Letters to the Editor
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Be warned
AKA Smith makes some fair points about not underestimating Huckabee. I agree that we shouldn't dismiss Huckabee's surprise second place win but for different reasons.
Republicans are not happy with their field. The Republican front-runners are a flip-flopping Mormon (Romney), a thrice married social liberal (Giuliani), a former liberal/independent darling who can't be trusted (McCain) and the unknown and as-yet undeclared Fred Thompson.
The Republican base is not happy but they're the 30% still satisfied with George W. Bush and the rest of the party. And they might just stay home in 2008.
Enter Huckabee with his surprise groundswell of conservative support that he didn't have to buy. We won't win, he won't be the nominee, but his sudden support could renew GOP pandering to the "Religious Right."
Watch out for Republican candidates talking more about their faith, hinting at gay marriage bans and nipping further away at abortion rights. Watch out for behing-the-scenes dirty tricksters saying Mormons aren't really Christians and ever-so-subtly implying that we don't really want a black (Obama) or a woman (Clinton) leading the free world.
Huckabee's win could turn this campaign season ugly fast.
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Sounds like the same warmed-over BS to me.
Is it any wonder that the turnout was low? How many times can you watch the same movie over and over before you start to get really tired of it?
Example: Huckabee's talk about preferring "Main Street" Republicans to "Wall Street" Republicans. Was this guy marooned on a desert island for the past six and a half years? Are we not currently enduring the results of a "Main Street" Republican administration? Heck, I might actually vote for a "Wall Street" Republican, if such a thing still exists (and Michael Bloomberg doesn't count).
Another example: Huckabee's characterization of Iowa as "up north." News flash - Iowa is most definitely NOT "up north." Rhode Island is "up north." Vermont is "up north" on steroids. Iowa is the benchmark for what it means to be midwestern. I'm really surprised Huckabee got away with that.
So I guess the question on everybody's mind is, will Mitt the Twit prevail next February, or will one of the dark horses (I'm guessing either Huckabee or Brownback) pull off an upset with the help of the Rapture Ready (TM)? The way it's going for the so-called "front runners," my money is on the Huckster.
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Victories like this you don't need.
The administration knows that they have screwed up things so badly that they do not want to win in '08. They need you people to blame it all on in '12.
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low fundie turnout
There are two related issues in play here. First, the low turnout. Second, the nearly true notion that a repug must pander to the fundies to win a primary. This tells me that it wouldn't take many voters to outnumber the few fundies that are showing up.
There are a lot of people who plan to vote for "the democrat" in the next election. They don't care which dem. Those people should register republican and vote in repug primaries. After all, the party is in disarray and is ripe to be taken over by a different constituency. Why not by the salonistas?
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Huckabee might have legs
Anyone who has taken the time to listen to Mike Huckabee speak, not just the soundbites but interviews and conversations, knows that he is intelligent, thoughtful, personable and compassionate. He was a frequent guest on the former Imus in the Morning show, and always displayed a grace and presence that impressed me.
Yes, he is an evangelical Christian, but I never got the impression that he is interested in forming a theocracy. He is certainly not one to constantly change his tune based on polling and focus groups. I'll be watching him with interest as the season unfolds.
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Huckabees suprise
In watching the early race it is my impression that Huckabee is the most formidable opp for dems. If things go chalk(i.e. Hilary Clinton) this is the best scenario the GOP can hope for.
That is Huckabee is quite palatable to christian right, outsider from DC, and with Hilary to energize their base, he becomes the best chance for a republican win.
The deep passionate hatred of all that is Clinton is still out there, as well as a "fatigue" at the concept of 26 years of rule by two families.
Were I a dem strategist, he'd be the one of all I feared.
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Legislating Your Faith
Yes, he is an evangelical Christian, but I never got the impression that he is interested in forming a theocracy.
Be very careful in thinking people who are passionate about their faith won't legislate their faith.
Judicial case in point: John Roberts. Liberals and moderates were convinced Roberts would be a model of judicial restraint and unguided by political ideology despite his clearly conservative background. What they got was a chief justice in the mold of Scalia, Alito and Thomas, only more affable. http://www.slate.com/id/2169344/
Same for Mike Huckabee. His pro-life position is not periphery to who he is--he considers it central. From the AP:
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Wednesday he would have to think long and hard before he would consider joining a ticket with a candidate who supports abortion rights.
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"This is an issue to me that is very critical. It's one of the reasons that I got into politics because I believe the manner in which we treat innocent life and the matter in which we respect human life, at whatever stage ... is an incredibly powerful statement about who we are as a people," Huckabee told reporters in a conference call.
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"The sanctity of life is not just some peripheral political position," Huckabee said. "It comes to the very heart of who we are as a culture." http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/5/17/81831.shtml
Huckabee may be a man of principle, but we have very different principles and priorities. Don't let a friendly demeanor lull you into a false sense of security.
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no more single issue politics. please?
There are people who oppose abortion, not because they want to maintain a stranglehold over women's bodies, but because they honestly believe that it's murder. Holding that belief is not enough of a reason for me to remove a politician from consideration.
There are serious, systemic problems with American government. Hot button issues like Abortion serve as a distraction from the other, more substantive problems.
Huckabee may not be my first choice on the Republican side, but he's a principled person. That is more important to me then someone who will do and say anything to get elected.