Huckabee is using cheap (because he doesn't have any money) and effective tricks to appeal to his base. Like pretending not to know what the NIE report is. Like staging a press conference to say he's not going to show a negative ad and then show it to the press. He's playing it dumb like Bush did/does -- that should win him the nomination.

You wanted a Cadillac
But you got a Ford

You wanted excitement
But you got bored

It's gonna be
Huckabee

It's gotta be
Huh-uh-ca-be-eeee

Yeah!

*applause*

The "true" conservatives are crapping in their pants over the monster they created by kissing-up with the evangelic ultra right wing of the party. I like this letter to NRO
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NTU3NTM5MzE5NDljNWZhZDQ3ODRhYmMzNzcyZWFjNmE=

As David Brooks says about Huckabee in his NYTimes column tomorrow:

"Most importantly, he (Huckabee) sensed that conservatives do not believe their own movement is well led. He took on Rush Limbaugh, the Club for Growth and even President Bush. The old guard threw everything they had at him, and their diminished power is now exposed."

You a-holes pushed the gay marriage, war on christmas, abortion, horrors of secular society meme so hard you created a fanatical wing of the party that only wants to bring god back to the great USofA (letter continued):
"They have been bruised and offended by the rigid, almost militant secularism and multiculturalism of the public schools; they reject those schools' squalor, in all senses of the word. They believe in God and family and America. They are populist: They don't admire billionaire CEOs, they admire husbands with two jobs who hold the family together for the sake of the kids; they don't need to see the triumph of supply-side thinking, they want to see that suffering woman down the street get the help she needs.

Jay, you help to make that cake, so enjoy it.

I am voting for Huck in the Republican primary.

He's a breath of fresh air, an honest Godly man who is unbought and unbowed.

Whoever threatened ministers in Iowa with the IRS was evil.

nashua pride,

Huck is a snake oil salesman and a Republican version of Jimmy Carter.

And I say that as an evangelical.

No one who is "an honest Godly man" has to spend so much time telling anyone who will listen that they are "an honest Godly man". If he were "an honest Godly man", it would show from his actions.

At best he's a modern Pharisee; proudly and vainly wearing his religion on his sleeve; making sure everyone hears his prayers in the temple court and sees his tithes and offerings so that they know what a pious man he is.

Shiek,

I see Romney as the Pharisee, a rich man born rich without compassion for those less fortunate, and without any beliefs which can't be changed instantly for his convenience.

Giuliani is not worthy of being president, a man who ordered police to drive his mistress around.

McCain is too liberal. Thompson does not seem to stand for anything and seems to be mostly an actor.

Please pass that large plate of sour grapes around ......

nashua,

You appear to not understand what a Pharisee is.

And if you don't think Thompson stands for anything, then you REALLY have not been paying attention. He has taken more detailed policy positions that anyone else running for either party.

Romney is rich and holier-than-thou, like the Pharisees. Romney wouldn't even pardon a war veteran for shooting a BB gun when he was 13.

Mike Huckabee preaches compassion. He is not a hater who works only for big businesses.

I'm distressed by Huck's win in Iowa, he's the only Republican "contender" in this or any Presidential cycle in memory who I would vote against in a general election.

I've decided that the best way to do something about it is to make a donation to the candidate of my choice.

Now I'm not in the greatest position financially, but I decided that I can forgo a little bit of luxury and make a $25 recurring donation to Fred Thompson.

I'd encourage every Republican who's upset or discouraged by last night's caucus result to step up and make a donation (even $1, or $5) to Fred (or Rudy, or McCain or whomever the candidate, or candidates, of their choice might be). I think that if we could generate a large mass of individual donations, say by the end of this weekend, I think that would send a powerful message.

Right now I'm a Fred supporter. However I think many are underestimating Huckabee.
Huck may be a Republican Carter but Carter was not a snake oil salesman. Good hearted and a little nutty while being a poor leader. Probably a case of throwing out as many insults at Huck in hope something will stick.
It is this type of personal divisive attack politics that many are fed up with. It may help Huck and Obama to get their nominations.

