Why the GOP Won't Get Behind Huckabee

[marmar]

from The American Prospect:



Why the GOP Won't Get Behind Huckabee

Why hasn't this charmer with a perfect record on the right's core social litmus tests not already wrapped up the Republican nomination? Look no further than the uber-conservatives who are spitting mad that he's too nice to poor people and foreigners.

Sarah Posner | December 3, 2007 | web only



During a media conference call in October, when he was riding high from his strong showing at the Values Voter Summit, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was asked how his populist economic message would sell to financially strapped Michigan voters. After arguing that a thriving stock market doesn't exactly resonate with working-class voters, Huckabee chastised his fellow Republicans for "read right off the Republican National Committee talking points" on the economy during this fall's GOP debate in Dearborn.
It was a stunning statement, with Huckabee sounding like he was reading from the opposing party's talking points as he accused Republicans of being too "busy going to upscale, nice parties with folks who haven't been impacted by a downturn in the economy." But Huckabee will say those sorts of things and then just amble on as if he hadn't frontally insulted the very people whose support he seeks, like when he accused Christian conservatives of being "more intoxicated with power than principle" shortly before the Values Voter Summit (and then denied he was speaking about the organizers of the summit).


With his steady rise in national polls and burgeoning support in Iowa, particularly among conservative Christians, hardcore movement conservatives who are trying to make the race for the Republican nomination about taxes and xenophobia are putting Huckabee's record on economic issues and immigration under the microscope. Huckabee's willingness to use government to help those economically left behind, including immigrants, has turned him into a pariah among some economic conservatives who mobilize the ground troops for the GOP's anti-tax, anti-government message that serves the corporate wing of the party, which Huckabee has accused of being a "wholly owned subsidiary of Wall Street." For anyone who wonders why this charmer with a perfect record on the right’s core social litmus tests has not already wrapped up the Republican nomination, they need look no further than the disgruntled uber-conservatives who are spitting mad that Huckabee has been too nice to poor people and foreigners.

The fanatically anti-tax Club for Growth -- which Huckabee has disparaged as "the Club for Greed" -- has gotten a lot of mileage out of its portrayal of Huckabee's tenure in Arkansas as that of a "habitual tax-hiker." Huckabee has fired back, saying that the Club for Growth's figures are wrong, and besides, the Club doesn't understand what it takes to run a state government. He argues that his policies of taxing gasoline sales to pay for road construction and using state revenue to pay for poor children's health insurance did not ravage the pocketbooks of Arkansans, but provided desperately needed services to his state. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=why_the_gop_wont_get_behind_huckabee

[0007]

1. Anyone, I mean anyone that makes sense and can't be stumped easily

is a person the GOP will reject every time.

It was a stunning statement, with Huckabee sounding like he was reading from the opposing party's talking points as he accused Republicans of being too "busy going to upscale, nice parties with folks who haven't been impacted by a downturn in the economy." But Huckabee will say those sorts of things and then just amble on as if he hadn't frontally insulted the very people whose support he seeks, like when he accused Christian conservatives of being "more intoxicated with power than principle" shortly before the Values Voter Summit (and then denied he was speaking about the organizers of the summit).

[TwilightGardener]

2. Maybe because he's a fraud? Seriously, I'm tired of these bullshit posts

about what a swell guy he is. He's just another Republican jackass--an ethically-challenged wackjob. The bullshit he spouts about the poor is a way to manipulate potential voters. He was more greedy and unethical in office than any of the other Repub frontrunners except maybe Rudy. Let's give this meme a rest.

[marmar]

4. Not trying to support a "meme," just posting an article....Interpret the piece as you will.

:think:

[Demeter]

5. But There Are So Many KINDS of GOP Whackjobs!

They really DO have a big tent! (What they NEED is a large rest home, with lots of padded rooms.)

So you get to pick your preferred flavor of insanity.

[D23MIURG23]

10. The OP only discusses rhetoric

and how it won't serve Huckabee with republicans. Maybe I'm not paying close enough attention, but I haven't seen a single DUer actually defend this fundy authoritarian.

[dmallind]

3. Cool

Gotta love internecine bloodfests on that side of the aisle.

So lemme see their choices are:

A pro-choice gun controlling sometime crossdresser who is at least partly xenophobic and properly bellicose.

A guy who believes the Bible is superceded by the ravings of a 19th century conman and who "used" to be pro-choice and who expanded healthcare access but is also appropriately xenophobic and bellicose

A gosh-darned biblical literalist Baptist minister who is peachy keen on theocracy and war but actually believes you have to at least give some passing nod to all that socialist pinko New Testament stuff too.

