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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Mike Huckabee Won’t Endorse Hoffman. I Know Why.

I wish I did not know. This is so disappointing.

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  October 24th, 2009 at 09:09 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
and hastens to the place where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7 All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.
8 All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:2-9 (ESV)

I’ve known this for a couple of weeks and hoped it wasn’t true. But based on more conversations over the last few days and today, I have to report that denials to the contrary I know why Mike Huckabee will not endorse Doug Hoffman despite agreeing with pretty much everything Doug Hoffman says.

The Club for Growth and Fred Thompson endorsed Doug Hoffman.

Huckabee and the Club do not get along and Huckabee is still bitter about Thompson hanging on after Iowa in 2008.

Now that Palin has endorsed and more are coming, perhaps Huckabee will have a change of heart.

For now, though, he can’t bring himself to be on the same side as the Club For Growth and Thompson.

Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.

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  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    We’ll see what he does.

  • Illinicon

    I think it was yesterday, but Cavuto did press him on it and he was very wish washy on it. Said he understood why people would do it but he didnt want to get his PAC involved because he was accepting an award from the NYCP and didnt want it to be seen as an award for endorsing Hoffman. He went on to muddle up his non-endorsement by saying he could never support anyone who wasnt pro-life or thought the bailout were a good idea. Well Huck, the only way to have a pro-life, anti-bailout Congressman from NY-23 is to make sure Doug Hoffman wins on election day.

  • Dan McLaughlin

    if only out of desperation at the potential 2012 field.

    This ain’t helping.

  • penguin2

    Same kind of behavior he exhibited by staying in the race, despite the fact that John McCain was going to be the candidate. He caused unnecessary expenditures due to his selfishness. IMO, he must not be too concerned with advancing the general Conservative Movement.

  • janis

    little creep in the White House at this moment, do we really need to consider trying to run another one for the same job? The man makes me ill. Anyone who can’t bring themselves to be on the same side as Fred! has just revealed a huge character flaw.

    Not that we didn’t already suspect that it was there to begin with.

  • SteveLA

    penguin2

    Do you really think Hucka really stopped running?

    He’s positioning the Hucka Brand for another run in 2012. Unless Obama steps on it badly, no other R’s besides him ad Robot Mitt will be running. Sort of like when Mean Bob Dole ran against Slick Willy in 1996, somebody has to do it.

    By standing on the sidelines in the NY 24th fight, I’d guess Hucka thinks that he’ll impress moderates and establishment types in the party with a “see I’m really a moderate party guy”. But that’s still a FAIL, Hucka is not fooling anyone.

  • writeblock

    Huckabee always sounds like a small-town preacher to me. It’s not enough for our next president to be on the right side of the abortion issue. The times require greatness of vision and character. He just seems much too shallow to deal with the crises we face.

  • Illinicon

    in a primary campaign that he was up by hundreds of delegates, that wasn’t Huck’s fault it was McCain’s fault. I do have alot of problems with Huck but he was not throwing any cheap shots at McCain and if antyhing him staying in the race gave McCain a chance to stay in the news with his primary wins after Super Tuesday.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    How does being a small town preacher make one shallow?

  • janis

    The MSM couldn’t quite remember McCain’s name after he got the nod. All their coverage was about the Obama-Hillary death march. Huck didn’t get John McCain one single shred of coverage more than he would have gotten anyway.

    Huck’s about Huck and nothing else. He refused to let go and be a gracious loser. ( McCain could have given him lessons on that score, as it turns out.) And he wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars by staying in a race that he knew he wouldn’t win. How’s that for fiscal responsibility?

  • penguin2

    choices of Fred and Giuliani dropped out. In fact, I think we had given to him early on, when everyone was still in the race. We were surprised to hear him speak conservative words. Huckabee was still soliciting donations from us, and I would assume others, long past the time he should have got out of the race. So monies that could have been used elsewhere were not. I do agree it kept media attention of McCain, so our side was not just in a dormant state while the Dems were slashing it out.

    I watched his TV show early on, but stopped. I just see a politician there pandering to people. Just my opinion.

  • writeblock

    Huckabee always sounds like a small-town preacher to me. It’s not enough for our next president to be on the right side of the abortion issue. The times require greatness of vision and character. He just seems much too shallow to deal with the crises we face.

    As for Mitt and Pawlenty–they’re just as bad. Neither is a true conservative. Both will say what you want to hear–without any inner convictions. Oddly, the only man imo with the stature to deal with the Obama era is Rudy. Unfortunately his last run for the party nod was a disaster. He’s not loved by the establishment and the evangelicals distrust him–but he’s what we need.

  • writeblock

    He’s shallow in his knowledge of how the world works. He knows little about economics, less about international affairs. He’s against abortion, he’s for the little guy–that’s fine. But it’s not enough.

  • http://uslibertyjournal.blogspot.com/ daezy

    If Huckabee can’t grow up (and something tells me he can’t), he goes in the McCain, Graham, Collins, & Snowe, Gingrich camp.

  • penguin2

    stopped running. His TV show started out fine and then I just saw pandering and ingratiating behavior. For me, it becomes a character issue.

  • penguin2

    You put in a stereotype.

  • writeblock

    Huckabee always sounds like a small-town preacher to me. It’s not enough for our next president to be on the right side of the abortion issue. The times require greatness of vision and character. He just seems much too shallow to deal with the crises we face. His first instinct to help the little guy is to dream up a government solution–like any old time Democrat.

    As for Mitt and Pawlenty–they’re just as bad. Neither is a true conservative. Both will say what you want to hear–without any inner convictions. Oddly, the only man imo with the stature to deal with the Obama era is Rudy. Unfortunately his last run for the party nod was a disaster. He’s not loved by the establishment and the evangelicals distrust him–but he’s what we need.

  • janis

    true measure of this man, then we have our answer about what that slick veneer of geniality really hides. There’s a mean spirit under that big old smile.

  • janis

    preacher? I know quite a few in my area and they are nothing like Huck. They are people of faith who are there to help out families and others in times of trouble while keeping their flock together.

    Huck would be lucky to have the depth of goodness and honesty of the small town preachers I have known here. Not to mention the lack of vanity.

  • writeblock

    They’re just not equipped for the presidency. The only thing great about Huckabee is his ego. His solutions would be to spend more to expand government in order to “fix” things. No thanks.

  • Bobcat51

    I will second that, A sad cadre that is expanding as the time comes for all to show their true colors while we are under siege from Barry O..

    Don’t watch his Fox Show anymore either ,just vehicle for his 2012 run !

    Go Doug!

  • redtillimdead

    If the field in 2012 was between Palin, Huckabee, Romney, and Pawlenty, I’d support Mitt or T-Paw I don’t particularly like any of them as President, which is why I hold out hope still that Paul Ryan, Mike Pence, or Bobby Jindal runs.

  • Tbone

    why would you expect the Huckster endorse him?

    Just because he is a hypocrite and panderer? Hmmm, I guess there is that.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • writeblock

    There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between them. Both are smooth talkers. Both give lip service to conservatism when it’s convenient. Both are establishment pols who would fit in neatly with the Washington way of doing things. Neither speaks as if they know we’re in a cold civil war.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • Swamp_Yankee

    …. Instead of “Huckabee will not endorse Doug Hoffman despite agreeing with pretty much everything Doug Hoffman says.”

    Perhaps it should read “Huckabee will not endorse Doug Hoffman despite agreeing with pretty much everything Doug Hoffman says AT THE MOMENT.”

    Don’t like Huck and it behooves me that the slickster gets away with being authentic. He worms his way in and out of positions to be in vogue as much if not more than anyone else.

  • janis

    and small town preachers, Neil. I know who I’m pulling for.

  • archer52

    A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Huckabee’s history, as I understand it, was more along the line of the vaunted and now discredited “compassionate conservatism” of GWB. He’ll not be a bad President, just not a fiscal conservative that is needed now. He’ll also play the same game Newt’s playing, trying to be nice to the other side to prove we are , well “nicer” than the other side.

    Foolish.

  • misterbill

    Doug Hoffman:
    “Where do you stand on illegal immigration?
    There is no question that our immigration policies are flawed. The answer, though, is not to put up a wall and stop all immigration. The answer is to create an easier path for immigrants to enter the United States ? and to work here ? while at the same time getting tough on illegal immigrants who commit crimes. ”

    This is where Mitt and Huck were until they saw the anger of their constituents, then they became anti illegal immigration.
    I hold that illegal immigration is one of the most harmful problems to America. If I were in 23 though, I would have to vote for Hoffman because he is, by far, the least of three evils.

    By Doug’s standard an illegal will have to cause harm to society before anything is done–under Dede there will probably be a reward for the criminal–a free abortion or something!!!!!!

    Is there no one in office or running for that is able to recognize the integarl problem of illegal immigration? It raises every issue to severe depth
    medical, education, drugs, welfare, death on the highway, you name it.

  • janis

    and I think we all know who that was. The longer this search for someone with cojones, integrity, principles and the right ideas continues, the more I miss that man.

  • AHALgal

    We are in a cold civil war for the future of this nation. We’re at a crossroad. Fork left for more government dependence. Fork right for freedom and liberty.

    If you don’t think this is a cold civil war, you’re not informed.

  • Anteater

    And that’s because both Huckabee and Romney are smart politicians. They think twice before going third-party. Of course Huckabee admires Hoffman and would say good things about him (and in fact the regional HuckPAC is helping Hofmann out), but it is just doesn’t make political sense to publicly endorse a third-party candidate who has a good probability of losing and also dragging down the Republican candidate (who is in this case a RINO); especially when Huck has a paid speaking engagement to the NYCP which was booked before Hofmann was even a candidate (as it could seem that Huck’s endorsement was bought).

    What is significant is that Huck is not endorsing the RINO and refuses to say good things about anyone but Hoffman.

    Now if we talk about someone like Rubio who is working within the framework of the GOP, Huck was the first to endorse him. Unlike Palin who still has not endorsed Rubio.

  • DavidS1787

    the guy waffles around on the issues……..

    I want somebody with strong Fiscal values , like a Mike Pence.

  • http://www.erickerickson.org Erick Erickson

    it is just doesn?t make political sense to publicly endorse a third-party candidate who has a good probability of losing and also dragging down the Republican candidate

    Huckabee is not a risk taker and is more a party guy than a conservative?

    That’s not the Huckabee I know.

  • DavidS1787

    n/t

  • SteveLA

    So it’s a case of Hucka Hucka going…

    Say no more.say no more..nudge nudge wink wink.

    My that’s leadership of a special kind in a special way, well maybe not.

  • merryj1

    …that “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Sure seems like a truism as applied to so many of our national and party leaders (both parties).

    Huckabee has some “right” answers, but there’s just something I can’t put a finger on that keeps me from mustering any enthusiasm.

    Romney, though, I can’t see voting for and will not support specifically because of his endorsement and signing on in Mass. to the insurance mandate. My very perplexed response to that was and is, “Just what part of individual liberty does he not understand?” Dismissal of the Constitution is a fatal flaw.

