Oh wingman!
Posted on 01/22/2008 2:02:22 PM PST by unspun
I was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives 34 years ago. I have watched this party change for a long time. Some changes have been better than others.
Two years after that first election, I went to work on the Reagan campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. I was one of the leaders of that campaign in Georgia, and my friend, Paul Coverdell, led the establishment's efforts to nominate President Ford.
It was the typical establishment-versus-interloper campaign. Most of the friends I had made in the party were in the establishment. Most of them thought the nomination of Ronald Reagan was not only impractical, but would destroy our party.
Reagan had just served two terms as the governor of California. His record was not all that conservative. He signed the biggest tax increase in the history of the state. He got the best he could get with a Democrat-dominated general assembly. He signed a bill legalizing abortion. But governors have different challenges than presidents.
Frankly, most of the establishment couldn't have cared less about abortion. They thought the discussion of it was, well, tacky. But we were, at the time, the party that Barry built, and the new foot soldiers cared about abortion.
Their concern with Reagan was that he just wasn't up to it. What did he know about foreign policy? How could he stand up to the Soviets? Did he understand detente?
During that campaign, as in all campaigns, the establishment sat at the head table, and the rest of us milled around the small round tables below.
Coverdell approached me, after Ford had won the first several primaries, and urged me to switch sides. Paul was convinced that Ford had the best chance of winning. Paul recited all of the reservations mentioned above and then said, "John, Reagan cannot win. No one will take him seriously." That was also the consensus of the Republican writers and commentators.
I said, "Paul, I think politics is all about what you believe. I know what Reagan believes. I have no idea what Ford believes. But you need to watch Reagan connect with the people. He is the best communicator I have ever seen. He is bringing new people into the party. And these are folks you won't be meeting at the club for lunch. They carry a lunch bucket to work. Or a brown paper bag."
Four years later, I worked again for Reagan and Paul worked for George H. W. Bush. Again, the Wall Street crowd sat at the head table, and the Main Street crowd sat at the small round tables on the floor.
The same arguments came from the establishment. His tax cut idea was a "riverboat gamble." In fact, his tax cuts doubled the size of the economy and doubled revenues to the treasury. Unfortunately, they spent that and more.
Reagan didn't understand that the world is a dangerous place and dealing with the Soviets required a more "understanding" policy. It also required a willingness to sign more treaties. They didn't know that Reagan had no interest in understanding the Soviets. He wanted communism consigned to "the ash heap of history."
It was a neverending series of put-downs until New Hampshire. Then it was over.
Reagan won that election with the support of Larry Lunch-bucket and Betty Brownbag. They were called the Reagan Democrats. When we celebrated that victory, I asked some of them why they chose to join us. They said, "When he talked, we felt that he was talking to us." The Reagan Democrats believe they have been ignored since 1988.
The establishment doesn't like change. They have always felt that their seats at the head table were threatened by those new to the club. The establishment that so ardently opposed Reagan's nomination in 1980 crawled all over each other to chair his 1984 race.
Today they now see themselves as those who put Reagan in power. His presidency was their presidency. They believe they are the keepers of the flame.
Today's establishment includes elected officials, consultants, lobbyists and even conservative writers and commentators. Unless you allow them to write the rules and approve of your positions you are unwelcome. Anyone who does not genuflect before their altar is "not conservative."
When you look at the many fine candidates seeking the Republican nomination for president, who do you believe can best speak to those Reagan Democrats?
I believe that candidate is Mike Huckabee.
When Reagan became president, one of his first moves was to reduce income taxes from 70 percent to 50 percent and ultimately down to 28 percent. As pointed out above, both the size of the economy and the federal revenues doubled in eight years.
Huckabee doesn't want to lower income taxes. He wants to abolish them - along with the IRS, the most intrusive, coercive and corrosive federal agency ever. Mike would replace those taxes on income with a sales tax - the FairTax. Every American will become a voluntary taxpayer paying taxes when you choose, as much as you choose, by how you choose to spend. How conservative can one get?
Rep. John Linder, R-Duluth, has served in the House of Representatives since 1992.
Well, I’m not on the payroll and I’ll vote for Huckabee before the slick Mitt or crazy McCain.
