Posted on 12/18/2007 6:53:25 PM PST by Mighty_Quinn
Everyone is missing this... Why is Huckabee gaining ground?
Answer--Harriet Miers.
The nomination of Miers confirmed a sneaking suspicion held by many Christians and social conservatives that many Republican politicians aren't really concerned about pro-life issues or about opposing the homosexual "rights" lobby. This wing of the party suspects that many GOP candidates only pay lip-service to these concerns to get social-conservative votes. The fear is this: when push comes to shove, politicians will distance themselves from these views and throw those who voted for them under the bus.
In this regard, the Harriet Miers fiasco was a HUGE blunder. Rightly or wrongly, the nomination sent a message that Bush (or the Bush administration) was out of touch with the concerns of those who had worked the phones and hit the pavement during the previous election.
Why are many rallying for Huckabee, a candidate who has numerous problems? It's because he's a known quantity. He may not be perfect on all the issues, e.g., immigration, the economy, etc. It's true that most social conservatives are also fiscal-conservatives--but at the end of the day fiscal issues are not what motivates this segment of the party! They volunteer to man the phones and hit the streets at local GOP headquarters because of their concern for the moral issues at stake, not because of the estate tax-- even though most of them would be against that too.
The Harriet Miers episode scared that segment of the party. Rightly or wrongly, it sent a message: the Bush administration isn't as concerned about social-conservatism as those who put in hours and hours during his campaign.
And recall that the concerns about Miers were later shown to be justified. But when Christians and social conservatives saw many people in the GOP defending the President's choice it simply confirmed the suspicion that others in the party were out of touch with them.
And who were the most vocal supporters of Miers?--check the record: Hugh Hewitt, Fred Barnes, even Jay Sekelow, Pat Robertson's partner! Now these men are hardly seen as reliable to this group. Robertson is having a very tough time rallying support among Christians for Guilliani!
And so when a Baptist minister is in the mix, he's going to end up surging--despite any other concerns about him, he's trustworthy.
In the past social conservatives could feel comfortable with people like Reagan or Bush despite their past records... I don't think that's the attitude in the aftermath of the Miers nomination.
That many in the party are expressing "concerns" about the electability of Huckabee due to his Christianity is only drawing more people to him! These people are confirming the concerns of this segment of the party--social-conservatism is for primaries, but after that, it goes to the back burner.
I don't think that's going to fly.
That no one has connected Miers with Huckabee's "surge" shows one thing: GOP pundits are out of touch with a major block of their constituents.
And it's getting worse. Let it not be that we see a third party candidate down the road. That would be a huge mistake for the party... but I think that's where this is going to go if things continue this way.
It was just a matter of time before the Socialist Conservatives decided that the whole freedom thing wasn’t going to work, and that they needed higher taxes and a bigger government to tell the little people what to do.
The SCOTUS nomination was a coincidence—not much of a turning point, as the push to expand government was already there and helped by President Bush. It didn’t need to be a “realization,” since Pres. Bush was already acting Huckabeesque in many ways.
There is more to the GOP platform than homsexuality and abortion. This is a race for president, not pastor.
Even so, Huckabee isn’t consistent on abortion anyway.
They were? Her nomination was pulled, so we never got to see any votes from her on anything.
Like the previous poster said, a stretch.
Huckabee is simply the smoothest talker of the bunch and is able to come across as conservative even though he has liberal views on many issues. Huckabee knows how to sound conservative and knows how to connect with Christian voters. Huckabee is not my first, second, third or fourth choice, but he is better than Rudy.
It worked like a charm. The democrats in the Senate were made to look like fools supporting Miers. When her replacement (Justice Alito) was then nominated, the democrats couldn't resist.
President Bush has always been able to see several moves ahead of the democrats and that's why he always gets what he wants.
I’ve been saying the same thing for months, but folks here don’t get it. You sir, have said it more clearly and succinctly.
Yesterday I actually donated money to Mike Huckabee’s campaign. I have never donated to any presidential campaingn before. Was it a deep love and trust of Mike that caused this. No, it was the unrelenting critisism and distortion and caluminies Huckabee (and by association myself) has been subjected to.
The moral conservative is tired of being to the GOP, what Black voters are to the Dems. Taken for granted.
