so middle-class America can be strong again.
I don't think a Huckabee/McCain ticket will win the nomination, but I think it's the right ticket for this country, and I do think they would surprise a lot of people in a general election. Most people have already been surprised at how many connect to Huck's message.
And look at how many people are yet unfamiliar with him. The more we learn about who Huckabee is, the better his odds.
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History is all that will help us with the future
And the more we learn about him the more we understand that he is a:
1. Liar.
2. Utter and complete fool with respect to foreign policy.
3. Supports a fix for abortion (HLA) that will NEVER pass the Congress.
4. Supports a fix for tax simplification that will NEVER pass the Congress.
5. Is a Christian socialist.
No thank you. He can go back to Arkansas and pastor a church and work toward your goals. He has no business in the Oval Office.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
doesn't make it true. And a socialist even?? Man, I don't think G. Norquist could say that with a straight face.
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History is all that will help us with the future
And there are many of them. It's not mbecker's job to maintain a list and cut and paste them in every thread about Huckabee. They've already been discussed on this site in blogs of their own.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
The more often someone accuses someone of being a liar the likely the accusation has any relevancy.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
And if it happens to be "less," the statement you made is still completely meaningless. Just because something is repeated often it becomes less relevant? Yea, that makes a lot of sense.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
But the term liar is an all-purpose smear used to attack people.
There is no evidence that a lie occurs nor is it necessary. All that is required is an inconsistency and, BAM, a politician is a liar.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
If you are really interested, search. And no, it isn't just inconsistency to say one thing when the truth is the opposite (quick example: the gas tax was on the ballot and won by 80%).
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
There are entire blogs dedicated to proving that George Bush is a lying liar. Whatcher point?
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Whenever you get caught in an difficult you can always go back to the ever popular accusation of trolldom.
Even when I'm defending a Republican I'm trolling, apparently.
It's interesting to watch you guys create your own narrative about Huckabee. Heck in a few weeks you'll be portraying him as Neville Chamberlain, Karl Marx, and Leon Trotsky all wrapped into one easily digestible package.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
You aren't defending anybody. In order to defend someone you'd have to make some kind of a point... which I have yet to see. You just have a collection of random non-sequiturs that followed a truism that isn't even true. You don't actually address the issue at all... that would cramp your trollish style, I guess.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
when you are too busy taking shots at me rather than discuss what I was talking.
Yes I know. I didn't say anything worth talking about. Lying, in your eyes, is a mortal sin for politicians and you never would vote for a liar. Of course that's because you choose to see lies when necessary and brush them aside when inconvenient.
That is why the lie charge is so meaningless in politics today. It is so common and pervasive that people have become immune to it, unless they want to believe it.
So you can call me a troll all you want. My was relevant to the comment made and had you tried to respond to that, rather than go for the easy name calling, you may have realized that.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
between fact and fabrication. That itself is a fact unknown to Dan Rather.
The "Third Worst Person in the World" and aiming higher.
is that Huckabee lies about stuff that is black & white, that can be easily researched, and then attacks the people who point out that he's lying. See my comment above for more detail.
With respect to GWB's "lies", we're dealing with stuff that absolutely isn't black & white, is subject to interpretation, and GWB has never once (to my dismay) struck back at those who accuse him of lying.
The difference is night and day.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
But it still seems to be mostly about knowing what goes on in the mind of Huckabee.
The whole fuel tax lies requires sifting through various bills, referendums, claims by Huckabee, and results of the law to determine that he lied. It is far too convoluted to accept as incontravertible fact.
If you believe he is lying and that this is an unforgivable offense that is certainly your right. Seems much ado about nothing to me but to each their own. Then again this whole Huckabee imbroglio has been very illuminating. I learned that a policy of energy independence is a Liberal policy. I learned that apparently Mike Huckabee's support of farm subsidies make him a Liberal, but not necessarily any of the other Republican candidates.
It just seems to me that a lot of people are grading Huckabee on a curve in comparison to the other candidates. I can understand the FredHeads doing that because Fred's policies seem to be more consistent with traditional Republican dogma. But I sure don't see how Rudybots, Romnsters or the rarely spotted McCainiac can legitimately condemn Huckabee's stated policies or attack his past record with any credibility. Each of them has his skeleton's in the closet.
But that's just me. To be clear I am largely indifferent to who the Republican nominee as long as it isn't Rudy whom I can't stand. I am defending Huckabee because it seems to me that the attacks on him have become pretty unfair.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
We just disagree on the difficulty of sorting this particular issue out. I think it's easy.
And I also dislike Huckabee enough to think that there's no such thing as an unfair attack.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
I dislike Bubba Jr.
