Republican Candidates: Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee is a strange duck. At first I paid him no mind. I thought his stage presence and quick wit was interesting, but his record indicated he likes to raise taxes. With that, I ignored him as a possibility of becoming the presidential candidate for my party. We simply cannot raise taxes.

However, the primary campaigns have held many surprises on both sides; one of the most interesting is Huckabee's rise from nobody to somebody. Ed Rollins, an old pol, has signed on to his campaign. That's how much ground Huckabee's gained.

Huckabee successfully took on Mitt Romney, bringing himself up in the polls to even. In addition to good campaigning, his other opponent, Fred Thompson has indeed lived up to his too laid-back image. Also, Giuliani has been fairly invisible the last few weeks due to something we've yet to hear about, I'll bet. He may just be taking cover.

That leaves Senator John McCain and (it's difficult to use their names in the same sentence)Congressman Ron Paul, an aberration, a gnat, a pest, just another distraction. There is great hope for McCain who has become a factor after his endorsements from key primary states newspapers. He's pulling out of a hole he was in over the summer, mostly from his ridiculous stance on immigration. He said he's sorry. His I've-learned-my-lesson ads are especially compelling in light of his heroic performance as a PO. In comparison to the rest of the candidates, excepting Rudy, Senator McCain is probably the most moral of the group.

An acerbic commentator suggested that Huckabee wasn't running as a moderate, or a conservative. "Huckabee is running as a Christian."

I agree. The governor has made religion the issue while he has ignored more germane discussions. I thought Reverend Huckabee was harmless.

I've rethought that. I'm still bothered by the ease at which he, a Baptist preacher, moved on from the cross issue.

Thanks for the read.

Huckabee: Using the Lord's name in vain?

Thousands of years ago, God handed down to Moses a couple of tablets which displayed His Ten Commandments. One of them exhorts us never to use the Lord God's Name in vain.

This discussion isn't about using the GD phrase when you've hit your finger with a hammer while hanging a picture or utilizing the Lord's name when expressing your discomfort sitting on the front porch in the hot sun on a still, humid afternoon.

That mysterious "moving" cross
Mike Huckabee, an ordained Baptist preacher, knows better, yet he did it anyway.

A powerful, not-so-subliminal message in the form of a cross glows behind GOP candidate Mike Huckabee as he delivers last week's "Christmas message" via political advertisement. The first time I saw the commercial, I wasn't sure how I felt. I didn't want to believe that the cross imagery was intentional. I've decided here's what happened: The cameraman starts with the predictable upper right shot (which the human eye perceives first), then it slowly moves lower-middle and left. To say it was coincidental insults every professional production designer's, director's and cameraman's intelligence.

A prideful, defensive Huckabee then answers his critics flippantly: "...and later we'll be sending secret signals to other Christians...be sure and watch for them...to say that it was intentional is ridiculous...if you play the ad backwards, it says, 'Paul is dead. Paul is dead.'..."

In other words, "Kiss my holy butt."

This is one example of how divisive religious arguments break our unity and democratic purpose. Preachers, imams, rabbis, monks and others would do America a favor by opting out of our democratic politics. Render unto Caesar, and all that.

Thanks for the read.

Hillary's old? According to Limbaugh, she's almost dead.

The Drudge Report published an unfortunate, unfixed photo of Senator Clinton today with the caption, "The Toll of the Campaign." Her picture didn't look like the Hillary we see on TV. She looks her age.

Then I read that Rush Limbaugh took out after her with this paraphrased question, "Is America ready to stare at a woman as she ages?"

No wonder he's had so many wives.

Bad manners, pal.
Just because you can say something doesn't mean you should. To attack Mrs. Clinton in this way shows a hatred that is proportional to the Left's Hate Bush Syndrome. If these men (Limbaugh and Drudge) want to be like the greatest generation, which they each say they revere so much, why can't they at least have the class and manners their grandparents had?

Did the Brits carry on about Lady Thatcher getting long in the tooth? No. How about Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Chase Smith?

Simply asking the question is unfair and sexist, ageist, silly and appeals only to fourteen year-old male brains. There is little respect for older people as it is; now, we have a pleasure-bent, spoiled boy like Rush Limbaugh, who must represent a large segment of brash men--those who are only interested in a person's ability to age well, not how she will govern.

I guess the next obvious question is: are Americans ready to stare at an aging man in the White House? Start with Washington and work your way up.

Thanks for the read.