    Similarly, it looks like the Illinois Senate candidate will be Mark Kirk, who voted for Cap and Trade (and I don’t believe any legislator could have read that mess before voting). He won’t get my vote, and the RNC/RNSC/RNCC premature endorsements of Kirk and other RINO’s, which sidelines any other potentially viable candidates, is the camel-back-breaking straw for me with the Party and their pragmatism-over-principle recklessness.

    I’d love to see Giuliani get the nod, but I’m afraid the kangaroo court style prosecution of Kerik is a means to take Rudy down with guilt-by-association smears; that’s a travesty on so many levels, but it’s also a measure of just how corrupt many of the players are; and I love Thompson, but his 2008 staying power seemed a little luke-warm — kind of hard to stump for a candidate who seems to have less ‘fire in the belly’ than his supporters have for him. Tough call, guys.

  • DavidS1787

    corrected repost

  • drfredc

    IMHO, the Huckster is just playing the clock before endorsing Hoffman.

    Prudent forward looking leadership would coordinate their endorsement along with behind the scenes work at the RNC to get their failed endorsement changed… Stay tuned. Not that I’m a Huckster…

  • http://www.theminorityreportblog.com/blog/loren_heal Socrates

    But wrong Biblical quote. The “vanity” there means emptiness, not self-admiration. Pointlessness, as in “it was all in vain.”

    A better (but not definitive) quote would be 1 Samuel 17, 34-37.

  • Anteater

    what is going on in Huckabee’s head, but my guess is that he has done the political calculus and deems this situation as too great of a risk with little reward and so he is steering clear of it.

    I have no doubts that Huck personally wants Hoffman to beat the RINO. But if the Democrat wins, there will be some finger-pointing and Huck is probably wise to stay out of local politics.

    Plus, this trend of going third-party can be problematic down the road, especially if libertarians start using the Hoffman race as a textbook example. Actually my greatest fear is that there will be a third-party conservative ticket in 2012.

  • martellus

    I remember Huck giving two speeches for McCain/Palin and neither speech did he mention McCain or Palin. Now that is a slick trick. He is a politician, through and through.

  • DavidS1787

    Kirk won’t get my vote either………….

    To many RINO’s in IL.

  • onyon43

    If that is the only reason why you won’t vote for Romney, you should rethink your reasons. You have to govern to those you serve. I don’t know what you know about the Northeast, or Massachusets in general, but the insurance program that Romney originally instituted in Mass. (not Devalcare that they have now, courtesy of the Mass state legislature and Gov. Patrick) was deemed a success from all sides. What you deem as a flaw, you might actually be able to view as a plus. He took the idea of insuring everyone, and gave it a market approach. He didn’t make the Mass. plan the most attractive (to keep employees with employer plans), but he saw the problem of having to curb health care costs, and provided a solution. Contrast that with the debacle going on here in Washington.

    You may have other reasons for opposing Mitt, but the healthcare idea in Mass shouldn’t be one of them.

  • shushu1

    I think you’re dead on about there being a mean spirit under that smile and polite manners.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    That’s code for “I don’t have facts and I don’t want to argue, so I’m going to attack you for disagreeing with me.”

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    I don’t like Huck but this guy sure is making him look sympathetic.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Anyone who wants to start a civil war, I stand against you.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    I said this of Huck almost two months ago:

    If Mike Huckabee can be a rainmaker for Republicans who take back the House, then yes, Huckabee becomes a leading man in the Republican party and will be excellently positioned to run again in 2012. By proving he could raise money and be a genuine party leader, he will have earned it.

    And it turns out instead of a leader, we’ve got a wimpy follower. Mike Hucakbee is too afraid of standing on principle, it seems. What a shame for him.

  • harlan

    …a glib, smooth talking, silver-tongue devil who is not the person he purports himself to be.

    And the media will play him for a fool, just like they did McCain.

  • tankertodd

    Huckabee’s absolutely not a fiscal conservative. He doesn’t get it. He’s like the rest of the Republicans in the House and Senate. They don’t mind the government spending money it doesn’t have, implicitly enslaving our great grandchildren. They don’t have a problem with it, they just don’t like it being spent on other things. They want it spent on THEIR things.

    Awhile back I read about Huckabee’s desire to buy musical instruments for students in America. How far a reach would it be for him to launch a spending plan so every kid in America has the chance to play bass? I can see it.

    This new movement is about telling kids to get their own damn instruments. If music is so important, they’ll find a way. All Americans will find a way when government programs are eliminated.

  • Illinicon

    Were single issues social conservatives that were not likely to donate money to McCain. Yeah, he was running at that point because he loves the attention of the campaign and to launch his punditry career and trying to beat Romney in the delegate count for second. It was petty but to argue that it hurt McCain in a siginificant way is an overstatement.

  • Xasteius
  • aesthete
  • aesthete

    is that there is virtually no part of public life that Huck seems to see as falling outside the purview of the government. Now, I love my acoustic guitar as much as the next fella, but if Huckabee truly believes that we should spend taxpayer money (that, lest we forget, doesn’t come out of his paycheck) on something as frivolous and non-essential as musical instruments, he is worthless as a fiscal conservative, and thus as a politician with any sort of control over public funds.

  • jdkchem

    Hardly. That does not mean that tax dollars should be spent on musical instruments. Are you going to cut shop too because it is frivolous and non-essential?

  • jdkchem

    The candy tax huckster is no conservative.

  • Anteater

    he is picking his battles wisely.

    An unofficial endorsement is not shabby, for a third party candidate.

    At least Doug Hoffman is running with it (see his front page).

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Until our schools are safe and properly teaching facts and reasoning, stuff like that is a luxury we literally cannot afford.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • http://www.redstate.com/tnjim TNJim

    The school provided the drums and some of the large brass instruments, like tubas, baritone horns, but the clarinet, flute, trumpet, trombone, and saxophone players had to get their own. That was 35 years ago.

  • Anteater

    The prominence (and absence) of certain individuals on Hoffman’s home page is telling:

    http://www.doughoffmanforcongress.com/home.html

    Huckabee’s tacit approval of Hoffman is the top item. Does this suggest that Huckabee’s subtle nod is worth far more to Hoffman than the very public endorsements of other maverick individuals?

  • http://xmmlbchat.blogspot.com katesmith

    I didn’t know he felt this way. The spiel about pathways–he sounds like McCain. It’s a suicidal philosophy first of all. Second, I see these aliens every day and they’re not the slightest bit interested in America. The notion that it’s such a gift we’re giving them is not one they share. They have no thought of us. They are just here and they have to get on down to the benefits office.

  • Third Street

    We’ll have better choices than Schmuckabee — if only because it’s nearly impossible to do worse. This guy even made McCain look palatable.

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    stand a little taller against Pelosi and her ilk then because as surely as God made little green horseflies, that lady will either have her way or she means to start something.
    I myself don’t share your view. I believe that Stuart Mills had it right when he said there are some things worth fighting for.
    Then again I’m one of those “populists”..

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    is really a small town POLITICIAN at heart..and he uses the preacher gig to cover it up.

  • merryj1

    …is that an essential element of tolerable governance in any American state, city, municipality, federal or other jurisdiction is a fundamental grasp of the limitations of power and prerogatives over the governed. A legislated mandate that every (or ANY) citizen purchase health insurance or anything else is not a “market approach,” it is an encroachment on individual liberty and self-determination.

    Tthat “he saw the problem of having to curb health care costs…” suggests that he SHOULD have recognized — or, at least considered — that insurance coverage is NOT a solution, it is a big part of the problem in driving up actual health care costs through price leveraging by the insurance industry.

    A “market approach” to curbing inflated insurance costs would have been to push for repeal of coverage mandates, so that for example, only those people interested in having gender-reassignment surgery or invitro-fertilization would have to pay for that included coverage.

    But all of that is begging the question. My opposition to Governor Romney is not that he thinks insurance for everyone is a good idea, it is because he doesn’t recognize that using his authority and the force of law to impose a “good idea” on citizens who may have other views is an abuse of power.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    This isn’t abouat Doug Hoffman. This is about Mike Huckabee. Here he had his first clear-cut opportunity to show he has the courage of his convictions. He voted present.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    I’m doing what I can against them.

    But anyone who wants to take arms againt my country and my Constitution: I’m your huckleberry.

  • merryj1

    Who else is running in Illinois? Do you know of any viable candidates that deserve support? I was hopeful that Roskam would toss in his hat, but it looks as though Kirk pre-empted that wish.

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    Huckabee, in my ill informed opinion, is a politician. He’s slicker than snake snot on a brass doorknob.
    The problem is, we don’t need slick..we need smart and courageous. We need bold innovative leaders that will say “enough” to the folks who want to pass legislation without regard to the constitution.
    Huckabee is not one of those kinds of people.

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    Firstly,
    the question could be asked why aren’t YOU mad enough to take up arms?
    What will you do when all your legislative efforts come to naught? When your vote no longer is counted and there is no redress to the wrongs done to you?
    I submit that there IS a cold war going on. I’ve been in both types..both cold and hot and I can tell you that there’s not much difference in tactics, between politics and warfare.
    I will say, and not happily, btw, that should this health care bill pass, and some stuffed shirt sends me a bill that fines me because I don’t have the insurance that they deem “appropriate” I’m going to respond in a less than civil manner.
    It should have been done when social security was enacted.
    It should have been done when medicare was enacted.
    there are so many other times when citizens should have stood up and said enough but they didn’t.
    Now we have what you see today. Government agents busting in on people who abide by the law, with automatic weapons. (elian gonzales anyone?)
    Politicians that feel they’re entitled to as much power as they can take or buy (Mayor Bloomberg).
    Organizations that corrupt the very bedrock of our system…the vote (Acorn).
    So when exactly are you willing to take up arms to defend your constitution?

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    If someone wants to take up arms against my government, I will cheer when the Army crushes him like a bug.

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    If I read this correctly, you’re ok with political warfare just not with actual warfare.
    That’s a pretty impressive feat of dumb. I think only Nancy Pelosi could pull something like that off..but she’s got whole California bimbo image to use as a cover.
    I want to ask questions that would make you think about your position but somehow, I don’t think that you’d do that.
    I will only say that perhaps while you’re cheering that government you’re so proud of?

    think about the Tuskeegee Airmen. You remember those guys? The ones they gave Syphilis to?
    Good luck with that.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    This is the call of the “pull your head out of your 3rd point of contact” bird.
    hahahahah
    no! I don’t blame America. To insinuate that I am somehow against my country or denigrate my country because I question the actions of leaders that don’t make sense to me is, to say the least, insulting.
    I blame those AMERICANS that would allow this to go on. We’re all Americans. The core issue is what kind of Americans? We have socialist Americans, Democrat Americans, conservative Americans.
    hell, we have Irish Americans, Muslim Americans…all sorts of Americans.
    Since there are so many variables in politics that the common man is often ignorant of, that tilt the field in favor of the politician, the framers of the constitution added the contest of arms as the ultimate finisher of any dispute where one has no other avenue of redress.
    For someone who has more options (read money) the call to arms is a far distant cry and is often relegated to the realm of impossibility.
    For the poor folks or for the honest working man who simply does a job and lives his life, there’s not much room for mistakes and the welfare of his family and himself are never far from his mind.
    These are the people that are disenfranchised by political warfare.
    these are the people whose one, lone vote, are destroyed with the shenanigans of organizations like acorn.
    These are the folks that you, I feel would be quick to call “teabaggers”

    yah..they don’t like you either.
    to shift the blame of wrong doings away from folks who have taxed these folks to the point of hard times, and taken their liberties so that they can’t get away from poverty through their own hard work?
    that’s criminal.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    I think a great many of the ordinary Americans who are fed up with taxation and big government, who are showing up to the tea party rallies, would laugh at the idea that they’re looking to start some revolution against America.

