Huckabee Chafes at 'Front-Runner' Label Come-From-Behind Candidate Seeks to Temper Expectations

The Washington Post ^ | 12/04/2007 | Perry Bacon Jr.

[dano1]

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, for months cast as a "second-tier" candidate, now finds himself with another label he is not eager to have: "front-runner."

Without the money to hire field organizers around the state to ensure that voters will turn out, the campaign is instead relying on a network of pastors, parents who home-school their children, and other Christian conservatives. Monday night, he appeared at a closed-door meeting with Iowa pastors that was organized in part by some of his conservative religious backers.

[Nervous Tick]

I need to clear up some confusing grammar (which conveniently gives me yet another excuse to slam huckabee):

Huckabee is a tax-and-spend nanny-state busybody big-government amnesty-loving liberal.

THAT’S why I don’t like him.

About the only thing he’s got going for him is he’s pro-life.

[stephenjohnbanker]

“I’d love to tell Huckster to his face what I think about his taking marching orders from Tyson to keep their factories full of illegals. He can kiss my ass.”

BUMP

[JCEccles]

Monday night, he appeared at a closed-door meeting with Iowa pastors that was organized in part by some of his conservative religious backers.

Better yet, can you just imagine the howls of outrage from Huckabee supporters and evangelicals in general if Romney were to hold a closed-door meeting with LDS Church leaders?

The hypocrisy and self-righteousness on the Christian right is so thick it could not be dislodged by a high-yield thermonuclear explosion.

[LdSentinal]

Pat Robertson finished a strong second in the Iowa caucuses of 1988. He was barely beat by Bob Dole who then went on to win the nomination.

In 1988, George Bush Sr. won the nomination.

[Coldwater Creek]

I can’t get the link to work, but if you google, Adrian Rogers President Reagan 1980 meeting, you will find an article that backs me up.

[texastoo]

I agree.

This will do us under in a general election.

The hypocrisy and self-righteousness on the Christian right is so thick it could not be dislodged by a high-yield thermonuclear explosion.

Hopefully, it is not that bad.LOL!

[texastoo]

Reagan, Bush, Bush, McCain and many other have had the endorsement of Christian leaders. They do no go behind Closed doors as suggested by Huckabee.

You cannot link to closed doors with Reagan, can you? Why drag Reagan down?

[Coldwater Creek]

I wasn’t dragging down Reagan. Obsiouvsly did not read the article.

[WildcatClan]

"The hypocrisy and self-righteousness on the Christian right"

The "Christian Right" is quite a large group and I think it is unfair for you to describe them in that manner because of the actions of Mike Huckabee and a few pastors in Iowa. There is no hypocrisy or self-righteousness in this little meeting anyway as I can see. What it is, is ignorance and being uninformed. Once the electorate becomes more informed of his history and positions on these issues his support will start to dissolve. Well, one can hope anyway. If you look at the "top tier", conservatism seems to be taking a backseat in this irrational "Beat Hillary at all costs" climate.

[ROTB]

“Front Runner” indeed.

See my tagline ...

[Coldwater Creek]

correction. Obviously you didn’t..........

[Swordfished]

The SoCons don’t deserve any better than Mr. Compassionate Conservative himself - Huckabee.

Welcome to the Nannied States of America.

[WildcatClan]

Well all know Huckabee is less than stellar on many of the issues that are important to Conservatives. That said, I do not think we need to be alienating the “Christian Right”, “SoCons” or whatever diction one wishes to choose. It comes off the same as some unhinged liberal and some of the arguments are coming off very close to some of theirs.

You alienate them and after 2008; The 2006 elections will look like a success for the GOP in comparison. “Conservative” is a relative term and you are going to get 100 different definitions from 100 different people. My definition would not include any of the “top tier”, although most of them are closer to conservative than Huckabee.

[shrinkermd]

Yes, you are right.

[ElkGroveDan]

No more worries about that “front-runner” label Huck. The chafing should be gone before you know it.

[Travis McGee]

Is there a list somewhere of forbidden writers I can check? THanks.

[Travis McGee]

“D”duction. The biggest clue was when Dane got upset last weekend and posted a vanity called something like “Why Are So Many People So Angry at Hucklebee” last weekend. Putting the times together of the Dane and Dano1 posts together, their writing styles etc made it apparant. Then Dane/Dano1 slipped a few times on their logging-in and posted replies meant to be from the other screen name. Plus, Dane has been banned a few times over the past years, and has laid in a supply of “backup” names to post under.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Bud Light presents: "REAL MEN OF GENIUS"

(Real men of genius)

Today we salute you, Mr. Mike Huckabee paid FR campaign shill!

(Mr. Mike Huckabee paid FR campaign shill)

What does a liberal Republican do when he is afraid to face grass roots conservatives himself? He pays his coffee and errand boy minimum wage to do it for him...

(skim milk with three sweet and lows)

Sitting in a cubicle at campaign headquarters you search Conservative websites like the NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, Salon, CNN and Daily Kos looking for favorable articles about the Huckster to post on FR

(oooh, here's one from DU!)

Armed with nothing but talking points from Hucks' website, you attempt to convince conservatives that your candidate is not a Christian socialist or a pro-life Democrat...

(Jesus would want amnesty for illegals)

When FReepers say Huck is a fiscal liberal, algore loving environmental wacko, open border amnesty pusher, nanny state smoker banner you provide the brilliant original response...a link to his campaign website

(copy, paste, copy, paste)

Conservatives? We don't need no stinkin' Conservatives!

(Highly overrated)

All we need is a leftist who is pro-life, has an R next to his name, and talks about Jesus.

(Praise the Lord!)

So crack open an ice cold Bud Light, oh Karl Rove of the blogosphere, because when a FReeper runs for office, we'll be calling you...

(Mr. Mike Huckabee paid FR campaign shill)

Bud Light beer. Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri