How Huckabee Could Stop President Palin

Frum Forum ^ | November 22nd, 2010 at 10:22 am | David Frum

[onyx]

“A nightstick the size of a telephone pole and the muscle to wield it effortlessly.”

Mike Huckabee, who knows a thing or two about insurgent campaigns, sees the power of the Palin candidacy. Taegan Goddard links this morning to the Des Moines Register:

Mike Huckabee told the Des Moines Register that Sarah Palin would be a strong contender for president should she decide to run.

Said Huckabee: “No question, she will be a very, very strong presence and force, if she gets in. You know, she may run away with it. And that’s one of those things everyone needs to be prepared for.

Huckabee’s words are more than an observation. They are a warning. And they are a warning especially to be heeded because they come from the one politician who can probably do most to stop Palin, the candidate best positioned to win Iowa.

Huckabee himself is also persona non grata with party leaders, because of his repeated criticism of Wall Street and Wall Street minded GOP insiders.

But Huckabee is a very different cat from Sarah Palin. He’s smart and policy-minded. And while he expresses a strong social conservative message, he does not play the politics of division, disparagement, and resentment in which Palin specializes.

In the days of party conventions, the answer to the Palin problem would have been obvious: party leaders would assemble and force the mutually mistrustful Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee onto the same ticket.

In modern times, the game is played differently, but the structure of the situation remains the same: an early Huckabee pact with a candidate acceptable to Republican donors (if not Romney, then Tim Pawlenty or even Jeb Bush) would command enough clout to push Palin off the stage.

If not, all bets are off. As I think about it, that’s one of the big problems with the candidacies of a Thune, a Daniels or a Barbour: They will need Huckabee as much or more than Romney does.

Yet Huckabee is also a re-elected governor, plus he won the second largest haul of delegates last time. Why should he defer to any of the lower-polling governors? And who will make him?

“A nightstick the size of a telephone pole and the muscle to wield it effortlessly.”

Mike Huckabee, who knows a thing or two about insurgent campaigns, sees the power of the Palin candidacy. Taegan Goddard links this morning to the Des Moines Register:

Mike Huckabee told the Des Moines Register that Sarah Palin would be a strong contender for president should she decide to run.

Said Huckabee: “No question, she will be a very, very strong presence and force, if she gets in. You know, she may run away with it. And that’s one of those things everyone needs to be prepared for.

Huckabee’s words are more than an observation. They are a warning. And they are a warning especially to be heeded because they come from the one politician who can probably do most to stop Palin, the candidate best positioned to win Iowa.

Huckabee himself is also persona non grata with party leaders, because of his repeated criticism of Wall Street and Wall Street minded GOP insiders.

But Huckabee is a very different cat from Sarah Palin. He’s smart and policy-minded. And while he expresses a strong social conservative message, he does not play the politics of division, disparagement, and resentment in which Palin specializes.

In the days of party conventions, the answer to the Palin problem would have been obvious: party leaders would assemble and force the mutually mistrustful Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee onto the same ticket.

In modern times, the game is played differently, but the structure of the situation remains the same: an early Huckabee pact with a candidate acceptable to Republican donors (if not Romney, then Tim Pawlenty or even Jeb Bush) would command enough clout to push Palin off the stage.

If not, all bets are off. As I think about it, that’s one of the big problems with the candidacies of a Thune, a Daniels or a Barbour: They will need Huckabee as much or more than Romney does.

Yet Huckabee is also a re-elected governor, plus he won the second largest haul of delegates last time. Why should he defer to any of the lower-polling governors? And who will make him?

“A nightstick the size of a telephone pole and the muscle to wield it effortlessly.”

Mike Huckabee, who knows a thing or two about insurgent campaigns, sees the power of the Palin candidacy. Taegan Goddard links this morning to the Des Moines Register:

Mike Huckabee told the Des Moines Register that Sarah Palin would be a strong contender for president should she decide to run.

Said Huckabee: “No question, she will be a very, very strong presence and force, if she gets in. You know, she may run away with it. And that’s one of those things everyone needs to be prepared for.

Huckabee’s words are more than an observation. They are a warning. And they are a warning especially to be heeded because they come from the one politician who can probably do most to stop Palin, the candidate best positioned to win Iowa.

