Don't Underestimate Huckabee

[iamjoy]

Let me just start by saying I don't just WANT a Democratic president in 2008, I fully believe our country NEEDS a Democratic president. Also, while some of our current nominees are better than others any one of them would do a better job than a Republican.

So, it seems like a lot of the pundits are saying if Huckabee is the nominee, it would mean a Democratic victory. I'd like to believe that, but I'm not sure it's true. Sure, current polling shows him losing to any of the "top tier" Democratic candidates, but that could largely be name recognition.

With Huckabee as the nominee, evangelicals would be motivated as never before. There would be no evangelical revolt or minor party challenge as many religious conservatives threaten if Guiliani or Romney is the nominee. Besides, Huckabee often comes across as a nice guy, the kind you'd want as your neighbor and we know enough Americans are foolish enough to vote for some one on this basis.

As for his ethical lapses or controversial pardons, all he has to do is a bit of a mea culpa maybe throw in a few subtle references to Jesus and forgiveness.

We should not underestimate this man. He was all but written off a few months ago and is now suddenly a top tier Republican candidate - all with very little money.

He would be a formidable opponent.

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. depends who he runs against

I think against Obama he'd get crushed.

[MADem]

2. I think McCain could beat Huckabee. I really do. And McCain could beat

a Democrat, with the right VP pick, if we aren't careful.

Huckabee has a sharp temper and a meanspirited demeanor underneath that avuncular exterior. He does well running in the middle of the pack. He gets irritable when that spotlight is ALWAYS in his eyes.

[Red Zelda]

3. jesus supports him

[skipos]

4. I don't misunderestimate him

Who would be a better Repub candidate to root for? It is going to be
Huckster
Mittens
9iu11iani
Grandpa Fred
or
Weathervane McCain

[tekisui]

5. And he just brought on Raygun's advisor, Ed Rollins.

[cali]

6. Actually, I don't think he's formidable.

Sure, a lot of the evangelical repuke base will come out for him if he's the nominee, but a lot of the more moderate repukes will simply not vote for him. Not to mention that the amount of dirt on him is prodigious. Just as Rudy is now sinking because of his dirty dealings, so too will you see the Huckster fade as the public catches up on his background. Not only that, but I've noticed that the Hucky has a temper. Watch for that. He's not going to be the nominee anyway. And I'm much warier of Romney than I am of Huck. Romney does have a good shot at being the nominee.

[TwilightGardener]

11. I think it's going to be Romney--the GOP establishment is lining up slowly

behind him, including the National Review. In the end, that will mean more to Republicans than an endorsement from Chuck Norris and the freaky wrestler guy.

[cali]

18. Yep. I've thought Romney will be it for several months now

And things keep happening that bolster it.

[JohnnyLib2]

7. I agree with you. There is a LOT of Bush redux there and people

buy it. Granted that I'm writing from Bible Belt territory--I can foresee the churches supporting this guy, just as in 2000 and 20004. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best...."

[RaleighNCDUer]

23. Bible belt. There you have it. I think most of the Huckabee naysayers

don't live in the bible belt, and don't recognise how he resonates in these parts.

He's viewed as a moderate, his reported problems are no more than rumor and election year slander (whatever the reality might be), and in these parts you don't have to be a fire-breathing evangelical fundamentalist to have a religious world view - even moderates and (not unusually) liberals base their lives on WWJD, so if he can convince the general public that he is free of corruption he will get a break on other troubling items. Remember, around here the 'moderate' position is to teach both evolution and creation science. Guiliani won't carry the anti-choice; nobody really trusts McCain; Romney is a heretic; and the actor has absolutely no fire in his belly for getting the job. Huckabee can pull the fundies, the evangelicals, the anti-choice, the Reagan democrats, and the moderates who are fed up with Washington corruption.

He's the one to watch. I've been saying it for months.

[Franc_Lee]

8. ANY repug candidate will have it tough against Obama...

[TwilightGardener]

9. He's toast. For many, many reasons. But I will enjoy watching

the GOPers erupt into civil war between fiscons, foreign-policy hawks and evangelicals because of his status. Go to Freepville and RedState--there are hardly any members left who support Huckabilly, and they are absolutely wringing their hands over him. They thought Rudy would divide the GOP, but Huck is arguably worse.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Huckabee Is George McGovern And Barry Goldwater With A Southern Drawl

Both were fine men but were successfully portrayed as outside the main stream of American politics...

A majority or plurality of Americans will not vote for a man who:

-thought Magic Johnson should be quarantined

-feels that homosexuality is aberrant and a sin

-believes America should be a Christian nation

-believes wives should submit to their husband

-literally believes in evolution

-paroled a rapist who then went out and murdered

I will be the first to admit that Americans want their leaders to have faith; but in moderation...

[TwilightGardener]

13. Huck is a grifter and con-artist. And an intellectual lightweight. There's absolutely NO

comparison to McGovern or Goldwater--Huck couldn't shine their shoes.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. The Comparison Is They Were Both Were Successfully Portrayed As Outside The Main Stream

~

[patrice]

12. Is it possible that the same people who picked our Dem corporatist

candidate(s) are the same ones who are thumping their chests at the prospect of running against Huckabee?