I am wearing my hair shirt today. On the web profusely apologizing as an Iowan and conservative for passing the Huckabee problem on to other states. Oh yes, and the DonPaul thing. I am very very sorry about him as well. His people are all excited about beating a guy that didn't even campaign in the state (Giuliani)

Baghdad Barney - ""They have been bruised and offended by the rigid, almost militant secularism and multiculturalism of the public schools; they reject those schools' squalor, in all senses of the word. They believe in God and family and America. They are populist: They don't admire billionaire CEOs, they admire husbands with two jobs who hold the family together for the sake of the kids; they don't need to see the triumph of supply-side thinking, they want to see that suffering woman down the street get the help she needs."

And all these qualities you quote are a bad thing?

How so?

You mean the left doesn't love nor care for "God and family and America?"

Doesn't the left constantly whine about how the right kisses up to "billionaire CEOs" so wouldn't it follow they also don't admire them?

Are you trying to say the left would rather see a man with a single job and not be able to pay the lefts consistent and ever lasting higher taxes?

Just what IS your point Baghdad Barney. Other than the one on your head that is.

marc, I think Barney is trying to embarrass himself in 2008 as much as he did in 2007.

Actually marc, those are the words of a disillusioned republican that is tired of the lip service puckered-up by the conservative movement that can't deliver on family value issues. Maybe if you followed the link I provided you would have realized that and not embarrass yourself again.

Barney, you wanna REALLY embarrass yourself? Lemme quote you back at you (well, you quoting someone else, but it's apparent you agree and approve of the sentiment):

You a-holes pushed the gay marriage, war on christmas, abortion, horrors of secular society meme so hard you created a fanatical wing of the party that only wants to bring god back to the great USofA...

Gay marriage? I'm unabashedly in favor of it.

War on Christmas? Born-again agnostic, don't care much one way or another.

Abortion? Squishily pro-choice, but mainly a "conscientious objector" in the fight.

Secular society? As I said, born-again agnostic.

Four up, four down. Perfect record for you, Barney, and entirely typical for you.

Also, note that the two issues I slammed the Huckster on have nothing to do with his faith or his religion, but purely on his conduct in two events this very week.

But that's largely irrelevant to you, wasn't it, Barney? You found the quote you wanted and were just dying to cut and paste it into the very first mention of the Huckster you could find, whether or not it was in the least bit relevant.

Again, all too typical of you.

Schmuck...

J.

Jay, "a-holes" is plural and not just directed at you. Are you denying that your party, the GOP, actively courted the evangelic vote with family value positions? Now that you have a born again minister that wants to promote true christian values as part of his platform, and as backed up by his record as governor, you guys want to destroy him.

If you want a quote, here is one that has the GOP nailed (putting the born again in their proper role):

"Basically, Richard Scaife provides the money to help keep his taxes low. Bill Kristol comes up with the ideas. And Mike Huckabee provides the votes." Josh Marshall's modern take on a Mike Lind quote

Baghdad barney - "Actually marc, those are the words of a disillusioned republican that is tired of the lip service puckered-up by the conservative movement that can't deliver on family value issues. Maybe if you followed the link I provided you would have realized that and not embarrass yourself again."

"Actually" baghdad, I commented directly on what you excerpted from the NYT column of David Brooks. NOT anything from your link.

So... what in Sam Hill does reading, or not reading the link from the National Review help me in making a cognizant remark on the Brooks quote from the NYT?

It doesn't asshat and please for ONCE, quit using your sphincter muscle as a necklace.

Just once!

Not happy to rest on going 0-for-4, Barney wants to go for the sweep:

Are you denying that your party, the GOP, actively courted the evangelic vote with family value positions?

I'm a registered independent. Prior to that, I was a registered Democrat. On Tuesday morning, I'll be a Republican for ten minutes max, then go back to being an independent.

On the flip side, Barney, would you agree that YOUR party has spent the last couple of decades doing everything you can to mock, deride, scorn, disenfranchise, and discount the evangelicals? That a significant chunk of the Democratic agenda boils down to a giant "fuck you" to those who think that their faith guides their moral decisions, and compels them to speak plainly against what they see as sin and corruption and evil?

There are a lot of evangelicals in this country. One party spits on them regularly, the other offers them at least a modicum of respect and support. Now you're whining that they are getting involved in politics against those who've treated them so shabbily, exercising their Constitutional rights and taking part in the political process.