Huckabee himself is also persona non grata with party leaders, because of his repeated criticism of Wall Street and Wall Street minded GOP insiders.

But Huckabee is a very different cat from Sarah Palin. He’s smart and policy-minded. And while he expresses a strong social conservative message, he does not play the politics of division, disparagement, and resentment in which Palin specializes.

In the days of party conventions, the answer to the Palin problem would have been obvious: party leaders would assemble and force the mutually mistrustful Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee onto the same ticket.

In modern times, the game is played differently, but the structure of the situation remains the same: an early Huckabee pact with a candidate acceptable to Republican donors (if not Romney, then Tim Pawlenty or even Jeb Bush) would command enough clout to push Palin off the stage.

If not, all bets are off. As I think about it, that’s one of the big problems with the candidacies of a Thune, a Daniels or a Barbour: They will need Huckabee as much or more than Romney does.

Yet Huckabee is also a re-elected governor, plus he won the second largest haul of delegates last time. Why should he defer to any of the lower-polling governors? And who will make him?

[dangus]

Squeaky Frum reveals his true agenda: Stop Palin at all costs.

[Louis Foxwell]

If O had one of Sarah’s balls he would not be able to put on his pants.

[dangus]

You said it.

Ronald Reagan won the Iowa Caucuses in 1976, not 1980;
George Bush won the Iowa Caucuses in 1980, not 1988.
Bob Dole won the Iowa Caucuses in 1988 by a much larger margin than he won in 1996.

Come to think of it, the guys who win the Iowa Caucuses tend to lose the nomination a lot, but go on in subsequent years to do much better.

[dangus]

I wouldn’t say squishy... His stance by 2008 was very clearly worded. I’d say he’s flip-flopped in the right direction; his platform was an absolute A+, but a very clear departure from his earlier Bush-like position in his earlier book.

[dangus]

Boy, and they say Chris Christie is too fat to be president!

[Candor7]

Palin will beat even an infernal coalition between Huckabee and Romney. She is just that popular with the people.

All she has to do is out the both of them, and America will respond.Huckabee and Romney won't stand a chance. Huckabee is assuming that Palin is like he is . She is not. Palin is a leader. People listen to her. That will be Huckabees biggest mistake in not understanding that fact.It has been a long time since a leader like Palin could command the respect, ear and conduct of the people.Huckabee just ain't ready for that. No one in the GOP is. They are freeking out trying to preserve their elitist power.

America is taking its government back FROM the political elite. No one can stop us.

Palin will save the Republic.

[reasonisfaith]

You forgot the most important part in describing the achievements of David Frum:

“Despite his apparent conservative credentials however, Frum’s most notable tendency in political dialogue has been to attack true conservatives with democrat talking points, while using a foundation of political correctness to rip apart conservative ideas. More than anything else, it seems Frum would prefer all conservatives to become liberals.”

[reasonisfaith]

I would say very, very squishy.

Huckabee squishes principle like the worst of them as he schemes his way into power.

What makes Squishabee stand out is his ability to hide the squishiness. The squishiness is not found in listening to his current language. You have to look behind the scenes, or know his past.

[The Shrew]

Winning Iowa is way overrated.

This is my early morning candidate for post of the day!

Huckabee has as much chance of being president and/or deciding who will be president of the United States as I do of playing in the NBA. This is more of Myth's attempt to establish the King Makers - who will make him King.

How can we expect politics to be different when we keep re-using the same old script. Meredith Wilson sums up Iowa pretty well. Do we really want to continue to let these people decide who our president will be?

Iowa Stubborn:

Music: Meredith Willson
Lyrics: Meredith Willson
Book: Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey
Premiere: Thursday, December 19, 1957

Townspeople:
Oh, there's nothing halfway
About the Iowa way to treat you,
When we treat you
Which we may not do at all.
There's an Iowa kind of special
Chip-on-the-shoulder attitude.
We've never been without.
That we recall.
We can be cold
As our falling thermometers in December
If you ask about our weather in July.
And we're so by God stubborn
We could stand touchin' noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye.
But what the heck, you're welcome,
Join us at the picnic.
You can eat your fill
Of all the food you bring yourself.
You really ought to give Iowa a try.
Provided you are contrary,
We can be cold
As our falling thermometer in December
If you ask about our weather in July.
And we're so by God stubborn
We can stand touchin' noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye. But we'll give you our shirt
And a back to go with it
If your crops should happen to die.