It was the media that put out the story that the Miers nomination was an attempt to finesse the concerns of the Christian conservative elements in the party. It amazed me that the Bush administration just let the story lie there and did nothing to answer it. Scott McClellan was not an asset to this administration.
You need to reread his post. Your response has nothing to do with what he said.
More proof that folks here just don’t get it.
Short answer, he isn't.
“They were? Her nomination was pulled, so we never got to see any votes from her on anything.”
There was nothing on her to see.
No history of written opinions, only W wanting to reward a dopey starstruck loyalist.
It was really the beginning of his damaging his credibility with the Republican base.
Hopefully in a year we will have a decent President, though the field is thin and it isn’t looking too good.
That's like saying Moe is the 'smart' Stooge.
The country-clubber Republicans tried to foist Rudy off on us, so the bible thumpers are getting even with the Huckster. I guess holding the White House for twenty of the last twenty-eight years makes people forget that they have to compromise just a little to keep on doing that.
Well, either Hillary or Obama will teach us to get it together, hopefully in four years, and not eight...
Why the Huckabee “Surge”?
the press wants a horse race, everyone gets to be in the front. Clinton was leading, the Obama and now, guess what Edward is leading in Iowa.
The two year elections are just silly.
Harriet Miers???? LOL.
“It was not a “mistake” for President Bush to nominate Harriet Miers. Her nomination was never intended to result in her confirmation.”
Enough with this “Bush secret plan” stuff already.
It’s revisionist claptrap.
Look at old headlines - he defended her to the HILT and there was nearly a party revolt. He has screwed his base a number of times - same thing happened with his support of shamnesty.
How sad for him to waste all his political capital!
Like I said - look at the old news stories. He excoriated the base and called us sexists for heck’s sake!
It’s par for the course - just like he called the minutemen vigilantes, and the Palestinian terrorists partners for peace, Islam a religion of peace, and described Pooty-poot as having a good soul.
I am a GOP activist in AZ. I worked for both of his campaigns. And I have had enough.
“The moral conservative is tired of being to the GOP, what Black voters are to the Dems. Taken for granted.”
Suckered by the Huckster.
“It was just a matter of time before the Socialist Conservatives decided that the whole freedom thing wasn’t going to work, and that they needed higher taxes and a bigger government to tell the little people what to do.”
*ding ding ding* hit the nail on the head.
He meant to trick the democrats. And, boy, did it work.
Yep, Bush was just looking for a candidate he thought he could get through without a fight. Miers had no record that the Democrats could attack. Little did Bush know that the fight would come from the GOP side when Miers conservative credentials did not stand up.
“Well, he didn’t mean for YOU to be tricked. I guess your being tricked was sort of like collateral damage. He meant to trick the democrats. And, boy, did it work.”
No, he just has 0 respect for his supporters and thought he could ramrod his idiot sycophant into the court without a fight.
There was no secret plan. We got a decent nominee because we revolted!
It was tearing apart the GOP.
Between that, amnesty, spending, and the growth of government in size and scope, those who favor small government have a lot of damage to repair.
Bush isn’t a Reagan - he isn’t even a Nixon!
Democrats neither supported or opposed Miers. They were happy to sit back and watch the nomination explode in Bush's face. And the Democrats gave it their all in opposing Alito. That was probably the most partisan vote on a Supreme Court nomination since Clarence Thomas.
Same reason there was a Ted Haggard "surge". There are a remarkable number of utter imbeciles out there.
Goodness. You’re anti-Christian on all the threads, aren’t you?
I totally agree with the reasoning behind the Huckabee surge. Folks are thinking they want their grandkids to have a chance in this messed up country and they’re willing to forego some conservative planks to ensure they have someone they feel is trustworthy and not just another career politican leading the way.
RE-ELECT NO ONE!
You are absolutely correct. The first time I saw Huckabee on one of the debates a few months back, I thought he was head and shoulders above the rest when it came to articulation and presentation. He just doesn't give the impression that he has to think about his answer, and what he thinks might be what people want to hear. He displayed a good and spontaneous sense of humor. He came across as extemely smooth, more so than any candidate since Clinton, perhaps he is even better than Clinton. With Clinton you always knew you were being b.s.'d. Huckabee doesn't have that earnestness and percievable deception that Clinton has. Huckabee is a good politician, and I am not at all surprised he is doing so well.