Murtha and Kerry would need a space shuttle to get all the way up to "dislike" on my scale.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
Well it is generally a lot easier to assume the worst about people we don't like. :)
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
Well it is generally a lot easier to assume the worst about people we don't like.
Nobody is assuming anything, except for you, because, as you admitted earlier, it is just way too difficult to acquaint yourself with the facts of this case or any of the others where Huckabee got caught lying or otherwise misrepresenting his record. I actually dug up the actual ballot text for the proposition in question. So I know the guy lied about it on multiple occasions. I don't have to assume anything.
You know, there's a reason people don't seem to like Huckabee. He has earned it. I had a slightly positive opinion of the guy 12 months ago, when I didn't know anything about him. Now he ranks somewhere between Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton on the likability scale.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
I'm glad you know so much about him and his lying tendency.
And when you guys scream from the parapets about Huckabee's lying ways and no one seems to care you can act shocked that people don't see through his deception.
I've seen this movie before.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
Are you using satire to make fun of Huckabee supporters or is this for real? If this is for real and your views are typical of why Huck is surging, then the Republican party is no longer longer conservative. The Grand Old Party is now the domain of christian socialism.
Let me list your reasons for supporting Huck:
"speaks eloquently and from the heart" (okay no substance there)
"he's not a TRUE conservative" (yikes!! there's substance here, but in the wrong direction)
"a man of God" (shares same religion as you, no substance)
"good . . . to get a fresh Republican perspective on foreign policy" (Huck on foreign policy = Jimmy Carter)
"need for spiritual and physical rejuvenation in America" (okay so he will preach to us at the same time he bans smoking)
"fix [healthcare] for the betterment of Americans [not corporations or government]" (how is going to do that - my bet is on big government; he's liked in the past)
"spot on about the power of church in America" (more preaching)
"fed up with families being torn apart in this country because of liberal ideology and profit-only free market doctrine" (hmm, is liberal ideology against profit-only free market doctrine)
It's sad that Huck's support has become such a caricature (All that matters is abortion! He seems trustworthy, so let's vote for him! He's a Christian Leader!) that it is becoming hard to tell whether ostensibly pro-Huck statements are satire or are for real.
Look, I was expressing my opinion. No satire. And I don't think I'm the only one in the universe who thinks this way.
I'm not playing politics, here. Just speaking about my concerns and about Huckabee as honestly as I can. If you did too, you probably wouldn't believe half of what you just said.
Like it or not, a guy like Huckabee would be good for American society. And I for one think he's electable.
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History is all that will help us with the future
he speaks eloquently and from the heart. He's rising now because many people see he's running out of love for his country, not for personal power.
That's what I've felt about Guliani and to a lesser extent Romney -- this run is for the acquisition of power for power's sake. I just don't see that with Huckabee.
"he's not a TRUE conservative...
He's a true American and truly a man of God...
His foreign policy experience doesn't worry me too much...
the need for spiritual and physical rejuvenation in America. I think he understands our health care problems, and wants to fix them for the betterment of Americans (not for the betterment of big corporate medicine nor especially for the betterment of government)...
And I think he's spot on about the power of church in America and the role it can play in taking back communities and making a healthier society."
Sounds like Barack Obama.
C'mon, Ericka. Don't you have any interest in figuring out who fed this to Drudge? Dollars to donuts, it wasn't a Democrat. Your RS colleague Erick (no relation) has already had some thoughts on this.
Well it's "All Hands on Deck" for the ROMNUTS, eh!
I wonder which conservative blog the next 3-page long Huck hit piece will suddenly pop-up?
Hewitt's in the bag.
Drudge is paid for.
So Ericka, what's the pay-off for you?
Earrings? Necklace? A stay at at the Romney Hampton home?
I mean, could you guys at least wait a day or two.
Everybody firing all at once just makes you all look even more desperate!
ROMNEY THE DESPERATE!
Why not just do us a favor and tell us the next article to go to so we don't have to wait or surf for it.
LOL! Too much fun!
I imagine if this doesn't work they'll just knee-cap him.
How'd you manage to stay here 3 weeks? Been hiding under the bridge?
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A picture that is worth a thousand words.
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American First, Conservative Second, Republican Third
Did I hurt your iddy-biddy feewins talking about your PRO-GAY, PRO-ABORTION, PRO-ILLEGAL ALIEN, perfect candidate??
Go grab your security blankets ROMNUTS and offer your prayers to Hugh Hewitt, who sits on the right hand of The ROMNEY, constantly making intercession for His mighty cause!
Keep it up guys, Romney continues to slide.
Middle America is tired of the Presidency being a rich-boy only polo match.
They want someone who has LIVED their issues, not used them like a power tool.
They want a REAL PERSON--and plastic Romney is not him.