I believe that candidate is Mike Huckabee.
Huckabee will attract the Carter Democrats -- not the Reagan Democrats.
“Huckabee presents the best choice for Reagan supporters.”
Ronald Prescott Reagan?
At the risk of being scorned by many here, I agree completely with the article posted. Huckabee does speak to the Reagan Democrats like no one has in 20 years.
No thank you!!!
Just to let you know, your one of the reasons I won’t consider him.
None of the remaining crop are excellent choices, but I think I can trust Romney to make the right choices on judges, national defense and fiscal policy.
I think he took some less than conservative stances in Mass but that was not dissimilar to some of the things Ronald Reagan had to do while governor of California. Leadership sometimes involves compromise.
He’s explained his change on abortion and he ran a great Olympics. So I’ve gone from Fred to Mitt. Rudy would be my third. The others—forget it, but if you were holding a gun to my kids’ heads, I’d pick Mc Cain over Huck.
Nice. I wish I had said that.
IMO you’re over-analyzing. The vast majority of Fredheads(of which I’m one)have Romney as their second choice. Fred tore Huckabee apart and for good reason. He’s the anti- Reagan and anti-Thompson in the race.
He also desparaged Fred in remarks today and that doesn’t sit well. Rom,ney on the other hand was classy and respectful. Huckabees 15 minutes are up.
That's right: they're actually so brainwashed, they believe the ROMNEY family member who was governor of MASSACHUSETTS and just a few years ago was slamming anything to the right of Ted Kennedy is the REAL conservative, while the Baptist Republican from Arkansas is the wild-eyed leftist.
The sad and frustrating part for me is that I've worked in the media for 30 years, I have a close relative who worked very high up in the RNC in DC and goes all the way back to being a Reagan delegate in '76, and I know a lot of these people personally. Party insiders have been telling me for months that Huckabee was really the most conservative candidate who actually had a chance of winning because of his communications skills and appeal to working class voters (who used to be called Reagan Democrats), but he was going to be destroyed by the big money GOP establishment for the same reason they tried to destroy Reagan to give us Ford: because they would rather remain in control of a shrunken, out-of-power party than allow anyone to rise to power in it who wasn't part of their Harvard-Yale-Wall Street cabal. And all you people fell in line, piled on Huckabee and helped them. Congratulations for slitting your own throats.
This guy is scarier than McCain. They’re both liberals, but Huck uses his Christianity as a political ploy. Absolutely shameful. And then to make childish remarks and name calling when someone challenges his record... there is no way this man should ever represent the United States of America.
Wait 'til they ask him during the debate if he is "wearing his 'holy Mormon underwear?'"
Don't believe me? Google it! I was born and raised in the RLDS church, I know them all.
I can't see myself voting for Huck, but I can't believe unspun joined in 2000 to wait 8 years to function as a Huck shill. Different people support different candidates.
Oh wingman!
I have to go make dinner, so here's why, in a handy-dandy sound-bite:
"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And that's what we need to do — to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view." Mike Huckabee
Here it is on video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onHkywYc_1M
We don't live in a theocracy. I'd like to keep it that way. I'm willing to go out on a limb and trust the Founding Fathers over Mike Huckabee on this one.
So: No. Not on a bet. No way.
“Anyone who know anything about Christian theology and cares about the integrity of the Christian message will be anti-mormon. This is a plus. Only the liberal or uninformed/ignorant don’t care if the president is a mormon.”
Ah yes, another “I’m the REAL Christian” bigot, just like Preacher Huckabee!!! By the way, we’re not electing a preacher, we’re electing a PRESIDENT. Thanks for reminding me one reason why I’m thankfully converted Catholic: I don’t have to be around “good Christians” like you.
If you wanted a religious liberal, Huckabee could fill the order.
I’m sick of religious liberals.
No theocracy needed in 2008 IMO.
“Anyone who know anything about Christian theology and cares about the integrity of the Christian message will be anti-Huckabee.”
Fixed it.
I don’t give a damn. Huck is a scam, so what if he beats clinton? he would be no freaking different except Hilary probably tells the truth more often.
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