I have no idea who he is or what he represents, but I do know Giuliani, and like you would would prefer anybody else. You must be always right because you think like I do. :o)
Man of Peace — Bob Dylan
Look out your window, baby, there’s a scene you’d like to catch,
The band is playing “Dixie,” a man got his hand outstretched.
Could be the Fuhrer
Could be the local priest.
You know sometimes
Satan comes as a man of peace.
He got a sweet gift of gab, he got a harmonious tongue,
He knows every song of love that ever has been sung.
Good intentions can be evil,
Both hands can be full of grease.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.
Well, first he’s in the background, then he’s in the front,
Both eyes are looking like they’re on a rabbit hunt.
Nobody can see through him,
No, not even the Chief of Police.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.
Well, he catch you when you’re hoping for a glimpse of the sun,
Catch you when your troubles feel like they weigh a ton.
He could be standing next to you,
The person that you’d notice least.
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.
Well, he can be fascinating, he can be dull,
He can ride down Niagara Falls in the barrels of your skull.
I can smell something cooking,
I can tell there’s going to be a feast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.
He’s a great humanitarian, he’s a great philanthropist,
He knows just where to touch you, honey, and how you like to be kissed.
He’ll put both his arms around you,
You can feel the tender touch of the beast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.
Well, the howling wolf will howl tonight, the king snake will crawl,
Trees that’ve stood for a thousand years suddenly will fall.
Wanna get married? Do it now,
Tomorrow all activity will cease.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.
Somewhere Mama’s weeping for her blue-eyed boy,
She’s holding them little white shoes and that little broken toy
And he’s following a star,
The same one them three men followed from the East.
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.
Interesting point—valid but likely that it only explains part of the Huckaboom. Similar and other reasons for Huckaboom in these:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1940652/posts?page=1
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1941516/posts?page=1
Nope. Pro-Christian. Anti-Huckabee. The man is an absolute fraud, and is using religion and clever quips to try to deflect legitimate criticism of his appalling record.
Another thing: notice how many of his past statements about illegals and those trying to stop illegal immigration sound very familiar to proponents of Marxist "Liberation Theology" in Latin America. I truly fear this man.
This has it exactly backwards. Miers might well have been perfectly fine on those issues. Her problem was that she was appallingly unqualified to do anything else that a Supreme Court Justice is supposed to do.
Those who supported the Miers nomination did not support her for her political positions. They supported her because they thought that the president's judgment in selecting the nominee should be respected.
In the end, the nomination set conservatives at each other's throats, over a nominee with an extremely light resume who had problems with simple English grammar. The nomination was a disaster for Republicans, a completely unnecessary disaster. For once it's true: Bush did it.
The fiaso said plenty about Bush's overall judgment, but nothing about his commitment to conservatism.
How so?
Two years ago he was for leaving abortion to the states. Within the last few months he has reversed that position and now wants a constitutional amendment. Then he bashes Thompson for having the same position Huckabee used to have.
Yeah, he jokes too much. Ask him a tough question. He tells a joke. That gets sort of old after awhile.
I followed the argument up to tis point--a monster non sequitur. The fact that Bush sold out with the Meiers nomination and the border security give-away in no way means that Huckabee is any less liable to sell out as well. I have absolutely no reason to think a Baptist minister is any more trustworthy than the corner pusher, and this article gives me none.
Your comments aren’t against Huckabee only, but against Christians. That tells me that you’ve got a beef against Christians. You’re free to have your opinions against Christians, of course. It just seems out of place on FR.
Just say NO ! to RINOS .... The clear choice in 2008 is Fred Thompson.
The Huckester's son involved in the hanging of a stray dog at a Boy Scout camp in 1998. And this year tried to bring a gun aboard an airplane
Good argument for Huckabuck. If you are anti-Huckabee, you are anti-Christian.
That is a great theory and one of the big reasons my wife and I casted our votes for Huckabee thru absentee ballot (Michigan Primary) this past weekend. Good read! God Bless!
If people haven’t figured out Huck by now .. they have blinders on.
Yikes. He looks like the product of a fine upbringing!
The Chamber of Commerce - same group that's trying to defeat the 'employee must be a citzen ' verification law in Arizona ...
Having to defend this is so bogus, I hope Mike can keep his head above it all ...
Ark. inbreeding
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