As Winona Ryder said in "Heathers," "Lick it up, baby. Lick. It. Up."

J.

"I'll be a Republican for ten minutes max,.."

Ha, Ha that is a laugh. Jay, you sure have carried the "independant" water here on this blog. NOT

There must be some sort of wizened old coot sitting in Hope, Arkansas who acts as political mentor for the local politicians. Because Huckabee's efforts to have it both ways on every issue reminds me completely of President Clinton. I hated it with Clinton and we're getting it again with the Huckster.

Ah, Barney latches on to something where he can unleash his devastating repartee' -- here's a hint, Barney, but that "NOT!" bit is at least 10 years old, and it was never really that clever - and gloss over my inverting his question.

It's so CUTE, watching his pre-adolescent brain try to keep up with the grownups, and failing in ways that give new meaning to "pathetic."

J.

Jay, you claim to be an independent and I am pathetic? Whatever!!!!!

Barney, I have voter registration records dating back over a decade that back me up. I registered as a Democrat for the 2000 primary to vote for Bill Bradley (no one on the Republican side interested me in the least), and forgot to re-enroll as an independent. I fixed that in December of 2005, I think, and have been a member of neither party since.

But keep on trying to redefine the discussion to new topics to avoid having to admit that EVERY SINGLE POINT YOU'VE RAISED has been not only thoroughly disproven, but subsequently shoved right up your ass. The only thing I can figure is that you really enjoy having this done to you, because you keep giving us fresh ammunition.

J.

JT - "The only thing I can figure is that you really enjoy having this done to you, because you keep giving us fresh ammunition."

You've just now figured that out?

Come on, think about it. When barney's head IS up his ass on a regular basis even a reasoned response to him must be read along with a little fecal matter.

Again folks, Huckabee is pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-values, pro-second amendment, pro-military and pro-tax reform via the FairTax. That is not a liberal platform... so the comparisons to Carter and Clinton are nonsensical. He is surely not Reagan, but is a terrific communicator who can defeat the 'Rats in November.

I point out what is well know that starting ten years ago the Rove strategy was to court the evangelic vote and push the GOP past the democrats yet have pissed on those votes ever since. now that the evangelics want their candidate so now the GOP (including you J) is bad mouthing the Huck that view is "head-up my ass"?

Good luck in Nov after months of denigrating the evangelic choice for president.

Baghdad barney - "now that the evangelics want their candidate so now the GOP (including you J) is bad mouthing the Huck that view is "head-up my ass"?"

You've been drinking too much Kool-Aid handed out by the MSM as they have spent the last 36 hours anointing both Huck and Obama-Rama-Slama.

Huck ain't going anywhere. Period.

Iowa isn't a precursor for anything but a coin toss in all elections. It's an outlier, nothing more, barney if you think less than 100,000 Reps that voted in Iowa represent the 50 million or more come November (or for that matter the several million that vote in the next 2 months) it's true your head IS up your ass.

"Iowa picks corn. New Hampshire picks presidents."

Unlike Barney, I remember the 1988 election, when a serious hard-core evangelical Christian (and professional asshole) ran for office. One of Pat Robertson's planks was a religious test -- he would appoint ONLY born-again Christians to government office.

He got off to a great start, coming in a strong second in Iowa. Then he came to New Hampshire, and we crushed him like the worm he is.

Mr. Orfi, yes, you're right, he mouths the right platitudes. But the whole point of my posting (before smacking down Barney AGAIN) was that twice this week he's tried to weasel and have things both ways. He makes an anti-Romney attack ad (one that had serious flaws with the truth, it must be noted), then announced that he was too decent to run it. Then he showed it to reporters, guaranteeing it would get aired again and again -- for free. Then he ran it anyway.

And then he was invited to go on Jay Leno. He was apparently the only person in the country who didn't know that while Letterman and Ferguson had made deals with the writer's union, Leno and O'Brien's shows were breaking the strike and Huckabee would be crossing a picket line to go on. He did so, and instead of standing by his actions, he claimed ignorance.

That's two weaselings in one week -- a positively Clintonian trick.

Now that I've reapeated my original posting, will you NOW address how these actions do NOT reflect a major character flaw or a heinous lack of principle?

J.

Huckabee is a snake oil slaesman damn shame alan and nasuha pride can't see that >_>