The sooner you figure that out the better off the party will be...and not a moment sooner!
As far as the Republicans, my preferences remain open to change, though Mitt's been running around 4-5th among the first tier. But as my label states, I do stand for civil discourse, and my horse (Hunter) in this race being a long-long-shot lets me be more detached when I decide to object to language. Of course, I don't mind letting off a zinger now and again. But I'm not the enforcer here: either you'll get a better grip on your postings or one of the moderators will sooner or later show you the door. Your choice.
What do you mean "we" don't like him for President and he's not "our" guy? The use of we and our is condescending and unnecessary to your article. I'll take him as "my" President.
I'm afraid that the future of the party depends on it. If Mike Huckabee wins the nomination, it might well take a decade for the GOP to restore itself as the party of fiscal responsibility and economic conservatism.
Mike Huckabee is a socially conservative radical left wing liberal and must be stopped.
You can't be a socially conservative radical left-wing liberal. That is a total oxymoron. Sure, he holds somewhat liberal views on finances and big government, but that isn't the definition of a radical left-wing liberal. The term populist would fit much better in those areas. At least, if he is, you would have to say basically the same thing about Rudy.
"Somewhat liberal" on finances and government barely scratches the surface when you're referencing Huckabee.
Rudy is socially liberal and conservative on just about everything else.
Mike Huckabee is socially conservative and a radical left wing liberal on just about everything else. I mean, if John Edwards/Jimmy Carter were real social conservatives, it would be difficult to distinguish them from Mike Huckabee.
Given the universe of public policy and the proportion of it that is composed of social policy, Huck is proportionately far more liberal than Rudy is.
I disagree with Mike on the role of government, respect for the Constitutional limits of government, and immigration. But, he is nowhere near as bad on any of those as any Democrat running. To say otherwise is disingenuous.
Giuliani, I believe, is wrong on abortion, guns, and I have real questions on the judges he would appoint. From my viewpoint, I would not call him a judicial conservative if he believes that a originalist justice could uphold Roe. While better than Huckabee on finances, supporting public financing for abortions isn't exactly a fiscon idea. Neither is Rudy as bad as any of the Dems running.
I don't want to vote for either one of them, but I consider them about equally poor choices.
"Mike Huckabee is a socially conservative radical left wing liberal and must be stopped."
FYI, it is the liberals who make nonsensical hyperbole. Don't worry, here you can be reasoned and balanced.
Question: what does Romney bring to the general election that Huckabee doesn't?
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History is all that will help us with the future
That pile of baggage that's getting bigger daily.
Many current Republicans would not support Huckabee (myself included), but I disagree that he would lose this election. And I disagree that he would be bad for the party in _purely_ electoral terms.
Let's assume the extreme case that Huck does lose most of us who are fiscal conservatives (not a given, depending on who the dems put up). Even then, I think he can pull in enough religious democrats to more than make up the gap.
First, I think he could shift hispanic support in a big way. This is a huge and largely untapped voting block in large part because they largely line up Republican (abortion, religious issues, small business support) except on immigration. If Huck can realign those issues, he could potentially gain massive support.
Second, I think he can grab a good piece of union support. Frankly, Huck's views match up with what you see in surveys of union membership more closely than any other candidate, R or D. These tend to be workers who are more religious than the average D voter and express discomfort with the perceived secularism of the party and some of it's social positions. While the union leadership is pure D, the rank and file is far less secure than the Dems think.
If Huck could pull together this coalition, he could effectively grab the most heavily activist groups from both parties. He would have all the groups that most consistently turn out. And he could flip the electoral math in some key states. It's not the Republican party we currently have, but it's one that could win now and for a long time to come.
what we need is another Hezekiah, if you don't know who they were, then read up on him. He was one of the last godly kings of Judah, and he was not without flaws. Hezekiah made a foolish mistake by showing the treasures held at Temple, which Judah accumlated over years to foreign ambassadors.
Look, I agree that Huckabee may be a Christian socialist, but think about it, realistically we're already too late. The socialist ideology didn't spread in America overnight, it began, some might even argue, with Teddy Roosevelt. He was a conservative turned progressive President. The regulation of big businesses didn't start with FDR, however, he took it a step further in that direction.
Nonetheless, the Great Depression set America on a socialist path, and in my view, it's too late to change that. The current rank and file Republicans seem have no problem with populist economics. Of course, Americans have always been complaining about the scope of government, but at the same time, they want government to be efficient, helpful, and at times necessary in their daily lives.
In any case, the scope of government has been steadfastly increasing ever since the end of Civil War, and it's unlikely anybody other than Huckabee would have put in a dent in that increase.
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Daniel 2:20 And he [God] changeth the times and seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.