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    Of course they want a revolution. They want a fundamental change in the way our government does business. They, (and I) want the government out of our wallets, out of our lives and out of our children’s education.In today’s political landscape you’d be hard pressed to find a better term that fits. If they didn’t want a revolution, they wouldn’t have gotten on a bus and driven for hours, or spent their own money to get into a car and go to Washington D.C. They want a revolution and I’ll give you a clue…protesting in Washington? Lots cheaper than forming a cabal. Being smart enough to do cost/risk analysis, we chose to protest. The other isn’t off the table though.
    The average conservative Protester wants Less government, less taxes and less windbags in front of microphones telling them “we know what’s good for you”. They don’t want the government telling them what kind of insurance they can or can’t have.
    I might not know much about what goes on in politics, but I can tell you now that I’ve learned I’m a very good gauge of what average Americans are thinking.
    Acorn has skewed the vote, Politicians are walking out of town halls or are ignoring issues, Mayors and entire cities are ignoring the legislative arm of the government (it’s taken an act of congress to get Washington D.C to follow the SCOTUS ruling in Heller vs DC) and you tell me that these folks are leaving their homes to go protest in Washington because they’re mildly perturbed?
    These are conservatives we’re talking about..
    the folks that care primarily about their own families and making money to feed and better those families. Don’t you think that if they weren’t REALLY pissed off, they’d find a better use of their time?

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    Please indicate that you understand this, in three words or less.

    Next post.

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    correction : the Judicial arm of the government.
    :)

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    I understand.

  • Scope

    Not every student is college material. According to my husband, it was the only class he never skipped. You learn the basics in things like woodworking, metal working, drafting, metrics, blue print reading, basics of electricity and etc. It can give some a big jump before entering trade schools, and vocational schools. Heck, I’ve known some electricians, plumbers, shop mechanics, builders and construction workers that wouldn’t qualify for Obamas “If you are making under $200,00 you won’t see your taxes go up” lies. There will always be a need in the US for the trades.

  • Scope

    Not every student is college material. According to my husband, it was the only class he never skipped. You learn the basics in things like woodworking, metal working, drafting, metrics, blue print reading, basics of electricity and etc. It can give some a big jump before entering trade schools, and vocational schools. Heck, I’ve known some electricians, plumbers, shop mechanics, builders and construction workers that wouldn’t qualify for Obamas “If you are making under $200,00 you won’t see your taxes go up” lies. There will always be a need in the US for the trades.

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    NT

  • skorrent1

    And the fact that Mitt’s idea, whether good or bad, could be turned into Devalcare just underscores the fact that he doesn’t understand the limits of power.

  • Scope

    with what you write about Hoffman, with regards to illegal immigration. And, from many of the comments here about Huckabee being silver tongued, slick, mean, a flip flopper, a compassionate conservative and etc, this article from Human Events from 12/2007 bears all that out-

    http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24142

    And, this is only on his positions as to illegal immigration. It doesn’t even touch on his policy that, he never saw a tax increase he didn’t like, which destroyed the Republican party in Arkansas for a long time.

  • http://www.bearcreekledger.com toni100

    The ‘preacher’ definitely has ethical issues. He and his wife set up a wedding registry before leaving office because state law prohibited them from accepting gifts except wedding gifts. So, the Huckabees had a wedding for themselves after 30 years of marriage and were able to furnish a new house after leaving office. This is just one minor example of his ethical challenges.

    http://bearcreekledger.com/2007/10/24/huckster-the-shyster/

    I love the image of ‘The Theory of Huckitivity’

    http://bearcreekledger.com/2008/01/12/the-theory-of-huckativity/

    It’s Carter + Clinton = Huckabee

    Huckabee is the TV Evangelist.

  • idealjoe

    Our entire system of justice has been perverted and rendered a joke. Justce is not blind in this country because it can see MONEY really well! Disagee? How about O.J. Simpson? or two NFL players who killed a innocent person while DUI? One received 90 days in jail and a fine, the other , 30 days in jail. And this was his 2nd DUI. What about Chris Dodd, Barney Franks, Charly Wrangle???
    The Justice system voted “PRESENT” on those issues. I agree that they should be active in this govenment takeover-coup, but it just ain’t happening.

    I can’t believe anyone from this planet would be foolish enough or naive enough or just plain ignorant enough to believe that our justice system would be couageous enough to even attempt to do the job the founders entrusted to them.. You must be watching reruns of Green Acres.

  • merryj1

    The Tuskeegee Institute (not airmen) was established by George Washington Carver for the purpose of educating and training descendents of slaves to become self-sufficient. A serious problem that threatened to derail any substantial success was a finding that fully 65% of Black men in reproductive age group in the three relevant counties of Alabama (the Tuskeegee location) were afflicted with Syphillis. This was during the early 20 century, when there was no cure for that disease.

    No one was “given” Syphillis. That never happened. What did happen was bad enough, but it was not by “government,” and it was not by deliberate design.

    Various treatments were tried, some with moderate success at slowing the progress of the disease, but there was no cure. Meanwhile, affiliated doctors began charting the disease itself, which became a project within itself. When the Depression hit, funding — which had been supplied by donations from Northern philanthropists (with the President of Sears a major contributor) — dried up. Without funding, the main educational and training purpose of the Institute ran completely out of steam, but the scientific curiosity (“research”) of tracking the progress of Syphillis continued. So far, no foul.

    In 1947, Penicillin was on the scene, and proved effective against Sypillis, Now, we have a foul! EVEN THOUGH provisions were in place and were being followed, that the Syphillis research program had to have a Black doctor in charge, and at least 125 Black medical students rotated through the program over the next 20 years, and there were other Black doctors and nurses on the Institute staff, the “scientific curiosity” prevailed over the humanitarianism, and effective treatment was withheld.

    Worse, in at least one instance, when told that a patient had gone to Biringham because he’d heard about Penicillin, a Black nurse followed that patient to Biringham, kept him from getting the drug, and brought him back to Tuskeegee.

    So yes, that was horrible, and no one with a normally-developed moral sensitivity could excuse it. But it was not perpetrated by any government authority, it was at the hands of private-sector “scientific researchers,” Black and White.

    Good grief, our bureaucrats do enough crooked and corrupt and incomprehensibly rotten things, let’s not hang them for things they didn’t do.

  • merryj1

    My Tuskeegee comment was a response to a comment that seems to have been removed? Oh, well.

  • penguin2

    in a “significant way.” though even emotional energy expended elsewhere is a negative. Also, if donors were sending money to Huck, they were not sending it to other GOP candidates or causes, it did not have to be McCain. The main point: it is about Huckabee’s behavior, he should not have continued campaigning.

    Your own words say, “it was petty”– that goes to character.

    I don’t really know what the argument here is. Are we not on the same page about Huck? IMO, a candidate from our side has to have the character not to be petty.

  • writeblock

    It’s been going on for two generations–and it’s not just a culture war. The primary assault is on the Constitution itself and the personal liberties it defends. If you don’t recognize this at this point, you’re part of the problem. So are the politicians who don’t “get it.”

  • writeblock

    I said Huckabee sounded like a small town preacher. I said he was pretty shallow on the issues. There’s no logical inconsistency in either statement. Both are true. Huckabee’s style is small town preacher-like. Fine if you’re leading a religious congregation in a small town. Not fine if you aspire to be a world leader dealing in geopolitics and high finance.

  • writeblock

    That Kerik thing is old and irrelevant. It in no way diminishes who and what he is. First, he understands high finance–he made his bones cleaning up Wall Street corruption. He’s a true Reaganite who applied what he learned under Reagan to NYC with fabulous results. He is cool under pressure–as we saw on 9/11. He knows who the enemy is–and wasn’t cowed by the Al Sharpton shakedown artists, by political correctness or by the media. He’s also the most devastatingly articulate small-government conservative making the rounds.

    And yes, he’s pro-choice–but unlike Romney who has pro-choice sympathies but became pro-life out of political expediency, Rudy has pro-life sympathies but became pro-choice out of political expediency. As mayor he introduced policies that drastically reduced abortions and increased adoptions. This guy deserved better than what he got from the GOP–a primary system that favors farmers and evangelicals in small or southern states over big city blue state candidates. That sucks. It gave us McCain and Bush and Dole. Reagan himself had a rough time getting the nod–the second time around, when he was already past his prime.

  • 10ksnooker

    And I won’t endorse Huckabee

    He makes a nice TV host, where no one challenges his lying ways.

  • misterbill

    Read the article–good catch.

    I, at times, get a little depressed at the fact that everyone skirts the issue of illegal immigration. I see it in the sense that it is a catalyst in the destruction of the soverignty of the USA.

    Also, one quickly gets called a racist for observing truths. Is there any other ethnic, racial or religious group that so fervently challenges American law and stands so strong for people like themselves than Hispanics??

    Does one see an Italian or a Frenchman, Scot or anyone save a person like Luis Gutierrez going around America nd asking us to forgic=ve nd accept lawbreakers?? One day when their voting numbers (legal and illegal) reach decision breaking levels, then the USA will be frimly imbedded in the quicksand that will sink us into third world corruption and destruction.

    I pray every day for my country’s enlightenment to recognize the threats to the greatest republic that has ever existed.

  • penguin2

    The point you’ve missed is in the use of the word shallow and painting small town or any preachers with that word. Maybe you mean not as worldly, widely traveled, or experienced, but shallow is a character trait, not a measurement of whether one is knowledgeable enough to be president. And even then one has to be careful in deciding whether someone is not worldly enough to be a candidate or leader. Ideally the combination of good character, knowledge and experience would make an excellent leader. But to say an individual in a small town lacks this is wrong.

  • BlackConservative

    Wallace is pro life, pro family, and is a three stooled conservative. I knew him personally and as an added bonus I might say, he’s also the only African-American candidate running. He is sensibly conservative, a la Blackwell (not a loon like Keyes) and would deserve our vote and the support of the grassroots. Better a D win than a RINO like Kirk, a McCainiac who is getting Johnny’s fundraising corps and personal support. Let’s stop McCain from mavericking the party in his liberal image.

  • 6eorge Jetson

    The conservative surge isn’t going to help Huck, and so he’s not lifting a finger to help it.

  • Ausonius

    as well. I might give Rudolph a pass on one divorce, but not a second with (most probably) adultery involved.

    As I wrote a few days ago about Newt, this problem will not go away for Giuliani, and should not go away. I suspect it was a latent reason for the tanking of his presidential campaign, along with other factors: why do we need a pseudo-Catholic who is pseudo-pro-life?

    Giuliani lost the nomination because of his lack of ability in running a campaign, and his failure to deal publicly with a personal background that in part is unsavory and does not speak well of his character. If he had offered a genuine sackcloth-and-ashes rebirth of his life, maybe he could have persuaded those “farmers and evangelicals” who skew everything toward a basic personal morality in their candidates.

