Petty theft? You're not just rewriting history, you're redefining criminal statute definitions.
We get it. You're a Huckabee fan and it's natural to try to find all the reasons why your loyalty wasn't misplaced. But your defense relies on downplaying serious crimes while trying to make the issue an abstract--academic musings over the societal influences and implications of the penal system. The grand, overarching justification you create for Huckabee's thought process is an after-the fact rationalization.
Clemmons was not a one time hiccup, but part of a clear pattern of a non-jurist substituting his own judgment for that of judges, juries, and prosecutors over and over again. Yes, it is a governor's prerogative to do so occasionally. But the sheer number of Huckabee's insertions of himself into the process forfeits the argument that his commutation of Clemmons's sentence was the result of careful, studied thought on the specifics of this one case. It's part of a clear, activist agenda.
It's painful to realize someone you admire and respect has serious flaws and blindspots. He's lucky to have passionate defenders such as you. But neither yours nor Huckabee's protestations and explanations can save his political career. It's over. Done. His explanation tour on the talk show circuit--especially this last race-card travesty with Geraldo--is only compounding the damage. He's gone all in on a losing hand, and the likelihood is, he's just gambled away any career at all in the public eye.
Outstanding post.
The liberals and indpts were never going to vote for him, and this hasn’t made that any more likely, and he has lost a good number of conservatives. The smarmy huckaphoney is even LESS electable than he was last go-round.