Poll numbers are only a probablistic fraction of Reality. In addition to quantities at work, there are qualities at work that machine politics, by their very nature, miss.

Huckabee can call on The South. Democrats have written the South off for tooooo long. Now they don't think Dems care.

Two of our best candidates could call on The South too. We don't want them to have to fight for that vote with Huckabee.

Plus, *IF* it is the corporatists who are drooling at a match-up with Huckabee, this could be another win:win for them.

[msongs]

15. obama vs huckabee - battle of the bible thumpers nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. Huckabee Is A Lot Further Out On Bible Thumping Than Obama

As I said before, Americans will not (vote) for an atheist... They just won't... They like their leaders to have faith; but in moderation...

[patrice]

17. This particular Bible-believer would vote for an Atheist.

Truth, by definition, is inevitable no matter how f'ed-up we get it.

[Eurobabe]

19. Been saying it for awhile, he's another "nice guy"

that red 'Murica would like to drink a beer with...watch out!!

[patrice]

20. One of their own Populists, compared to Romney, who is an Aristocrat

who made money off of his relationship to his church, which is in direct competition with THEIR churches, especially the Evangelicals. How do you think all of those Evangelicals are going to feel about having their WORST competition in the WH? Nope, it's not Romney we should fear; it's Huckabee.

[bellasgrams]

21. The Dems won't have a chance with

Obama. Get real. This is the United States. Not Europe. We still have a lot of growing to do. As far as Huck, he's suppose to be a nice man, but I would rather have a mormon who doesn't preach his religion than a Baptist preacher for Pres. In my own business dealings, I have had few dishonest or not nice people but the ones that were just happened to be the fundie types, two were preachers. One didn't trust anyone, the other no one should have trusted (in hind site). I'm not against religion, just the way some people practice it.

[terrya]

22. You're exactly right.

I expect Huckabee to be the Republican nominee. And it won't be a cakewalk, folks. This is a very tough opponent for the reasons stated.

[greendog]

24. Let's make a list of the Republican factions that would be uncomfortable...

...voting for a Baptist Preacher.

*Catholics

*Libertarians

*The Country Club set

> The Reverend Huxterberry appeals to evangelicals and traditional types. They might get him nominated but they'll have a lot of trouble getting him elected.

[patrice]

25. I'm a Catholic and voting for a Baptist is no worse than voting for

any other Protestant.

My Libertarian marketing attorney husband admires Huckabees "charm".

And the Country Club set will appreciate anyone who can keep the Plebs in the harness. (I know because I've chaperoned enough of their kids to have heard what the parents think of those who don't belong.)

[greendog]

29. But "you" are a liberal Catholic who votes for Democrats.

>You're not going to vote for a conservative Baptist Preacher.

I was raised Catholic. Went to Catholic schools. You're right, Catholics will vote for Baptists. A Baptist Preacher, however, can be perceived as having a little more commitment than someone who was merely born and raised in the Baptist Church. Recently, the Pope has gone on record saying non-Catholics are somehow less Christian than Catholics. The previous Pope said that non-Catholics were "disadvantaged before God". I remember hearing similar stuff from the Nuns years ago when I was in school.

A large percentage of Catholics vote for Democrats. Always have. The trend toward Catholics supporting Republicans is a recent experiment. I wouldn't be at all surprised if some of those Catholic Republicans look at Pastor Huckabee and get the feeling that the evangelicals have too much influence in the Party.

>Your Libertarian marketing attorney husband might not be worried losing his access to dirty pictures. There's a faction of Republicans who don't like religious nuts interfering with their personal choices. They understand that there's a difference between politicians who pretend to be religious to con religious voters....and actual religious nuts. A Baptist Preacher might, in their minds, qualify as a threat.

>The Country Club set certainly wants to keep the "plebes in a harness". They are also savvy enough to know that it might be prudent to exchange the choke chain of Bush style Republicanism for the type of soft harness that was used in the Clinton years. NAFTA and telecom deregulation was a good thing for them. Two out of three of our top tier candidates don't represent much of a threat to their interests. The third candidate could easily be controlled by our business friendly congress.

If the Republican Party loses just 5% of those voters they'll lose the election.

I think, given the state of things, and given the fact that the voters rejected the Republicans in the last election that Reverend Huckabee won't be the savior of the Republican Party.

[Steely_Dan]

26. I Just Can't Believe....

that the American people would make this man President. But then again, I never thought they would put Bush back in office for a second term.

-P

[JohnnyLib2]

27. And that's what alarms me the most.

Wear red, white, and blue and carry a Bible--it's been working all too well.

[ZombieHorde]

28. I hope that you are wrong.

Huck is easily my least favorite candidate.

[annie1]

30. Agree. He is sooooo likable, i don't even mind him and...

of all the republicans, even though he scares me, i have this feeling that he won't let terrible things happen to people. and even though i know of course that is false, it makes me feel safe. And it's the same feeling that could make a lot of voters feel safe, even from a right wing republican.

[Disturbed]

31. There is a big difference between the Primaries & the Election.

In the Primaries mostly people who pay attention to issues are involved. They pick the Candidates with much different reasoning than the General population would vote on a Candidate. Repugs are in turmoil now because the top three candidates all have major negatives. Trying to guess who the Repugs will end up with as their candidate is impossible in my view. I guess it is fun for some to try though.