Posted on 12/21/2007 7:22:12 PM PST by dixiechick2000
*snip*
RUSH: Okay, folks, let me tell you what's going on now. I sadly, and unfortunately, must make this point reacting to our last caller. What we have going on here is identity politics, I think, in a large swath of support for Governor Huckabee. Identity politics is what the left does. Do you know what I mean when I say "identity politics," Rachel? Okay. Identity politics is: You vote for the Christian. You vote for the black. You vote for the woman. This is traditionally how the left looks at people. We, as conservatives, don't. We don't see you, for example, in a political sense, and see a woman first. We might see a woman first because you're beautiful, but we're men and we can't help it. In a political sense, we wouldn't say, "You don't qualify. You're not smart because you're a woman," and we wouldn't say you deserve anything special because you're a woman. We wouldn't look at a black and say, "Oh! Poor, disadvantaged, slavery heritage, presidential material!" without knowing anything about the guy. We wouldn't if there was the first admittedly open gay running, we wouldn't say, "Oh, terribly discriminated against, really has had no chance! We're going to vote for the gay guy because it makes us feel better about ourselves."
That's identity politics, or a little strain of it, and that's what's happening in the Huckabee race. The identity of Huckabee is: "Christian, Southern Baptist minister," and that identity is covering and is being translated by supporters as meaning whatever they want it to mean, as opposed to actually looking at how he's governed. Like the pastor who just called and said Huckabee is a light at the end of the tunnel. Pastor, the light at the end of the tunnel is the oncoming train, and you can't get off the track! That's the light at the end of the tunnel, and I think identity politics was a fundamental feature of the Perot campaign as well. People really didn't even care what his policies were. He didn't even have to articulate policies. Remember that? (classic Ross Perot impression) "I'll tell you, Larry, here's what we're going to do! We're going to get rid of all these 737s, going to hire a bunch of Lear 55s. We're going to have smaller airplanes." He cares so much! "You own this country! You own it. This is your country. We're going to give this country back to you." That's identity politics, and this is traditionally not what conservatives and even Republicans, right-wingers, do.
We're a little bit more serious about it, and this is also one of the things that I detect. Of course, one of the things that makes me convinced I'm right about this is that Governor Huckabee is doing what he can to avoid discussing his record and his policy beliefs and is, in fact, relying on his identity to keep people on his side, in his camp, and perhaps even grow it. In one way, you'd have to say it's pretty smart because on the other side his opponents, you've got admitted conservative flaws -- admitted conservative flaws which do trouble the Christian right, which is a large part of the Republican base. Either support for abortion or gay marriage, things that would be disruptive to the culture, and many people are very, very concerned about the culture. So with Huckabee, the identity is, Christian. That means hundred percent thoroughbred on social issues, the cultural issues. Yet you dig deep, and you find the policy on immigration. If you look at Huckabee in an identity sense and yet at the same time you really think illegal immigration is destroying this country, then your identity association with Huckabee as a Christian likely will make you overlook the fact that he's opposite your belief on illegal immigration. Jimmy Carter was a Southern Baptist and he ran on that and he tried to capitalize on that. He ran on the religious identity, too. (rare Jimmy Carter impression) "I will never lie to you," except when I see the giant rabbit attacking my canoe. Remember that? (laughing)
The Huck and the BJ have a similar sense of humor and both definitely got the stink of the Clintons!
1776: “...floating cross...three Christmas balls...depicting the Holy Trinity. Huckabee...lied that he had no intent to use them.”
‘76, how can you let him off the hook for not admitting that the empty fireplace over his left shoulder was meant to make a subliminal reference to the Empty Tomb. The other stuff, I could forgive, but that...
“Huckabee...may not win a single state.”
The detachment from reality here is simply astonishing.
Mike Huckabee was educated in how to be a pastor, how to use media to preach, and all the props, he used them. Not that there is anything wrong in using them, but for political reasons, and then denying he knew is well ..dishonest.
I'm kinda slooow. Tell me how Huckabilly puts together an electoral majority in the general election?
I would bet large sums of money that either clinton, obama, or edwards would crush huckabee in the general.
Maynerd, that’s certainly a more reasonable question than saying “Huckabee...may not win a single state.” Perhaps you intended that merely as hyperbole.