A true to life war hero who's just fine on all the social stuff but actually thinks it's NOT a good idea to torture people, and has worked out at least partially the difference between money and speech.

An anti-tax anti-government true believer who just hasn't got around to thinking the government is OK in limiting rights if they are the WRONG sort of rights, and who has this pesky idea that we shouldn't be giving the Crusades another go.

And if you REALLY scrape the bottom of the barrel you can get the perfectly xenophobic guy who....well is just SO perfectly xenophobic that he doesn't even pay attention to anything else.

[momster]

6. Forgot Fred

A half-asleep actor without any positions on anything more recent than 1982.

[MasonJar]

7. It is perfectly possible that H is one of those true Christians who believe

they know all about Jesus and God. It is true He would support the poor, but is it true that He would infringe on the rights of people? NO!!!!!!!!!!!! Huckabee is for the poor, but against freedom of thought. Huckabee is a strange one. The Grover Norquists of the GOPer party will never allow such an aberration to enter the White House, and we Democrats should not either. This is a freak who thinks the world is 6000 years old and does not believe in evolution. He sees through a glass darkly into the mind of God. I know for sure that if there is a God, (and I believe that there may be a God...after all how did the ingredients of the Big Bang suddenly materialize?), we humans are not able to comprehend His mind or His plan. Certainly we (including deluded Baptist ministers) are not in a position to assess the universe...especially if these ministers have fallen under the influence of the Mohler cabal at the Louisville Baptist Seminary...the Jerry Falwells of this world have no step up on this bunch.) Just ask me! I am a long time-ex Baptist ( a very proud Episcopalian) who lives within minutes of the place.

[Sam Ervin jret]

8. Let's Be clear Mike WANTS THE RAPTURE! More than BUSH.

If you don't know what this means. Or if you don't know what this has to do with what his running for president is about.

You better get your Bible out. He most certainly has.

He KNOWS the world is no more than 6000 years old. He knows that Jesus is coming back for the "good" people and soon. He knows it's soon because : 1.Isreal is back in it's "homeland" 2.The world is full of all the signs(it always is) 3.THE BOOK has told him that the time would be near and in the lifetime of the people of the generation that saw the return of the Israelites to Jerusalem.

The RAPTURE- the time right before the big WWIII when all the "good' people get lifted up to heaven(right through the clouds) leaving the rest of the worlds people to fight it out for the cheap seats(if any) left over in heaven.

So don't be charmed out of asking the tough questions. Do you really believe in the rapture? Will you actively work as president to bring it about? We know you disagree with evolution, how will this change science and technology policy under your administration?

This is no joke. This is a real philosophy and a person who wants to run our country, and seems to be gaining popularity, believes it.

Important religious and philosophical questions must be asked of all candidates who have in their past public comments shown ideologies that may be counter to the best interests of our nation and its people.

We cannot demur at the thought of questioning this candidate about these religious things. He has brought them into the public domain. His party has been at the forefront of mixing religion and politics.

We cannot now let them get away with cute off handed answers to religious questions that are directly asked of them. When Huckabee was asked in the debate "what would Jesus do?" A cute He would not be a politician type answer is not enough. Not anymore. Not from the people who forced the subject.

We are calling your religious card Republicans - show your hand.
Who thinks the world is how old and why? Do you believe the end of the world is near and why and what are you doing about it?

What does your personal religion or philosophy mean for us as a nation and our children. Our science, our health care, our education have all been adversely effected by the religion of the past president(stem cell research, birth control,) and we must do our best to at least educate the voters to what the logical policy outcomes are likely to be for each candidate and his/her philosophy or religion.

Birth control and stem cell are controversial due to their perceived relation to abortion and so the right have been able to fend off the questionable entanglements inherent in political/religious relations. But with this candidate and his past views the door is opened to question what many of them hold true but have never voiced due to it's unpopularity. Christians first to heaven in the rapture, the big war for the rest, and maybe a place for some of you "with the grace of god" in the cheap seats after the hell on earth.

Ask them. Ask them all. Do you believe in the Apocalypse? The rapture? What are you doing about it? Are you trying to save by saving souls? Excellent. Be a preacher. Are you trying to stop any such a thing from happening? Good. Run for President.

A man cannot serve two masters.

[ThoughtCriminal]

9. Remember how Bush Sr. called supply side economics

"Voodoo economics"? Didn't matter to the GOP later. All forgotten.

...

There was an episode of "Taxi" where Reverend Jim was missing. Somebody suggested that they try and "Think like Jim" to figure out where he might be. After a few seconds, everybody looked pained, shook their heads and decided "Let's not do that anymore". That's how I feel when I try and "Think like Republicans".