    Clinton rightly should have been impeached for his stupidity with Lewinsky, mainly because of the national security issue in the possibility of being blackmailed by foreign enemies.

    Age is another factor: Giuliani was born in 1944. do we want to run a 68 year old against BIG BRObama? I know Reagan was that age: however, Giuliani is not Reagan.

    So, sorry: I do not see how Giuliani has the right stuff.

    And by the way: McCain, with his “compromising with Dems” philosophy, was the perfect “big city blue state” candidate.

  • 6eorge Jetson

    “Giuliani lost the nomination because of his lack of ability in running a campaign”

    That’ll doom ya, every time.

  • aesthete

    I agree that music is great. My problem isn’t with music, but with Huckabee’s willingness to spend money that is not his on something that is so non-essential. That is not a conservative or libertarian idea. Heck, it’s not even a social democrat idea! It’s ridiculous, and places no limits on the government. (Personally, I think the govt. should be, at best, indirectly involved in education, and not directing it.)

  • Tbone

    that fact was easily recognized by 1% of the voters.

  • JadedByPolitics

    I absolutely do know that everything you think you know is usually not RIGHT that there has been some lie created about it and it has grown to gargantuan proportions and this is one of those things. I thank you for the information and I know I will be using it in further debates with ignorant lefties. OBTW do you have a link for your information?

  • writeblock

    Shallow simply means lack of depth. I’m using the word correctly. Huckabee lacks depth where it’s needed in terms of the presidency.

    His style is folksy and preacher-like–but listen long enough and you hear the same old political nostrums we always hear on the left–big government solutions and higher taxes couched in “compassionate” rhetoric.

    Having said this, I’m not suggesting preachers lack the depth that’s appropriate for them–which would be biblical and theological. I do suggest that would not be enough for the presidency.

  • SteveLA

    Anteater

    Here’s how to tell what Hucka Hucka is thinking.

    Step One: Put finger in mouth, get it wet.
    Step Two: Place finger in air and determine which way the political wind is blowing.

    Support someone in the NY23 race or not, but take a stance one way or the other, that’s called leadership and that’s what I am looking for in 2012. I may disagree with the positions taken but I will know where people who want my vote stand.

  • mbecker908

    He spent 10+ years in office and never found a problem that government shouldn’t or couldn’t solve and never met a tax increase he wouldn’t sign.

    Huck personally wants all the power he can get his hands on. He’s nothing more than a modern version of Huey P Long.

  • writeblock

    He got favorable press throughout his run. What should that tell us? The media were salivating at the prospect of his running. Why? Because his appeal was provincial–he scored in places like Iowa and S.C. with big evangelical followings. He spoke their lingo so he got their votes.

    Which is why the primary system sucks. Why should a big city blue state guy like Rudy have to run through the small state evangelical gauntlet? What sense does that make when the GOP is weakest in blue states? Shouldn’t we be challenging the enemy on their own turf? Why give hucksters like Huckabee the advantage?

    We need to rotate the early primaries and make them regional, giving each region a chance to be heard loud and clear. It’s absurd for New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians and Ohioans to have less voice than atypical small state voters from Iowa and NH and SC. The system as it now functions will continue to give us more of the same pre-anointed moderate establishment types: Nixon, Dole, Ford, the two Bushes, McCain, nary a true fiscal conservative in the bunch. No wonder Reagan had a tough time breaking through the system.

  • Achance

    their high-school sweetheart and stay together for life any more. It is tough enough for people who aren’t in public life, but it is almost impossible to keep a marriage together for people who are highly visible except for those “marriage of convenience” political marriages that are so common with politicians.

    You become amazingly attractive when you hold an elected or appointed office. Even if you can withstand the temptations that come with that fact, all the fraternization that you are required to do and the rumor mongering that goes with political life is very tough on a marriage. Some “helpful” person has whispered to my wife and or boss that I was sleeping with practically every woman I’ve ever worked with. She’s lent enough credence to some of those whispers to give us a few rough patches but she knows that while I’m no saint, I’m also no fool and women you work with are for fools. It just goes with the territory if you hold any position of power; the easiest way to assault your power is to assault your person. As much as they decry it, Democrats and especially their freinds in the unions and non-profits live on “the politics of personal destruction” as it applies to Republicans. An allegation of infidelity will not hurt a Democrat politician beyond perhaps sentencing him to the sofa and having to smile and hug a person that hates you; she’ll do it too for the cause. Republicans aren’t allowed that stuff. Likewise, no reporter is going to follow up on ANY allegation against a Democrat and they’ll follow up on EVERY allegation against a Republican. Along the way, before they have even a scintilla of evidence, they’ll whisper the allegation to the political gossip columnist and that columnist will run something along the lines of,” an just who was that nubile you thing so-and-so was with at insert most fashionable watering hole?” It’s lots of fun to start your Sunday morning with your wife having just read one of those! That’s a Sunday you’ll not want to miss Sunday School and Church; everybody will be staring and snickering but at least it’ll keep your wife from sounding like a chainsaw in your ear – for a little while.

    And as to your last point, more than anything else, the Republican Party needs someone who has demonstrated that s/he can actually run a government. Guiliani has far and away the best resume on that count. Romney comes in second but I don’t see how he ever gets around his obvious superficiality and opportunism on issues; I really don’t think there’s a there there. Huckabee’s experience is with a small, mostly rural state with a reputation for corruption. And don’t even get me started on She Who Was Once Governor of Alaska.

  • SteveLA

    mbecker

    The King Fish was a real character, lots of personal color and flair, he defined politics in Louisiana for many years. Hucka Hucka…not so much entertainment value at all.

    Put some money in the Deduct box for that one….LOL.

  • bmk2307

    First of all, it is very disingenuous to say that “you know why,” because you don’t. There are no facts to back it up. There is no audio to suggest this. I’m sorry, but quoting the Bible does not make the point you try to make true. Now if you were making a point of why vanity is wrong, okay. Instead the passage makes absolutely no contribution to the so called “reason” that you “know to be fact.” And to try to use the Bible in this way is insulting.

    “I?ve known this for a couple of weeks and hoped it wasn?t true.” It seems you may have glossed over this very important part of your piece. This sentence suggests that you have somehow confirmed that what you say is true. If this were the case, then you should have gone into a little more detail as to how you confirmed this. Without any clarifying statement, it is all poppycock.

    There is no evidence that you bring forth in this piece, merely a theory and a conspiracy one at that. Did you even hear the Governor’s reason why he has decided not to officially endorse?

  • izoneguy

    A walking, talking disaster. His presence is just a reminder of what losers the GOP leadership – is……

    The GOP better be picking up some clues here – between Huckabee, Romney & Gringrich – there is not enough conservative blood between those 3 guys to equal one really solid conservative.

    2010 & 2012 is about not just beating the socialists but destroying them.

  • writeblock

    They’re sending the Republican leadership a message. You either work with us–or you lose.

    There’s no way we can take back this country if we don’t first take back the Republican Party. Moderates can’t–and won’t.

    This means nominating conservatives instead of moderates–especially in CONSERVATIVE districts!

  • bmk2307

    Huckabee is one of the only FOX hosts to invite people (well at least they will only accept invites from Huckabee) to his show who disagree with him. Last night he had Lanny Davis on his show and they butted heads. Watch the rerun tonight.

    He is the only one not afraid to have what he says challenged, because he can back it up.

  • writeblock

    Three wives doesn’t speak to the kind of character that counts in a leader, it speaks to a bad love life. Apples and oranges. A lot of “virtuous” well-married men would have folded under 9/11. Jimmy Carter had a good marriage–and was a lousy president. Ditto Obama. The times call for a true leader, not somebody with a pristine marital record.

  • penguin2

    preachers, priests, rabbis and imams with your comment “lack the depth that’s appropriate for them.” Some of the most learned people in the world are biblical scholars/leaders. Your original statement “sounds like a small-town preacher” and the one above, are a bit condescending and elitist. Not worth quibbling over.

    I thing we agree on Huckabee and your take on Rudy.

  • writeblock

    How many evangelical votes in NY or NJ? OF COURSE Huckabee did well in such places. The system assured him a good result. Let’s change the system–THEN find out how well Rudy would do. Start with the bigger blue states–which is where the fight should be anyway. We should be taking the fight to the enemy–not courting evangelical southerners.

  • redneck_hippie

    It is now even more of a no-brainer to donate to his campaign.

    I disagree with Huck’s past policies and if he’s not going to endorse Hoffman he is just pointing out his thin-skinned vindictiveness.

  • izoneguy

    will find it will be harder & harder to get elected to anything…..

    If Carter were running today he would have no chance in hell of getting elected.

    It’s almost 2010 and even the young people I talk with (18-24) are finally tuning in and realize that this is their future at steak.

    If they don’t get active and defeat the socialists then the future will be one of working for the state and no choices – probably not in their 70-80 years on this earth.

    I know most of them would say – “That would suck”

  • redneck_hippie

    we geezers are living longer and longer and longer. And told her that “your generation” will be taxed to the max to pay our benefits. I may have exaggerated by saying 90%, but I did get her attention. Heh.

  • DavidSage

    If Obama loses reelection in 2012, it will be over economic and national security issues, the issues that Huckabee is weakest on.

    Huckabee’s a charming guy and an amazing communicator, but he’s the one Republican I guarantee would lose the Presidency, and probably only carry the Old South.

    I’m amazed he’s so popular in the Republican Party. Too many Republicans have tunnel vision on just a few hot-button issues.

  • penguin2

    in a Rudy pick. As a social conservative, I certainly can accept what you say. Perhaps I’m being more a realist here about his past. What Achance said below is absolutely true for those in public, heck even private life. I know Rudy is not the conservative in our way of thinking. But as a native New Yorker, I see him a bit differently. I read somewhere that Giuliani would not step all over the social conservatives and I think that is a critical point. I think he has enough character strengths to accept where we stand on issues and to work with us, not try to destroy us.

    Besides, I believe two things: men/women can change in a genuine heartfelt manner and, we as conservatives are going to be nudging the country in the same direction, so our leaders will have to move with us, or find another job. :)

  • Richard Mullins

    so while he was a good candidate in 2008, he gave up on itto run Bracewell/Giuliani. He had the chance and blew it. As for Roomney and Huckabee, to even get a vote from me in the Primary they would have to pry it from my cold dead hands. So in other words, the chance of me voting for them is nil.

  • ceili_dancer

    When Neal is against people who would advocate violence against our government and our constitution, I think he states it perfectly clear. I think he wants to defend it to the last man, but the folks who are attacking it relentlessly are the ones who refer to us as “teabaggers”. They’re the ones trying to take over industries and keep reaching further into out pockets every day. Those are the folks that we need to defeat, not our government. The tools that we have are our voices, our wallets and the our organizations to get out the vote and get people of like mionds in the right positions to bring us back from the cliffs edge. We can trace our ideas back to the founding fathers, the others can only trace it back to Marx and Alinsky (sp?). We are the defenders and we need to get off our duffs and get involved like the precint committeman project, and if you have the motivation run for office. I hope I’m not projecting too much Neal.

