Posted on 10/20/2007 7:28:15 PM PDT by Delacon
David Brooks and Dean Barnett both tackle Huckabee's gradual rise today, and both see a lot of promise: Brooks writes that whereas "each of the top-tier candidates makes certain parts of the party uncomfortable ... Huckabee is the one candidate acceptable to all factions," while Barnett acknowledges that the Huck's "taxing and spending in Arkansas may not be every conservative's ideal," but suggests that he "probably has fewer policy skeletons in his closet than anyone else in the field."
I dunno - as Matt says, taxing and spending are a pretty big deal in the GOP, and it's clear that Huckabee wouldn't be acceptable to this particular faction, at the very least. Throw in his wetness on immigration and his various rhetorical forays toward a "conservatism of the heart" on trade and inequality and so forth, and you have a candidate with as many deviations from GOP orthodoxy as John McCain and Fred Thompson, certainly, if not Giuliani and Romney (both of whom have enough skeletons to fill the whole house).
Which is why the current Republican race is so interesting - it's a laboratory, in a sense, for determining which interest groups really have clout in the GOP primaries, and which issues really excite the faithful. If Rudy Giuliani wins the nomination, it will tell us a lot about the real influence (or lack thereof) of folks like James Dobson; if John McCain gets the nod, we'll know that immigration and (to a lesser extent) campaign-finance reform are more important to activists than to actual voters; if Huckabee becomes a significent spoiler (or, though it's much more unlikely, an actual contender) then we'll know the Club for Growth doesn't have quite as much clout
(Excerpt) Read more at rossdouthat.theatlantic.com ...
Huckabee is a “populist” who wants to be everything to everyone.
Or more to the point, he wants to GIVE something to everyone - and he’s going to ask ME to pay for it!
“Or more to the point, he wants to GIVE something to everyone - and he’s going to ask ME to pay for it!”
Gosh, aren’t you talking about Hillary? ;)
Which is why the current Republican race is so interesting - it's a laboratory, in a sense, for determining which interest groups really have clout in the GOP primaries, and which issues really excite the faithful. If Rudy Giuliani wins the nomination, it will tell us a lot about the real influence (or lack thereof) of folks like James Dobson; if John McCain gets the nod, we'll know that immigration and (to a lesser extent) campaign-finance reform are more important to activists than to actual voters; if Huckabee becomes a significent spoiler (or, though it's much more unlikely, an actual contender) then we'll know the Club for Growth doesn't have quite as much clout as most people, left and right, assume to be the case. And if Fred Thompson or Mitt Romney wins, it will reinforce the notion that all of the various issues and interest groups jostling in the GOP tent really are a package deal, and that the best way to take the nomination, now and forever, is to make sure you've checked all your boxes, even if it means flip-flopping like crazy.
Truly this primary season is a barometer recording the strengths and weaknesses of the right, the GOP and conservative leaders.
Dear Brooks and Barnett: Huckabee will never ever ever be okay...he is too pro amnesty, would like it to be illegal to just come on in one and all, and have everything Americans have worked for taken away to give to them.
Huckabee, another nice guy, no freaking way he can win the presidency.... the illegal problem is way too serious AND WE AREN’T GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!
Huckabee has said some things about amnesty that frankly scare me. I want the illegal invasion stopped, and I want the illegals already here unemployed and ineligible for benefits.
Let's see...hmmm...
I once thought it belonged to conservative Republicans. Not so sure now. At a minimum, it's teetering on the precipice. The chances it's going over the side are greater than I've ever seen them.
Huckabee wants to be such a good Christian that he doesn’t let anyone else be one.
Plus he’s a nanny-stater, same as the Clintons. Must be something in the Arkansas water. No thanks.
Huckabee is the candidate who is the most like GW Bush, IMO. And that is not a compliment. Of course, most of the field is even worse.
Masterblaster owns the GOP.
The buzz on Huckabee started about 48 hrs ago. The media started hitting his name ever so dligently. Now the MSM is completing its buzz. Ridiculous- he’s not going anywhere.
“Who Owns the GOP?”
I do believe that is what the current fight between conservatives and whoever it is backing Rudy is going to decide.
Not true, he is not acceptable to everyone. He is on board with MANY socialist policies, including taxing people for the common good. And yes, he expects us to pay for it.
Note to Huckabee, the Lord did tell us to help the poor, and we do, until folks like you take it from us, thus mandatory giving is the law, and we no longer have it to give ourselves. Charity works best when it is done voluntarily, not taken by mandate by the government. The government taken money never reaches the needed hands either.
OK lets see. we hate Rudy, McCain and Mitt. Tancredo and Hunter are done, with or without the fork.
Who does that leave? Does that mean you’ll turn traitor and
leave the Oval Office door open for That Woman?
The GOP continues on it’s chosen path at it’s own peril.
“Note to Huckabee, the Lord did tell us to help the poor, and we do, until folks like you take it from us, thus mandatory giving is the law, and we no longer have it to give ourselves. Charity works best when it is done voluntarily, not taken by mandate by the government. The government taken money never reaches the needed hands either.”
“A coerced virtue is no virtue at all.” Dinesh D’Souza or Frank Meyer. I can’t remember which.
thanks, bfl
Throw in his wetness on immigration
***That’s kinda funny.
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