Posted on 12/08/2007 12:50:51 PM PST by goldstategop
Just when he thought the media lovefest would never end–what with the deeply troubling open-borders and soft-on-crime charges of his critics failing to stick–GOP front-runner Mike Huckabee gets a Saturday surprise from the Associated Press, which dug up an old questionnaire probing his views on AIDS funding and homosexuality:
Mike Huckabee once advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposed increased federal funding in the search for a cure and said homosexuality could “pose a dangerous public health risk.”
As a candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in 1992, Huckabee answered 229 questions submitted to him by The Associated Press. Besides a quarantine, Huckabee suggested that Hollywood celebrities fund AIDS research from their own pockets, rather than federal health agencies.
“If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague,” Huckabee wrote.
“It is difficult to understand the public policy towards AIDS. It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague have not been isolated from the general population, and in which this deadly disease for which there is no cure is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crisis it represents.”
He also suggests that crusading celebrities pitch in more money instead of the federal government. He has since changed his mind and now supports increased public AIDS funding:
When asked about AIDS research in 1992, Huckabee complained that AIDS research received an unfair share of federal dollars when compared to cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
“In light of the extraordinary funds already being given for AIDS research, it does not seem that additional federal spending can be justified,” Huckabee wrote. “An alternative would be to request that multimillionaire celebrities, such as Elizabeth Taylor (,) Madonna and others who are pushing for more AIDS funding be encouraged to give out of their own personal treasuries increased amounts for AIDS research.”
…When Huckabee wrote his answers in 1992, it was common knowledge that AIDS could not be spread by casual contact. In late 1991, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 195,718 AIDS patients in the country and that 126,159 people had died from the syndrome. The nation had an increased awareness of AIDS at the time because pro basketball star Magic Johnson had recently disclosed he carried the virus responsible for it. Johnson retired but returned to the NBA briefly during the 1994-95 season.
Since becoming a presidential candidate this year, Huckabee has supported increased federal funding for AIDS research through the National Institutes of Health. “My administration will be the first to have an overarching strategy for dealing with HIV and AIDS here in the United States, with a partnership between the public and private sectors that will provide necessary financing and a realistic path toward our goals,” Huckabee said in a statement posted on his campaign Web site last month.
Also in the wide-ranging AP questionnaire in 1992, Huckabee said, “I feel homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural, and sinful lifestyle, and we now know it can pose a dangerous public health risk.”
It would be helpful for the AP to release the full survey and the full questions, which it probably won’t do. Jonathan Adler rightly notes:
This was not the early 1980s, when the threat posed by the HIV virus was poorly understood. Rather it was 1992, long after it was understood that AIDS could not be transmitted through casual contact. So either Huckabee was woefully ignorant about the nature of AIDS, or he supported a quarantine despite the lack of a threat of communicability. Neither interpretation speaks well of him.
We know how the story will play among the punditocracy in Washington. How will it play in Iowa?
***
Allahpundit:
Are these notable flip-flops the product of naked pandering to the base, as seemed to be the case in adopting Krikorian’s immigration plan after having described opposition to Bush’s amnesty bill as “nativist” in 2006, or is Huck just a soft mark for ideologues trying to bend him to their side? Whatever the answer is, it’s extremely worrisome.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
AIDS patients, if they had not been given such special status, would not have been able to pass it on if they’d been quarantined.
Unfortunately, liberals and homosexuals helped allow infected patients to keep ramming AIDS into other homosexuals.
Literally.
Lets see the whole questionaire.
BTW, while we are at it where are Hillary's 229 answers?
It’s easy to understand, the media will attack the leader of the Republican race unless he/she is one of theirs. Huckabee is still not good enough for Republicans to support.
The media also wants to see if he can handle adversity and see if he has grown in the 15 years. They will guage his response to see if they will attack further.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
It sounds to me as though the folks that held the questionnaire want Huckabee to look more appealing to Republicans. For conservatives, he already has insurmountable bagggage.
This doesn’t “hurt” Huckabee with the so called “evangelical” voter, it helps him. The media is continuing to help divide the GOP in Iowa...Christian guy versus others. But if this helps him win the Iowa caucus, it also will hurt him in the general election...the plan all along for Huckabee, I fear, push the nomination of the least electable Republican.
Huckabee was absolutely correct in his answers on the questionnaire. However, he now repudiates them.
Such a principled guy.
Another flop-flopper.
Why anyone would vote for this POS is beyond me.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Magic Johnson had HIV?AIDS by the time Huckabee said this. Should Magic Johnson be quarantined?
It’s not what he said about homosexuality. I think many/most of us agree with the fact it’s a sin. It’s the other stuff.
If anyone thinks Huckabee can win a general election, I’d like for them to explain how.
Bingo!!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Really ..??
I don’t think it was those “patients” who were the problem .. the REAL PROBLEM was the all the people those patients had already slept with!!
You have to exchange bodily fluids to get this disease .. so it makes Huck’s reaction look like a HOMOPHOBE - which is exactly what the media intended.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Sorry, but I can’t support Huck in the primaries. He just gives me a very bad Bill Clinton vibe. I also refuse to believe these polls about his surging are accurate. I smell media set-up all over this.
Regarding funding, I like Huckabee's 1992 position better than his 2007 position.
He was right then and he is still right.
I disagree. Reagan had principles, he kept his principles, yet he compromised when he had to. After all, he did have a Dim’Rat Congress all 8 years while in office.
Reagan never repudiated his principles like this year’s crop on the campaign trail do.
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