Huckabee stirs up third-party fear

The Washington Times ^ | October 29, 2007 | Ralph Z. Hallow

[Eric Blair 2084]

A bitter fight is taking place behind the scenes over Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee.

Influential conservatives are clashing over whether Mr. Huckabee is capable of keeping evangelicals from fleeing the GOP to form a third party or if he's too liberal fiscally for the Republican electorate.

The battle is bubbling into the public arena, fueled by fears that a three-way race could hand the presidency to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton or another Democrat, and by murmurs of Mr. Huckabee as a vice-presidential candidate on the party's ticket.

"We called him a pro-life, pro-gun liberal, when I was in the state legislature and he was governor," said Randy Minton, chairman of the Arkansas chapter of Phyllis Schlafly's national Eagle Forum.

Mr. Minton voices the concerns of many conservatives that while Mr. Huckabee governed as a social conservative in opposing abortion and same-sex "marriage," he was a treacherous liberal on taxes, social welfare spending and illegal immigration.

[TommyDale]

People rarely vote for a ticket because of the VP candidate.

[Hydroshock]

There is no way I will ever vote for Rudy or Mitt. I will go third party if they are on the ticket.

[Eric Blair 2084]

This constant picking at our candidates fails to take into consideration the absolute horror, of the Hildabeast winning

OK, great point. You've just changed my mind.

BABY KILLER/NANNY STATER '08!!!

I'm excited, let me go grab my f'ing checkbook and clear my calendar for all the blogging and volunteering and letter writing.

Let me translate this for you in pictures......

[ex-snook]

Perot gave us Clinton but Bush gave us Perot. Lesson: Don’t p-off the base.

[Eric Blair 2084]

true enough. But I for one will not vote for a ticket with the Huckster and Nurse Judy spending their billions of hours of free time to take up their pet cause of “preventative health” and work on fast food taxes, national smoker bans, and sheeple control.

[Man50D]

There are two big myths with this story. First is another party will be a third party. The Republican party has incrementally become more socialistic over the years in an effort to appease the socialist Democrats in the name of compromise. The result is the GOP aligning itself with the socialist Democrats to the point they are essentially one party. Another party would be the second party.

Second, it is impossible to be socially conservative and fiscally liberal at the same time and still be a conservative. It is a contradiction to claim a person supports programs that oppose socialism while supporting increased spending to fund programs favored by socialists.

It is this fallacy that has led the GOP down a slippery slope of sacrificing core conservative principles that has caused a split in the GOP. The irony is despite the appeasement, the socialist Democrats have not abandon their principles. A little socialism only begets more socialism with each succeeding election.

[goodnesswins]

I agree...Ron Paul is the likely 3rd party candidate.

[Ol' Sparky]

Picking Huckabee as VP won't make a bit of difference to pro-lifers if Giuliani is the nominee.

A Giuliani-Huckabee ticket would be the dream ticket for supporters of amnesty for illegals, though.

[JohnnyZ]

There is no way I will ever vote for Rudy or Mitt. I will go third party if they are on the ticket.

[Signalman]

There is no way I will ever vote for Rudy or Mitt. I will go third party if they are on the ticket.

Fine. But when the Hildabeast becomes President and Commander-in-Chief, I think you, and other 3rd party voters who contributed to her election, will have abrogated your right to complain about her in the future.

[WildcatClan]

These evangelical and Christian groups are far wiser than they are given credit. Huckabee is surging because all people know about him is that he was a former minister and a pro-life governor from Arkansas.

There is only one candidate in the GOP field that can unite the Republican party, excite the base and crush Hillary in the general election. The media know this, that’s the reason for the deflection campaign and diminishing of this candidate. The Christians and Evangelicals also know this and they need to get behind him in a big way, sooner, rather than later.

Duncan Hunter has the credentials, the knowledge, expertise, and a history of doing what’s right and advancing Christian and conservative principles. I always sit out the primaries and I wish I had done the same for this one. Knowing what I know, I just don’t see how I can cast a vote for any other candidate in the field. Usually, I would just vote for whomever the Republicans nominated and that was that. I suppose, ignorance truly is bliss, because knowledge, always begs greater responsibility.

[SoCalPol]

Huckesterbee is a hick who has no real world experience.
WE are at war and will be for years to come. This guy knows nothing about the military nor national security.

For those who are holding out for this hick or that elderly anti war idiot, L Ron Paul better get a grip.

Thankfully those two will not be on the ticket.

Those who sit at home or vote third party will have Hillary or Obama.

Those who have expressed those thoughts of sitting home
or third party
are known on FR and you have forfeited your right to
bitch if they come to collect your gun, or raise your taxes, and take away your health insurance.

[atomicweeder]

Exactly. If the Clintons follow the “do what works” philosophy, they’ll hope for/instigate a third conservative party. That’s how Willy got elected in 92.

[ysmirnoff]

But isn’t the problem here, that having Giuliani in is really little different from having Hillary in? Someone has to break the chain and stop sending Democrat-lite candidates into office on the republican ticket.

[Signalman]

Those who have expressed those thoughts of sitting home or third party are known on FR and you have forfeited your right to bitch if they come to collect your gun, or raise your taxes, and take away your health insurance.

Well said, my friend, well said.

[WildcatClan]

I would hardly refer to Perot as a conservative nor his party as such. Any conservative who voted for him, got burned, since he all but endorsed Clinton and said he felt he would get the job done.

[latina4dubya]

ping... is he conservative or not?

[latina4dubya]

ping... is he conservative or not?

[Friendofgeorge]

I HAVE THE ANSWER, it`s easy....

If people would just stop supporting Rudy G and declare that he is simply not fit for office, then there is no longer a problem! It is that easy!

Even those that go on record as saying they will support Rudy if he is the guy,
that is also a form of support that only helps Rudy now.

[latina4dubya]

ping... is he conservative or not?