  • penguin2

    All this talk about any of these guys is really not worth the effort. If we land up with any of the original nine in 2012, I don’t think we have much of a chance. It is too early and we have 2010 to focus on. I suspect the country will be in a different place in 1-2yrs. so the candidates that emerge should be different. Perhaps we just needed to have a postmortem discussion on our 2008 candidates….

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    I’d rather have any small town preacher before any big city community organizer.

  • penguin2
  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    :)

  • http://climbingtherubicon.blogspot.com towerclimber

    The government, by and large is made up of Americans, just like the constituents.
    I also agree on the preferred use of tools and I look forward to the 2010 elections.
    I still think the republican party has it’s work cut out for it though.

  • E Pluribus Unum

    one of the only FOX hosts to invite people to his show who disagree with him.

    Holy cow, you have got to be kidding. One of the hallmarks of all the big shows on FNC is that they ALL bring in a ton of Democrats. Ever watch Hannity or O’Reilly at all? Ever?

  • mbecker908

    Huckabee is a died in the wool populist. He’s a proven and longstanding liar. He was, and still is, the only candidate I prefer John McCain to.

  • JadedByPolitics

    because ALL of their opinion shows have people from the other side DEBATING them! I am sure you just love you some Huckabee but that is certainly no reason to LIE!

  • redneck_hippie
  • writeblock

    I’m a Reaganite conservative. I like Sarah Palin. I like Rudy. I dislike Huckabee who uses folksy preacher-like jargon to push an expansive big government agenda when running for the highest office. I know he appeals to a big segment of the GOP–but the times call for somebody else. I’m from the Northeast–Pennsylvania–and I resent being trumped by farmers and evangelicals. The spread of bigger and bigger government and the threat to our Constitutional rights trump other issues this time around. I really don’t care how many times Rudy was married. I want somebody who will kick a$$ and reform an out-of-control federal government. Somebody tough enough to face down his enemies. Somebody who knows how to get things done. Somebody who knows the ins and outs of government agencies. Somebody who understands economics. Somebody who can take the heat and the pressure. And somebody supremely articulate.

  • writeblock

    Huckabee would be a disaster. Obama lite. Higher taxes, bigger government–without the personal grandiosity.

  • bmk2307

    Hannity will bring “liberals” on with a gang of conservatives so that they can just bash on them. He needs the others to validate what he says. He is a me-too kinda guy.

    Someone disagreeing with Beck on his show, ya right.

    I like O’Reilly. He tries to bring in those who oppose his thinking, but usually only to rip them apart.

    Huckabee is the only one who actually has a conversation with those he doesn’t agree with, without shouting over them (O’Reilly) or cutting them off with a change of direction (Hannity)

    And I do not respect the way you go calling people “liars” when you have no evidence to back it up.

  • redneck_hippie

    His supporters, especially the socons, would win if they could unite behind a candidate who has all 3 legs. I don’t see them learning the lesson any time soon.

  • JadedByPolitics

    …

  • bmk2307

    …

  • merryj1

    Jaded, Thanks – I was going from memory in this post, but I know I have a print-out on this somewhere, from the time period during the last campaign when the Jeremiah Wright stuff was backing and forthing (I knew Wright’s belief was not correct, but couldn’t recall the back story).

    It may take me until tomorrow, but I’ll find it and post the link.

  • merryj1

    I’ll look for his campaign info and alert my relatives and neighbors that there’s a choice (he’s already got my vote – even though I don’t know anything about him yet)..

  • merryj1

    I can just see the campaign commercial: Rudy telling the Saudi king where to stuff his money, juxtaposed next to Obama bowing to the Saudi king. Heh!

    Everyone but Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan would have to pull the Rudy lever.

  • JadedByPolitics

    when arguing with the idiots on the left :)

  • Anteater

    you have to be a blank slate sometimes.

    Look, Huckabee has given all the hints as to who he personally supports. But he and Romney are reserving an escape hatch should the Democrat win.

    Here is another scenario:

    Let’s say for instance it is 2012 and Romney wins the Republican nomination. But let’s say that Palin thinks that Romney is not conservative enough and decides to run as an independent too. If Huck had publicly endorsed Hoffman, then it would be hypocritical for him to tell Palin to drop out.

  • mbecker908

    The guy is a lying piece of crap. And posting rules prevent me from posting my real opinion.

    As far as Huckabee being “hypocritical”, it would just fit right in with his life at least since he decided he was Presidential material. He keeps an “escape hatch” simply because that way he doesn’t ever have to actually stand for anything.

    Mike Huckabee makes John McCain look good and Obama look not so bad.

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    I can’t even listen to that guy when he is saying things I agree with, because I know he is insincere.

  • mbecker908
  • MrMosis

    Is it just the possible perception of negative connotations with the words “civil war” that creates a problem for you Neil? In my opinion, the “cold” modifier changes everything. In fact, I find the phrase very fitting for what is taking place today- and for the past few decades really.

  • Third Street

    As a matter of fact, he was the first and only President to be divorced. That’s not something that ever bothered me, and evidently it didn’t matter to the vast majority of the electorate either. And no one has ever even tried to suggest that Reagan suffered from a deficit of character.

    Marriage is no more permanent a thing than anything else in American life anymore. Enduring marriages are as rare now as working for the same company for one’s entire career. That’s a sad, ugly comment on society, but it’s a reality: Half of all marriages in this country end in divorce. If anything, I think that the kind of bold, aggressive personality that makes for successful leadership in the Reagan/Giuliani mold makes one more prone to marital difficulties and divorce.

    But I don’t see irreconcilable differences at the most personal level between two people as evidence of a character deficit. What most of us are starved for at this point is basic competence from a President, something that has been sorely missing from the office for close to 20 years. That’s why Rudy, while hardly perfect, is by far my favorite of all the potential choices out there now.

  • Scope

    because to say that Schmuckabee is a blank slate is not really true. He has a long history as Arkansas Gov to look back at, and, it ain’t pretty. I think about his I was for/before I was against illegal immigration issues. Recently, there are articles out there claiming that some high level Evangelicals/Christians have bagged their war on Abortion, traditional marriage etc. in favor of going along with the Liberals, all of god’s children need to be provided for, even if it breaks the back of America, and it’s economy. Huckabee is that “Compassionate Conservative” on social issues, and he is that turncoat Republican that believes that every tax is a good thing, because, it supports my position that it is all for the “common good.” That’s Pastor Gomer Pyle for you, what a great fellow. “When you buy a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.” Unfortunately with Suckabee, you know exactly what you are going to get, the sickeningly sweet jelly.

  • mbecker908

    “Don’t pay any attention to that man behind the curtain!”

    He’s basically tried to erase his populist record – of 10 full years at least – and is now just flat lying about it. “I never said that.” Thank God for YouTube.

    Please don’t compare Huckabee to Gomer Pyle. Gomer was ALWAYS an honorable man. Huckabee’s “honor” is hanging in the same closet with McCain’s Navy uniforms and his honor.

  • Ausonius

    I understand that it is not 1955: my problem with the second divorce is the dishonesty involved. Please read my comments carefully: and I agree that a NY Conservative is not the same as one from Ohio or the South.

    And that is one reason why, as TBone states above, Giuliani received 1% of the primary votes. Conservatives were willing to accept Reagan as a divorced president because he was seen as honest and someone true to his principles, and…

    Reagan’s first marriage to Jane Wyman was not undone by adultery.

    I will reiterate: Giuliani might have been better accepted with some sort of “mea maxima culpa” on this aspect of his personal life. But the pro-abortion position remained.

    Also agreed: any recycling of Huckabee, Romney, Giuliani, etc. from 2008 dooms us. I know there is great enthusiasm for Sara Palin, but the resignation does not help her.

    Thaddeus McCotter, J.C. Watts (remember him?), Michele Bachmann, David Petraeus (?), somebody else please!

  • mbecker908

    Unfortunately, all discussion about Rudy is a waste of time. He’s done in the Presidential sweeps. Maybe he’ll run for Gov of NY.

  • mbecker908
  • SteveLA

    mbecker

    Sadly, for the 2012 Presidential race, it’s going to be the Huskster v the Robot from Planet Mass and the Huckerster will pull out all the stops to run as the true social conservative and pull lots of votes. He’s using his FOX show to keep the Huckster brand out there and will start running sometime after the mid terms. Without a crowded field Huskster might just win the primary.

  • Scope

    And, you are correct that Gomer was always honorable. I say Gomer, because Flipabee looks like him, and his mannerisms remind me of him. I appologize to Gomer.

    As to McCain’s uniforms, and, his honor as a POW, it is ancient history, he has left all that honor on the tarmack when he arrived back in the US, or, at least, when he abandoned his first wife with nothing more than, she isn’t the woman I married, she’s fat, and, she’s now disabled. Now, Cindy here, has lots of family money, and I really have no alligence to any party, lets see, maybe I’ll run as a Republican, because I can’t beat the Democrat here in AZ at this time. Hey John Kerry, I just might like your idea about running as your VP candidate in 2004, because, that evil Bush took my promised slot. He didn’t just steal the vote from Gore, he stole the election from me. Don’t you know who I am, I am John McCain, I deserve the presidency, why, because I am a war hero, even though I don’t have a clue, and, when I run in 2008, I will have even less of a clue.

  • mbecker908

    Here in Metro Phoenix there is a school in Mesa called East Valley Institute Technology.

    My youngest (now 22) attended there when he was in HS. It’s open to all Metro HS students. They take half day academics at their “home” HS and are bussed to EVIT for a half day of their chosen program. Ethan was in the culinary arts program – it’s a two year program. At the time they had world class chefs teaching in the program.

    Ethan has been working full time as a line cook and a chef since he was 15. He’s been offered every job he’s ever tried out for (in the culinary business the “interview” consists of cooking). He’s worked in 5-Star resorts, world recognized private restaurants and done high-end catering (like for Rolling Stones private parties on tour).

    EVIT is the model for technical/career education at the HS level. Frankly, the education Ethan got at EVIT is comparable to virtually every culinary arts “college” (and I’ve looked at most of them with Ethan). Those are post HS programs, certificate not degree, and will cost you around $60K for an 18 month program. If you don’t have significant kitchen experience when you graduate, you’re qualified for an $8.00 an hour job. (The two exceptions, which are “real” universities, are Johnson & Wales in RI and CIA in NYC. Both are 4 year degree programs and are the Harvard/Yale of the culinary industry.)

  • Scope

    When I think of the backroom deals that got Steele elected, I want to cry. We here at Redstate were overwhelmingly for Mr. Blackwell. Can you immagine where the RNC would be now with Mr. Blackwell in charge. I know he would not be honoring ACORN, and, he would be throwing all his weight behind Hoffman. Blackwell should keep his powder dry, as he will have the best chance when the next RNC chair position is up for a vote. Heck, I would support a 2012 run for Blackwell as president. Dreams and wishes and pixie dust, I know, but, a girl can dream.

  • mbecker908

    I said “Conservative”. They aren’t the same thing.

