“He would have said something to the effect, ‘I respect people of different religious beliefs and feel that you are free to worship as you please in this country. It would be inappropriate to comment on another candidates religion. I think I’ll just talk about mine if I choose and Governor Romney can talk about his if he chooses.’”
That’s almost exactly what he had said—over and over and over—and the media was ripping him to shreds for refusing to say Mormonism wasn’t a cult. Was the rhetorical question a political miscalculation? From the standpoint that it underestimated the malicious intent of the reporter, it probably was. But I hardly think it disqualifies him as a presidential candidate.
Thanks for making my point. He chose the standard, logical choice for months on end. He had a template if asked about the issue. It was clear that stratgically he, along with Rollins, decided to stray from that template to play the "Wacky Religious Beliefs" card knowing it will both get attention and play to the fears of skeptics and bigots. There is no small interview in todays internet media environment. Huckabee's declaration today strive for a brokered convention was first uttered at some local Texas radio station. In no time AP, Reuters, Drudge yada yada had spread his comments far and wide. That's the reality, not some fantasy about some honest inquiry made by Huckabee in the role of ex-preacher in a conversation with another man of faith on a park bench.