But let’s narrow it down to something manageable and realistic. I think Huckabee would carry every state Bush carried in 2004, with the fight for Ohio being hard-fought as it was then.
In fact, current polling indicates that Huckabee is stronger in general election matchups in Ohio than either Giuliani or Romney.
RASMUSSEN: “In the presidential race in Ohio — whose electoral votes were just barely won by President Bush in 2004 — top GOP candidates have the edge when voters consider possible match-ups in 2008. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads Senator Hillary Clinton of 44% to 42%...Giuliani also leads Senator Barack Obama 43% to 40%.
Hillary Clinton and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney are tied 43% to 43%. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, newly ascendant in the Republican primary race, leads Clinton 44% to 40% and leads Obama 45% to 39%.”
Similarly, Zogby finds that Huckabee has the largest margin of victory over Hillary nationwide of any Republican candidate.
http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1393
And according to Rasmussen, Huckabee’s the only GOP candidate who leads Hillary in Arkansas, which reflects the much larger problem that if one of the two northeastern Yankee candidates with liberal records on abortion on “gay rights” are nominated, even some southern states will be at risk.
But as I said, let’s narrow it down. On the assumption you are not seriously so detached from reality as to believe that Hillary or Obama would win all 50 states, tell me which states Bush won in 2004 that you think Huckabee wouldn’t win in 2008?
And please state whether your analysis is merely speculation, or if it’s supported by some political expertise or experience on your part or scientific data (such as provided above).
76: “...denying he knew is well ..dishonest...”
You were an eyewitness to the filming and setup of the ad?
Or this is just your unbiased speculation?
Huckabee’s media honeymoon will end the day after he secures the republican nomination. After that he will be relentlessly attacked (fairly and unfairly) as an ignorant bible thumping Elmer Gantry demagogic hick, out of his depth and unsuitable for national office, a divider, not a uniter, etc. It will be ugly and many conservatives Limbaugh, Coulter, National Review, etc will not lift a finger to help him
It is inconceivably that Huckleberry will carry a state outside of Dixie. He hacked off too many Mormans with his religious bigotry to win UT or ID. He won’t carry VA, FL, GA, TX. He might carry AR, OK, AL, MS but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Bottom line Huckabee will be an electoral disaster. He is our Howard Dean and the democrats best chance for 60 seats in the senate.
“It is inconceivable that Huckleberry will carry a state outside of Dixie. He hacked off too many Mormans with his religious bigotry to win UT or ID. He won’t carry VA, FL, GA, TX. He might carry AR, OK, AL, MS but I wouldn’t bet on it.”
We may or may not get to find out, but if Huckabee is the nominee, I’ll bet my ranch — having lived in Idaho for 20 years — that he’ll win both Idaho and Utah in excess of 60 percent of the vote.
And all those fiscal conservatives (of which I certainly am one) and Rush and Ann and everybody else you mention will do exactly what they expect social conservatives to do every cycle even when the nominee is less than totally satisfactory, which is vote Republican rather than allow the Democrats to win.
It’s amusing, frankly, now that the shoe might be on the other foot. If Rudy were the nominee, I’m guessing you’d be lecturing social conservatives that they have no other choice since it’d be even worse to sit on the sidelines and let Hillary get elected.
Well, remember that if Huckabee gets nominated.
But your detachment from reality is slightly less evident given that you no longer claim Huckabee wouldn’t win a single state.
The politics of a president is NEVER secondary.
If by some awful circumstance Huckabee wins the nomination, I will cheerfully accept any wager from you regarding the outcome. Huckabee will be lucky to win one state.
Do you care to bet the ranch on Huckabee?
I will bet my ranch and my neighbor’s that Huckabee wins at least one state, the point being to address the absurdity of suggesting otherwise.
As to his winning the presidency or even the nomination, no, that’s far from certain.
I believe he can win the nomination, but that’s far from certain.
If he does win the nomination, he may lose, but not by the ridiculous scenario you suggest.
To reiterate, if he wins the nomination, I have said I’d bet the ranch that (1) he’ll win Utah and Idaho by over 60%, and (2) that he’ll win at least one state.
Is Rush trying to say that Huck is a “Christian Identity” candidate? That’ not much different from kooky Ron Paul’s comment that when fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross.
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