  • Xasteius

    i.e. the ones that are either married to native-born citizens who are aren’t freeloaders, or the ones that have a useful trade/skill (engineer, doctor, entreprenuer, etc.) and will not become free-loaders. That sort immigration I like: they contribute to society, and they WANT to assimilate into America, not just becoming another welfare junkie on the public dole.

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    I do agree that we need fresh faces in the upcoming election cycle, let’s face it if any of those guys were any good, we would have not been stuck with McCain.

  • Scope

    Guliiani can be excused for one mistake, however, he seemed to not learn the lesson of morality, even as a Catholic. Divorce is so prevalent now, it’s almost as though with marriage you get the easy oportunity to change marriage partners, as you change your underware. I am once divorced, and, I made sure that my dissolution was acknowledged by the Catholic church for good cause. That was when I still believed in the Catholic religion. It cost me mucho bucks to get that annulement.

    Guiliani, a pro-choice Catholic (can that even exist, yes it can, look at Pelosi and Biden) has no strong bearings in a religious set of principles. How strong can he be with other principles?

    I thought Guiliani was interested in becimng Governor of New York. Maybe he doesn’t have the big bucks that Bloomberg has (the biggest political spender in history, over and above Obama) but, he does have a great history with doing alot of good things for NY, 9/11 comes to mind. Stay in NY Mr. Guiliani, that is where you can do the most good.

  • Scope

    n/t

  • SteveLA

    mbecker

    I didn’t use that term ether, but social conservatives voters where/are Huckster’s support largely came from during his last run and I don’t see him running away from his past positions on social issues which are very conservative.

    Fiscal matters, international relations, military affairs, running a business, immigration, those are not Huckster issues and I don’t see how he is becoming adept at them. I don’t see Huckster being convening on those issues, but who knows.

    If the race for 2012 comes down to the Huckster v the Robot from Mass, I don’t see the Robot appealing to values voters like the Huckster did in Iowa.

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    I think it will be a more or less fresh face who takes center stage, perhaps more than one of them. Maybe a Jindal, or Perry, or some other governor.

    The previous gang are all tainted to too many Republicans. Tainted in my mind by an inability to beat McCain in the primaries.

  • Anteater

    T-Paw, Romney, Huck, Palin — I can make a great case for/against any of them. Well Palin is a little hard to work with due to a 2 year record.

    As for Huck’s history, here is some history for you from 10 years ago:

    Cutting Taxes and Other Great Ideas for Congress from an Arkansas Governor
    http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/HL645.cfm

    Doesn’t sound overly populist to me. Huck is actually very comparable to Reagan in terms of how they governed their respective states. Maybe some would prefer a Goldwater-type politician but I’ll stick with Reagan.

    If you are looking for CfG-style economic purity to the detriment of social issues, you are not going to find it in the top tier of candidates. Oh, there was that other guy though … Mark Sanford.

  • Scope

    His dirty laundry is hanging on every clothesline. He is a has been among other has beens. I think it is very hillarious that so many here keep going back to the 2008 field. If they were so electable, they would have gotten much farther ahead in the primaries, despite the thought it was McCain’s turn. The only electable candidate should have been Fred Thompson. He got the same media treatment as Palin is getting now. You must really watch who the press attacks the most, as that is who they most fear. Fred said, back then, the media takes you up, just to have that much farther to beat you down. No question they beat Fred to a pulp, Alinsky style, and even some R’s got on that bandwagon.

  • SteveLA

    kyle8

    You may be right, but the Republican party does seem to nominate the “next guy in line”, time after time after time.

    Jindal is too young right now, might run for Senator and take out Landry, that would be my bet.

    It all depends on what happens in the next 1 1/2 years with Obama. If he looks strong and hard to beat, I don’t see any of the main players stepping up as that would end their future hopes for the big chair. If on the other hand Obama goes more into Jimmy Carter hopeless territory or even a Iranian hostage like event, the big boys will come a come a running.

    The hopeless to beat condition will attract the likes of Huckster is my contention.

  • merryj1

    Jaded,

    Mea culpa! My “phenonmenal memory” exchanged Booker T. Washington for George Washington Carver, I completely absolved the Dept. of Health (government body) of culpability, but except for a bunch of other glaring errors, I got it about right. Here’s one good link — the timeline is quite telling and informative, and the Google-search list is lengthy.

    http://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/timeline.htm

    Merry

  • Scope

    and that gave him just enough pennies to go on from there. Talk about McCain carrying his own luggage in the airport running for his coach seat, the Huckster was probably selling all those housewarming gifts he got, after he was forced out of the Govs mansion in Arkansas. Hey, didn’t his staff remove all those keys off the Gov computers.

  • BlackConservative

    In case you missed the boat, we in the GOP are not looking for moderation right now, we are looking for a true conservatism, that believes in answering Obama. It is one thing for Huckabee to write about cutting taxes all the while allowing tax raises in office. As for your predictably condescending remarks that no one ought to be fiscally conservative to the detriment of social issues, that is out of the ballpark. You look to make excuses for the fact that Huckabee changed positions daily within the framework of the campaign, and governed slightly to the right of Obama in terms of law and order, where he Willie Hortoned a rapist and was front and center to apologize for Jeremiah Wright. By the way, of all the 2008 gang, I find it funny that you couldn’t mention the one guy who Huckabee will never be able to shine his shoes in terms of conservatism. I’m so glad that there are always lapdogs around to remind me why I would vote for Beckers dead white cat before Hucka Hucka

  • SteveLA

    Scope

    Fred lacked the fire in the belly to run and nobody but Fred caused him to loose. I was quite excited by Fred’s announcement, thought him great and with the right ideas going ahead, but he just did not seem to want to fight for the nomination sadly.

    To Fred’s credit, he was as gracious in defeat as he was getting into the race, I have tons of respect for both how he got in and how he got out.

  • mbecker908

    But Huckabee has the longest and worst record of anyone you named. Palin is probably #2 bad. The best fiscal record out there is Rudy, hands down & bar none..

    The big difference about Huckabee is that he has been lying – let me repeat L.Y.I.N.G. – about his fiscal record since he decided to run. He’s on tape when he was governor begging for new taxes. He’s got a ten year record as governor and not once did he cut a single program.

    If he’s talking about cutting taxes now, he’s lying. As for the piece of crap he wrote in 1999, it’s instructive that he never – not once – referred to it during the campaign. His tax increases and growth of government in AR also outstripped the population increase plus inflation by about double.

    Huckabee is in NO WAY comparable to Reagan. He is in almost every way comparable to Obama. They are both accomplished liars and closet Marxists. Obama is just farther out of the closet that Huckabee.

    And I would take Sanford in a heart beat. At least when he’s caught lying he has the good sense to admit it.

    Huckabee gets the nomination, I stay home.

  • Anteater

    that some perceive him to be a “fool”. But given his current trajectory, he will be a happy one come 2012.

    And Doug Hoffman is all to happy to post on his front page that this “fool” has said very nice things about him:
    http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/10/24/mike-huckabee-wont-endorse-hoffman-i-know-why/#comment-37531

    Imagine that! Hoffman thinks that a subtle positive nod from this “fool” would be able to sway undecided voters in NY!

  • mbecker908

    I’ll write in the dead white cat.

  • mbecker908

    candidate will peel off a bunch of values voters before she makes a fool of herself.

  • Anteater

    You voted McCain didn’t you?

    You’ll come around as will BC.

  • Scope

    you are hopelessly lost. How much more can he do than he has already tried. His polls are sinking like a deflated baloon. He has been proven to have Communists in his Czar administration. He even now, with Global Warming as his big push to get control of the world economy, has backed off the Copenhagen summit. He will be there though, to accept his Nobel Peace Prize. Afghanistan is in the crapper. Iraq, as we saw today, is backtracking into more violence. Obamacare is in the crapper. Card check seems to be in the crapper. He has thrown more people under the bus than Al Capone would have. What part of Obama failure, within 10 months into his first term do you seem to not get? Please, tell me where I am wrong.

  • penguin2

    this next time around. It is not going to be the same unenlightened electorate, especially on our side. Look at the events that have happened since Nov.08, Tea Parties, Town Halls, 9/12 Marches, and information available via the ‘net growing exponentially. RedState has a good ear to the ground about good conservative candidates. I don’t believe we are only going to have Rommey and Huck as viable choices.

    Yes, Huck is using his show to keep himself in the public eye. He will still have to make it through a bunch of primaries to be the chosen one. At least, I certainly hope we have new choices in 2012.

  • mbecker908

    will be TheOne. And it will look like a Reagan/Mondale map except we won’t be on the winning side.

    Hoffman is looking for votes. He’s an innocent third party here and he’ll take votes from anywhere he can get them. If I were in his shoes my webpage would look like his. In the world of “meaningless” that’s the dictionary definition.

    And, in the world of stupid I see you haven’t learned a thing. It will be fun beating you to a pulp on a routine basis. It’s really unfair, you don’t understand logic, can’t assemble or comprehend an argument and have a dishonest, unethical liar that you will follow over the nearest cliff. You were pathetic in the primaries and you’re still pathetic.

  • mbecker908

    About this far before the last primary I wrote a diary saying that I would vote for McCain if it came to it.

    I’m going on record right now: Huckabee gets the nomination and I will not vote for him. Period.

  • aesthete

    too close to Obama in fiscal policy and national security to be someone I’d trust to do a better job than Obama (probably do worse, considering that the GOP wouldn’t be opposing the Pres.)

  • Scope

    I believe that Fred know the political winds, as even R’s were ready to run far away from Bush. Fred was too smart to knock himself out with a presidential run, while running in the same party as Bush. Please remember it was the Liberals that set the tone for Fred. He had no fire in the belly, he had no heart for it, he had bags under his eyes, he had cancer, his wife was a trophy wife, he was too old to have a second family, that was just obscene, he was lazy, he was only in the race to help McCain, and he was just too damn old. Yes Steve, he was as gracious when he got in, as out. He is still gracious in his support for our country and conservartism, as he was then.

  • SteveLA

    Scope

    On this side of the ditch you don’t have a hard sell. Over on the other side and in the middle, Obama has not cratered in quite yet.

    Think back to Carter and as bad as he was and as bad as things were in this country and with the Iranian hostage crisis. Reagan beat Carter 50.7 percent to 41 percent. This country may be messed up in the short year of the Obama Presidency, but things have not reached the same point of disgust in the whole country, including those in the middle under Obama quite yet.

    To beat Obama, the middle and a good portion of conservative Democrats have to see the mess he has created and we’re not there yet. Think of who you are selling to and why they want to buy a change, the sale has been made over here on RS, actually was made on 4 November 2008.

  • janis

    we’re all back here again, rehashing the same stupid battle. Huckabee is a fraud, Anteater, and no matter how you stump for him, we’re not punching the button for the guy. I’m another FredHead and I wouldn’t vote for Huckabee if his was the only name on the ballot.

    If we’re going to be thrown to the wolves, then Obama will be happy to do the job without us having to change the monogram on the handtowels in the Executive washroom.

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    of all the things you do not do halfheartedly, run for president has to be right up there with heart surgery and bear baiting.

  • merryj1

    I’d vote for and support Rudy in a nano-second and, in fact, voted for him in the Primary even though he’d already dropped out. My point about the Kerik prosecution is that it seems — seems — to be in the “planting” stage for harvesting as a long-running smear against Rudy.