I think our goal should be to slow down the inevitable fall of the empire. It gives less developed countries time to evolve; maybe when we collapse under the weight of our own social programs, there won't be a caliphate or People's Republic waiting to move in.
Jim Gilchrist just endorsed Huckabee. I take this to end all discussion as to whether or not Huck is reliable on that issue.
Beyond that, everything other than the taxes criticism is totally off base. And, even on taxes, I don't think there's anything to fear here. My comments in a blog entry.
The Unofficial RedState FAQ
“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say. ” - Martin Luther
...the Gilchrist endorsement. Huckabee's past and present comments reveal him to be a leftwinger-at-heart when it comes to immigration. In that way he is very much like President Bush, and that is the last thing we need in a nominee. Whether its his absurd comments saying we can atone for slavery with our treatment of Hispanic immigrants, or throwing out the racist charge when dealing with fellow Republicans don't share his 'compassion', Huckabee has revealed his true colors. He has a guilt-ridden mindset, and that is a downright frightening trait for a supposed conservative Republican.
As far as the top five candidates go, Thompson has far and away the best immigration reform plan, because it not only avoids a sure path to citizenship (amnesty) for illegals, it also addresses legal immigration by ending chain migration and the Diversity Visa Lottery. I would guess that Huckabee would respond with self-righteous indignation at such a proposal, but we'll never know, because noone in the media will ever ask. They can't get past the same old questions about illegal immigration, and that is why the extreme positions held by Giuliani, and probably by Huckabee as well, to increase legal immigration will not be truly revealed.
I find it curious that Republicans mock Huckabee for his religion (Pastor in Chief is a heartless jab) and mock people who like him simply for speaking up.
With friends like these who needs liberals?
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History is all that will help us with the future
Yep, I have to agree. The amount of vitriol towards Mr. Huckabee is absolutely amazing. The hysterical ranting of some of these folks really makes me wonder if this isn't the Daily Kos sometimes. If folks don't like him, that is fine, but this is just ugly.
MOlsen6
Proud supporter of McCain '00 and McCain '08
If he gets the nomination, the GOP may not be the only thing that is hurt. As a Baptist minister, the Baptist may be hurt as well. I am a Christian, but I am not Baptist and concerned that possibly all those religious groups that aline themselves with him, could be affected as well. Any idea?
all by ourselves, with no outside help, I can't imagine ANY third party or outside issue even scratching the movement.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
The Baptist were the force in the early history of our country that fought for things such as freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. Many Baptist were imprisoned and even killed for not aligning themselves with the state-church.
I do not believe that it will hurt the Baptist. The Baptist are different than most Christian denominations in that they believe in the autonomy of the local church. That means that no church speaks for another church.
Though as a Baptist, I share a spiritual heritage with Gov. Huckabee that traces back to the first church, I am not connected to him nor is any other Baptist (other than those of the church of which he is a member).
I don't support him, although obviously his religion doesn't bother me. I think you have a point though. We traditionally don't talk about politics, but I can imagine President Huck hurting evangelism efforts among partisan democrats. Also, I imagine a LOT of people were unhappy with his cell phone call from God. Parts were funny, parts were creepy and/or blasphemous.
if Huckabee was pro-choice he'd be the Democratic nominee.
This is coming from a Conservative Democrat.
I am willing to play the game on Huckabee's home turf. He claims to be a social conservative, and his strongest supporters cite that as their chief (and sometimes only) reason for supporting him. Fine.
I always thought the essence of a social conservative was someone who objected to Supreme Court cases like Roe v. Wade and Lawrence v. Texas -- cases in which Hollywood's social standards are forced upon the rest of the nation without a vote. If my definition is correct, Huckabee fails because he agrees with the decision in Lawrence. (See Mahler's post entitled "Huckabee and Judges" for citations and further discussion.)
So, Huckabee fans -- pony up. Is my definition wrong? If so, please explain how you are now defining social conservative. If not, please explain why I, as a social conservative, would ever want someone with Huckabee's views to get the Republican nomination for President.
Fight illegal immigration. Contact your elected reps. and demand they co-sponsor the Save Act. The House bill is HR 4088. The Senate bill is S2368.
The House bill was introduced by a Dem. and has 122 co-sponsors from both parties.
Visit NumbersUSA for more details.- http://www.numbersusa.com/actionbuffet
Only vote for candidates willing to support this bill. It forces all employers to verify social security numbers.
Let's take our country back !
One of your best articles on Redstate, yet.
It highlights a lot of my issues with Huckabee, namely:
1) Electability.
How many votes will he lose in a general election to the cries of "paroled murderers" and "Baptist minister"?
2) Big government instincts
3) Bad immigration instincts