Farmer:
So, what the heck, you're welcome,
Glad to have you with us.

Farmer and Wife:
Even though we may not ever mention it again.

Townspeople:
You really ought to give Iowa
Hawkeye Iowa
Dubuque, Des
Moines, Davenport, Marshalltown,
Mason City, Keokuk, Ames,
Clear Lake
Ought to give Iowa a try!

We tried Iowa and the gave us Obama. Enough said.

TS

[indianrightwinger]

That is only one of the few reasons to dislike Huck. But, I don’t believe making fun of his past size is a way to state that opposition.

[GOP Poet]

I’m afraid so. He has “ambitions.” I would have thought that he liked the money at Fox News, but they guy has presidential ambitions.

Ugh! I saw his truly ugly spirit when he was running last time. Not only would he be big government run wild, he would be unprincipled. What an ego he has. Oh well. It is his right. Guess he thinks quite a bit of himself. More than the rest of us. He sure is a nice guy on the show. It is however entertainment and he has control over that presentation to the public. Entertainment is full of deception.

[bgill]

he would be happy if 50 million people would each send his campaign $10.

I would be happy to send him $10 if he and Romney would go away. They lost last time so what makes them think next would be any different.

[Louis Foxwell]

This is what we can expect of Sarah. Huck? Not so much.:
“They are of the people, and return again to mix with the people, having no more durable preeminence than the different grains of sand in an hourglass. Such an assembly cannot easily become dangerous to liberty. They are the servants of the people, sent together to do the people’s business, and promote the public welfare; their powers must be sufficient, or their duties cannot be performed. They have no profitable appointments, but a mere payment of daily wages, such as are scarcely equivalent to their expences; so that, having no chance for great places, and enormous salaries or pensions, as in some countries, there is no triguing or bribing for elections.” —Benjamin Franklin, letter to George Whatley, 1785

[DrewsMum]

Take Sarah and what she’s done and her accomplishments and take HER out of the equation, leaving ONLY her attributes (positive AND negative) and plug in ANY man....with the same education, experience, family issues/non-issues.... and tell me that they would be attacked and hated sooooooo much by the MEN in the establishment....

That gives you your answer. It’s in large part because she is a SHE.....

[JPG]

I googled ‘Sarah Palin’ and it came back with over 122M...the Huckster is below 4M. I wonder where all the buzz is?

[JPG]

AWRRGGHH! There’s more meat on the hoof in that pic than in 500 acres on a TX cattle ranch. They’ve also given up on the bathroom scale...now it’s into the tank for a quick trip to the truck weigh station.

[Lazlo in PA]

For not being a member of the PC crowd I apologize. I thing this mans weight is a factor in his thinking.
A) How does one allow himself to look like this? Psychological problems?
B) Why did he decide to lose weight? Presidential run?
C) What did he do with the celebrity over him losing weight? Did he go on a barnstorming tour to make everyone eat the way he thinks we should?
I feel his weight issues are important in the way I thing someones drug or alcohol problems are important in discussing when involved with this level of politics. We let one man slide on his background and look at how much damage has been done in two years.
When you can’t make fun of fat liberals on FR all is lost.

[Lazlo in PA]

Sorry “Thing”=”Think”. Must have smoked to much pot this morning.

[gleeaikin]

I was not pushing Romney’s politics, I was merely implying his opponent(s) would get an unusually strong amount of support here at FR. Extra dedication can often swing a tight vote. Perhaps I should not have said that FReepers hate ROMNEY, I should have said Freepers hate his POLITICS.

[Melian]

I will be horribly disappointed if the Republican party puts forth another old, flabby, bloodless-looking white guy for the Presidency. They might as well change their mascot from the elephant to the dinosaur.

There is nothing in Mike Huckabee to excite young people to vote for him. His ideas are stale, he seems passionless, his family doesn’t seem very fun, his style is old school, and he looks like he needs Geritol. He’s simply dull!

I’m no spring chicken and I think Huckabee is an old bore.

It’s time for a woman: a good, Republican, strong, vital woman who has everything in common with the average American.