    I surmise that because it looks as though the presiding judge (in Kerik’s case) is in the tank and rubber-stamping what appears to be in-your-face prosecutorial misconduct, and aspects of the case are being dragged out beyond a reasonable time frame.

    I’m not overly concerned, in a presidential candidate, with the abortion issue because it’s not really in their purview as it is with Supreme Court nominees or, potentially, legislators should Roe v Wade ever be overturned. But I really see that as a state issue, and my objections to Roe are based on 10th Amendment concerns. Abortion is an atrocity, but so is homicide, and that also belongs under state (or county) jurisdiction.

  • SteveLA

    Scope

    I watched Fred closely, from the time he announced to the time he dropped out and I had lots of hopes.

    I don’t know why Fred didn’t appear on FOX or anywhere else trying to sell his campaign, but he just did not. Heck the Huckster was doing more media, free media than Fred and that’s why I took him as not interested, never mind what the MSM was saying.

    Maybe you want to re-write it, but I was watching and waiting and waiting for Fred to get out there and raise heck, to lay out some bold colors, didn’t happen. I don’t know why but I ascribe that to a lack of fire in the belly and I didn’t get that from the MSM. I got that from watching and waiting for Fred to start fighting hard for the nomination, he didn’t and he dropped out.

    Fred still is a powerful conservative voice, I actually wish he was speaking out more because he still makes a lot of sense to me when he does speak.

  • Scope

    because if it now falls into the Liberal education system, you would probably be required to only use sprouts as your main ingredient. Bet you get some real good tasty meals.

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    How is it you are old enough to vote, and smart enough to post on the internet and not be able to see what an obvious phony this guy is?

    I spotted him first time I ever heard him speak. Televangelist, used car salesman, shyster, all of those things exude off of his smarmy personae.

  • Scope

    tonight he is having Lanny Clinton Liberal Progressive Davis on his show. Now, isn’t that just fair and balanced. Let’s reach across the aisle to give the Liberals their lying say.

  • Scope

    tonight he is having Lanny Clinton Liberal Progressive Davis on his show. Now, isn’t that just fair and balanced. Let’s reach across the aisle to give the Liberals their lying say.

  • redneck_hippie

    To even think we would nominate Huck when there are so many people who are actually presidential material is just ludicrous. Have no fear. I am sure certain that someone who won’t be running for office would dust off his red and blue flying suit and cape to prevent it.

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    and I was wrong. I don’t think he will either, but don’t ever underestimate the stupid party.

  • penguin2

    the label of “stupid party.” All your nice adjectives above describing Huckabee, equal politician. And I’ve discovered they are ranked lower than used car salesmen.

  • redneck_hippie

    are now opposed to expanding the size and role of government and want to see fiscal restraint. Huck has no credibility on this. None.

  • Scope

    I just heard Huckabee just say to Lanny Davis that Fox is a commentary show. How’s that for being nothing more than a brain dead idiot. His show is nothing more than a pander show, yet, he accuses all of Fox as being as untelligent as him, and, nothing more than a commentary show. How much more do the Huckabee supporters need to see?

  • Scope

    I just heard Huckabee just say to Lanny Davis that Fox is a commentary show. How’s that for being nothing more than a brain dead idiot. His show is nothing more than a pander show, yet, he accuses all of Fox as being as untelligent as him, and, nothing more than a commentary show. How much more do the Huckabee supporters need to see?

  • janis

    But, to quote some noted musical philosophers, “We won’t get burned again.!” As it happens, I’ve got some live white cats who are pretty smart. Anyone on board with voting for one of them?

    One of them’s named Fred. The other one is Sarah. Take your pick. Or vote for both. Not that their names are a sign of anything, certainly not my choice for 2012.

    You know what a friend of my husband’s told me today? That he thought Fred was “so arrogant” when he saw him campaigning two years ago. Well, what can you do, the guy also thinks that Obama’s just fine, it’s Congress that’s the problem. Then I told him Obama and Family hadn’t gotten the H1N1 vaccine. He said, “Didn’t he just declare a national emergency because of that virus? Why wouldn’t he get the shot himself?”

    Poor fool.

  • Anteater

    Guess who was the only prominent figure to oppose it? Huckabee.

    When all the 2008 candidates were singing the praises of the wonderful economy during the debates (including good ol Fred and Romney), who was sounding the warning bell? Huckabee.

  • Tbone

    in 2012. LOL

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    it was out of ignorance and a desire to be different.

    And BTW, although the first bailout was too big, I am convinced that we would be in deep doo doo with a hopelessly shattered economy if they had done nothing. And most financial analysts and economists agree with me.

    so once again, no praise for huckabilly.

  • aesthete

    Hey, it was Huckabee, wasn’t it? Considering that Huckabee had nothing to lose and wasn’t in a position of responsibility, I value his populism on the issue to be about that of a warm bucket of spit. In virtually every instance where he was in authority (as Gov) and there was a federal fiscal issue, he was on the wrong side (SCHIP, anyone?). And BTW, it’s not enough to be right in your prognostications if you can’t explain why said events occurred (if you were going by what Huckabee said, it was “greed” which caused the crisis), and if you have no tenable plan for preventing or minimizing the effects of the negative event that you predicted.

  • mbecker908

    And when he comes home he rarely cooks. Wants “moms homecooking”. And besides, the kitchen looks like a bomb went off and “HE” doesn’t do dishes.

  • writeblock

    It won’t be Huckabee and it won’t be Romney. I hope it’s not Pawlenty. None of these men are conservatives. None understands the true threat big government poses.

    Huckabee won’t get the nod because Republicans aren’t suicidal. Romney won’t get the nod because his health care record sucks. Pawlenty won’t get the nod because he’s just another GOP moderate posing as a conservative. Been there done that.

    Here are some interesting alternatives, all of them with problems: Haley Barbour (too Southern), Rudy (too tarnished), Sarah (too polarizing), Steve Forbes (too dorky)–whose very dorkiness is a plus in my book. I’m sick of slick pols like Obama and Pawlenty and Romney. Maybe dorky Steve would be just the ticket this time around.

  • writeblock

    A man’s marital status is irrelevant. It says nothing about his capacity to be an effective leader. As far as character goes, we’ve seen Rudy under duress and he performed brilliantly–on 9/11. That’s got to count for something.

    Being a devoted husband doesn’t necessarily equate to being a good leader–as Jimmy Carter should have proven once and for all. But acting coolly under pressure does denote character of another sort that’s a valuable asset for true leadership–and Rudy has this kind of temperament.

    There’s something real and likeable about Rudy, for all his warts–and an undeniable capability as an executive. He knows Wall Street finance inside out. He knows how the intelligence agencies and the Justice Department work. He knows how to cut taxes and turn a dire fiscal situation around. He knows how to take the heat and dish it out.

    We can’t keep letting the perfect get in the way of the good. If he’s the right man for our times, then his marital situation should be beside the point. Unfortunately for us, however, Rudy himself doesn’t seem interested in the top job this time around. But if he should get interested again, he’d be the best man by far.

  • AceInTX

    I am appalled at this…the only thing he had going for him during the 08 primaries was his pro life position…

    I don’t know if it’s CFG that is keeping him from endorsing hoffman over a pro abortion candidate…a misguided loyalty to the Party on it…or something else entirely…

    whatever the reason…if he can’t endorse a pro life pro traditional marriage Conservative over a radical left win pro abortion pro gay marriage candidate…he’s toast and I’ll make sure every single so Con I know is aware of his lack of principle in this case!

  • bmk2307

    Usually it means that you have lost.

  • bmk2307

    Nowhere in the interview did Huckabee say that ALL OF FOX IS COMMENTARY. Here is a direct quote: “I don’t pretend to be (impartial). Honestly, this (the Huckabee show) is a point of view show…That’s the whole point. Fox News COMMENTARY SHOWS are just that, commentary shows. Nobody who watches me has any delusion that I am somehow objective.” END QUOTE.

    He states straight up that his show and the other commentary shows (ie: Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly) (NOTE: not all of Fox in general) do have a point of view. All the rest of the shows on Fox are genuine news shows.

  • bmk2307

    Do you suggest that he only talk to people he agrees with? a la Beck? Bringing in someone like Lanny Davis will bring in viewers who disagree with Huckabee’s views. He now has a platform to get his message across to people who would not hear it otherwise.

    Sounds like a way to reach people to try and convert them. Bad idea? I will let you be the judge.

  • http://www.redstate.com/tnjim TNJim

    I watched part of Huck’s show last night. He didn’t cut Lanny much slack. But this was still Huckabee the talk show host. Didn’t make me feel any better about Huckabee the possible 2012 candidate.

  • Anteater

    http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/10/24/mike-huckabee-wont-endorse-hoffman-i-know-why/#comment-37501

    and at my other comments.

    There are plenty of valid reasons to refrain from giving an official endorsement in this local context, ranging from personal to political. We already know Huck personally prefers Hoffman. And Hoffman can get a lot of mileage out of Huck’s unofficial “endorsement” (as prominently displayed on Hoffman’s home page).

    And I’m still undecided about this whole third-party business and whether it opens a pandora’s box. We can win a battle but lose the war, especially if there is a rogue third-party candidate in 2012.

  • mbecker908

    and you still are.

    Huckabee is a proven and longstanding liar about his positions. He’s an opportunist and as close to a thief as you can get. He’s dead politically, current poll numbers notwithstanding.

    You are just a fool.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    What is it with you huckabots? Glenn Beck has done more good for the movement and, yes, the country than Mike Huckabee has.

    Same with Club for Growth.

    Same with everyone else that Huckafraud tries to tear down in order to build himself up.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Feels bad when somebody else tries to use religion against you, doesn’t it, Hucksters?

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Character counts.

    Bill Clinton proved that.

  • Achance
  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    to one woman and as far as we know never cheated.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    We would have had other clues about him though.

    With Giuliani we have multiple clues as to his morality.

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    dissing republicans again

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    Why can’t you see what seems so obvious to all the rest of us? The guy has proven to be a liar, and opportunist. And what is more, he doesn’t even have a believable manner or style about him. Just smarmy insincerity.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Oh right, nothing.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    I’ll stack my party loyalty against yours anytime.

  • mbecker908

    “officially” endorse. Why? Because in all likelihood he’d be lying about it.

  • Scope

    It is my opinion that the die hard Huckabeeites are a part of the religious right. I may be wrong, but, that’s how I see it. Huckabee is/was a precher, a man of God, so to speak. When you look at his record as Gov. of Arkansas, you will see that he was most definately for providing for the illegals, because that was the christian thing to do. Providing for “all God’s children” means that all US citizens must be a part of “redistribution of wealth”, an Obama social reengeneering ploy. Our hospital emergency rooms have been flooded, with those that must be provided with medical assistance, even though they can’t pay for it, and, don’t have medical insurance, because if they are working, it is under the table mostly, and can’t opt into an employer’s medical plan. Because they do not qualify for Medicaid, the hospitals must write off those incurred expenses, while they are still obligated to pay the salaries for the emergency room doctors and nurses. Hospitals are closing, because they have gone bankrupt. That is, unless you are Michelle Obama, and you send those unable to pay patients down the street to another hospital.

