field dress a squirrel. But is that enough?
Posted on 12/07/2010 2:44:44 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
In 2008, Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee emerged from a crowded field of Republican presidential hopefuls to win the Iowa caucuses and become the preferred candidate of social conservatives. Could Huckabee play the dark horse again in 2012? A sampling of opinions as to how Huckabee presence (or lack thereof) will shape the fight for the Republican nomination:
•Under The Radar Politico's Jonathan Martin and Ben Smith note Huckabee's position right now is similar to where he was at this point in the 2008 cycle, operating in relative obscurity while boldfaced names like Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Rudy Giuliani gobbled up donors, staffers, and media attention. Huckabee seems "bound once again to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the field," but it's a role he knows how to play. If he decides not to run, Martin and Smith believe the result would be "a vacuum on the right among both religious conservatives and tea party activists that would significantly reorder the race and potentially create a larger opening for Palin."
•Too Late? The Daily Caller's Aaron Guerrero can't shake the feeling Huckabee is skittish about waging another bruising national campaign. His "recent critiques of the presidential process are hardly reflective of someone interested in grinding it out for the prize of party standard-bearer." Unlike Romney and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Huckabee has not amassed the "necessary infrastructure for making a serious run" or won over the "skeptics within the Republican establishment [and] heavyweight voices in talk radio" who had concerns about his first bid for the nomination.
•Limited Audience The Washington Post's Jennifer Rubin believes Huckabee's strength as a 2012 contender has been overstated. Yes, he put together a nice run in 2008, but his appeal was limited to a "specific segment of voters--evangelical Christians." As the Tea Party's influence increases, the GOP platform is trending towards a "small government agenda [that] doesn't match up all that well with Huckabee's record as governor." Unless Huckabee demonstrates "greater range than in 2008," his 2012 chances are slim.
•Palin-Stopper Of all the potential 2012 candidate, Huckabee poses the greatest threat to former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's coalition, argues conservative blogger Allahpundit. Huckabee is "poised to hurt Palin by peeling off social cons, blue-collar voters, and women (yes, really), it's him." The one limiting factor is money. Without "evangelical leaders ready to help him pass the collection plate around," Huckabee's fundraising apparatus could be even more limited than the one he had in 2008.
I might vote for Huck...if he were the nominee, against Obama. No way in hades I vote for him in the primary.
And this is about the 5th or 6th time you’ve embarrasedd your ignorant self by swallowing the hype the liberals want to push on us conservatives.
Give it a rest, bud.
He is not the guy for the GOP if they want my vote - I’m not holding my nose again.
Anything to split up the vote. They know this guy is a charmer and knows how to work a crowd. They would love him to play spoiler to get a more moderate GOP nominee.
I would say more of a yawner than a sleeper.
Same here... then again, I’d vote for my dog against Obama...
He's as likely to play the same Judas Goat role for Mitt as he did for Juan. He's less likely to be successful given the availability of far more attractive alternatives.
What’s your dog’s name, I’ll write it in if huckelberry is the nominee.
Since 1900, only one Republican became president by defeating an incumbent. That was Ronald Reagan. Here are four traits that might have helped his campaign, in 1980:
1. He was conservative.
2. He was a governor.
3. He sought the republican presidential nomination, in a previous election.
4. He was from the West.
These Republicans, who might run for president, in 2012, have at least three of those four traits: ex-Gov. Sarah Palin, ex-Gov. Mike Huckabee, ex-Gov. Mitt Romney, and ex-Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. I hope that all of them will run, along with ex-VP Dick Cheney, Rep. Ron Paul, and Gov. Haley Barbour.
I hope that four of those seven will continue campaigning until the convention. If that happens, no one will receive the nomination before the convention, causing the convention to be suspenseful and exciting. More people will watch and hear the great republican ideas.
The left has found their new John McCain. Maybe Norman Bates will have a new hero.
No.
I wish he would take a long nap, and forget about running for president, but the Huckster has the itch, and he is going to scratch it until it bleeds.
They are pushing him hard, as his constituency of evangelicals and home schoolers will otherwise probably go for Sarah...and they are hoping he will split enough off to knock her out...making room for Romney.
Not going to happen, although he still has a devoted following of huckahillbillies here in Iowa.
Huckabee was second. He had 278 delegates, and Romney had 271.
Sad so many were fooled by him the first time.
Was that comment addressed to me?
Sometime in the late fall, 2011 I would think.
.
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