    Our schools have been overburdened by that same flood of illeglas children, who can’t be denied an education. Thank you ACLU, and those with really big hearts. There is an ever growing need for more classrooms, more teachers, and more bilingual personnell for those that can’t speak english. Again, school budgets in every state, and in every county, are breaking the bank. Property taxes in many locales are rising rapidly in order to keep up with an ongoing flood of more and more illegals.

    Most recently, I have been reading that “some” Evangelical Leaders, with claims to over 40 different Christian religions, are abandoning the message of the most basic principles with respect to abortion, and traditional marriage, and are hoping on the Progressive bandwagon, so that all illegals are accepted, with the same benefits as US citizens, and can share in the fruits of all American citizens labor. After all, aren’t all US citizens greedy? US citizens have lost salaries, savings, retirement holdings, and just about everything else, all so the illegals, and I will also add, those that have no desire to work and earn what they have, can have a piece of the pie, so you are told by the Liberals, and now, even some Christian leaders. They have evn signed onto the new FCC gimmick that every citizen in the US should have DSL, no matter how remotely they live. Again, a Progressive tactic to bring some Christian leaders to the fraudelent table. They have been advised by the Liberals to go out and preach about this wonderful compassionate move by the Progressives. To them, the US should be a third world country, where all people living here are equally poor, and sometimes destitute. That is not the America I grew up in, and, it is not the one I want to depart from.

    Is this not the same role Huckabee played in Arkansas? It is easy for him to fling out some cheap words, that he is now against amnesty, as he is in no position, currently, to effect any change. There is no doubt that if Huckabee was in a position to promote his objectives and initiatives, he would use all his might of the prsidency, to insure that Congress write the laws to legalize everyone who comes across open wide borders, despite the fact that the majority of the population have said no.

  • BlackConservative

    But stuff like this reminds why I could never get behind him. Huckabee is for Huckabee, and he wants to prove he is the party guy. His wishy washy no principled ways continues. I’m glad he exposed himself as a true party McCainiac.

  • aesthete

    Rudy’s record in fiscal/domestic policy is well-known and tested, and his foreign policy chops are tested to a much greater extent than many others. I’d much rather have a leader with a tested record and a sucky personal life running things than someone with an atrocious record and a good family life. I suppose some would disagree with me, and that’s fine, but I see public morality as more of a signal to use in assessing up-and-coming pols, than as a barometer to test all politicians with.

  • aesthete

    Though I don’t personally identify as a SoCon, I would say that Huck is more of a social progressive, which, fair enough, we seem to have our fair share of in the Republican party; case in point, Bush (though it’s more likely that that’s the case because of the Dem’s intolerance of pols with pro-life view than anything else). Still, I despise that Huck uses my faith as a club to bash other politicians with, while hypocritically not following its teachings (at least, in his public life). I pretty much agree with your post, just don’t want to say that he’s a product of the religious right, persay.

  • JadedByPolitics

    I see you have ISSUE’s perhaps a little therapy is called for ie: go to a shrink and get your head STRAIGHT and think a little more about the populist man you in your crazy head see as some kind of prince who “allows” liberals to chat when the reality is those liberals WIPE the floor with him and he cannot argue back. That would be why his numbers are in the 250K range and the other shows are in the 2.5MILLION range!

  • AceInTX

    he needs to make a clear statement in this case…It’s not something that you play politics with and if he’s to gutless to take a stand where the issues are so clear…the man has no business selling himself as a SoCon….and I will have nothing to do with him!

    PERIOD!!!

  • AceInTX

    when he was THE ONLY prominent Republican that didn’t buy into the TARP and Auto Bailout…but again…I pride myself in consistency…there are basic principles this party needs to represent…and a candidate needs to represent in order to garner my support…and Pro-Life positions and Pro traditional marriage stands are at the top of my list…

    If Huckabee can’t endorse Hoffman over Scozaffava when the contrast couldn’t be clearer…as far as I’m concerned…the man is a hypocrite and an oportunist and represents everything that is wrong with my Party today. He’s done…stick a fork in him and turn him over….I’m through with the man unequivocally….and irretrievably so!!!

  • AceInTX

    I’ll just say this…you can be a Christian and oppose Amnesty…his Christianity shouldn’t be a reason to oppose Huckabee…and it shouldn’t be a line of attack against him…especially since the man has given you pleanty of reason to oppose him that has nothing to do with his faith…

    AND A WORD OF CAUTION…before you accuse me of being a Huckbot or insult me by calling me a blind follower…you’ll see I’m no friend of Huckabee…especially in the light of his equivocation on this.

  • Scope

    and I am very well aware of your change of heart because of some policy positions Huckabee has choosen to follow. I’m not sure why you would even feel the need to give me a warning, and in all Caps.

    I am really sorry for your offense at my post, and what you believe to be nothing more than sterotyping. My point was that Huckabee has conveniently used his christian background, when it was most convenient to him to do so. He actively sought the support of all Christans, and, actually made some unbecoming remarks about Romney’s Mormonism. As to tying him to the amnesty debate, he was for it, before he was against it, and, he called those that were anti-amnesty “race baiters” and “inflamatory.” When asked about his past positions, as Gov. concerning illegal immigration, he always gives the standard pat christian answer- which equates to “we are all God’s children” and etc. I am very well aware that not all christians believe we should vote for amnesty, after all I am one. Yes, we are all God’s children, and, for that reason, we should be teaching a man to fish, rather than providing him with one fish for today.

    I should NOT have used the expression the “religious right”, quite frankly because what I used to think of as the christian right, those that were strongly pro-life, and believed in traditional marriage, have apparently now expanded to those that also believe in Global Warming, and that there should be open boarders.

    But, I don’t think I have Huckabee pegged wrongly, I believe he will go along with the issues I mentioned above, because he will say that it is the right thing to do, and, he may very well believe that. Hard to tell when he has walked back his previous positions.

    Sorry if my comments offend you Ace, that really does make me sad.

  • AceInTX

    Christianity and socialism are two different things some Christiand think the two are compatible with one another, some think they are diametrically opposed…some are somewhere in between…

    what I object to however is the painting of everything Huckabee has done as being what you can expect from all Christians…

    Ive gone from being a Huckabee Supporter as the lesser of a bunch of evils…to being opposed to him as an apologist to Jeremiah Wright…to having second thoughts and keeping an open mind because of his being the single prominent Republican out there opposing the bailouts to now seeing him as a Hypocrite and an opportuinist because he is playing both ends against the middle in a race where the difference between the candidates couldn’t be more stark where Abortion and traditional marriage are concerned…(this is the area where I have agreed with him most by the way)…so…he’s climbed out on a limb and sawed it off with me…but his/my faith has nothing to do with it…

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    You mean Jersey?

  • Tbone

    like fingernails on a chalkboard to most Americans.

    I hope I didn’t offend anyone with this observation.

  • AceInTX

    and maybe you didn’t mean to paint with too broad a brush…it’s to easy sometimes to pick up the narrative of Christian haters unintentionally and when we’re going after people like Huckabee…

    it just pains me to see the slurs used against us by the left used by our own when going after someone like Huckabee…he’s a Christian and a Minister before he got into politics and it just burns my britches to have that thrown out as a reason to oppose him when there is pleanty to oppose him on…

    in fact…I’m on the hunt now because in my mind he’s proving himself to be an unprincipled ass in this instance and I don’t see a reason to bring his Christianity into it…as I see it…his profession of pro-life orthodoxy coupled with his refusal to acknowledge it in this instance as a reason to oppose Scazoffava makes him a hypocrite and an opportunist of the highest order and I plan to be a dog on a bone with him from now on!

  • winghunter1

    …to see that his finger is in the air instead of standing on principle!

    The Huckster is all talk, no walk and a coward in the face of abusing power when he gets it;

    Mikey “The Huckster” Huckabee
    http://mikeyhuckabee.blogspot.com/

  • bmk2307

    That question is rhetorical because I have deemed this conversation no longer worth it.

  • bmk2307

    Does the usage of the Ecclesiastes passage actually add anything to the argument? It is completely unnecessary, and likely an attempt to try to use “religion” against the (oh so very much pointed out) Southern Baptist minister?

  • bmk2307

    First off, Huck and I disagree on a couple of issues. I was one of the first ones to come out against him for not endorsing Hoffman. As time has gone on, I can see why he is not OFFICIALLY endorsing him. (Notice how he has spoken very favorably, and that Hoffman features Mike’s so-called non-endorsement on the front page of his website.

    And as for Beck. I do not dislike him. A lot of what he says I agree with. Some I do not. What I was saying is that Beck preaches to the choir, while Huckabee preaches (pardon the pun) to those who really need it. Everyone has their role.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    If you weren’t offended by Huck’s attacks on Mormonism during the primaries, it’s too late to get worked up now.

  • winghunter1

    Mikey “The Huckster” Huckabee
    http://mikeyhuckabee.blogspot.com/

  • winghunter1

    Rudolph Guiliani
    http://rudolphgiuliani.blogspot.com/

    Mikey “The Huckster” Huckabee
    http://mikeyhuckabee.blogspot.com/

    Willard “Mitt” Romney
    http://willardromney.blogspot.com/

    John “Juan” McCain
    http://juanmccain.blogspot.com/

  • winghunter1

    Mikey ?The Huckster? Huckabee
    http://mikeyhuckabee.blogspot.com/

  • JadedByPolitics

    I suspect you little tool that I will just tire of you and your Hucksterisms and move on? NOT! I live for the fight and I hang on a site with the numbers for all of the cable shows EVERYDAY so I am well on point to throw some FACTS at you. So whilst I am LOUD I am also FACT LADEN and so I WIN!

    OH I have deemed you personally no longer worth my time however if you choose to respond I will feel it necessary to SMACK you again!

  • bmk2307

    To which multiple attacks do you speaks of? Whether or not the one comment about Jesus and the devil as brothers was in fact snide, I’m not sure that any of us can tell. He has not given me any further evidence to believe that it was.

    But I do not hear anyone say anything how the media relentlessly harped on the fact that he was a former Baptist minister. Every single article that came out during the primary in some fashion said the following: “Mike Huckabee, former Southern Baptist minister, said….” There was little mention that he was a 10.5 year governor of Arkansas. It was an obvious attempt to try to paint Huckabee as a theocratic ruler. But no one seemed to notice, or care.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    What do the actions of a bunch of left wing reporters have to do with how Republicans treat Republicans?

    Are you serious?

    Of course no sensible Republican really cares what they say!

    Get. Over. It.

    Especially if you’re going to defend “Jesus Juice” Huckabee.

  • bmk2307

    It was everyone. FOX included. Why would the “left wing” reporters have much to say about a conservative republican? It was the conservative media that went after him the most.

    But you tell me to “get over it,” when the only reason that I brought it up was because you brought up the religion issue. Should you get over the “Mormon comment”?

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    You did.

  • bmk2307

    More like pointing out that it made absolutely no sense, and contributed zero to his overall point.

    And there seems to be a pattern where you pick out one thing in my posts and ignore the rest, like whether, according to your reasoning, should get over the Mormon comment?

  • AHALgal

    I couldn’t have said it better myself.