Monday, May 12, 2008

Are Huckabee and Evangelicals Out to Sink McCain?- More Novak Nonsense!!!

The answer is no!!! Robert Novak has an article out that is very much a mixed bag. It is McCain, Huckabee and the Evangelicals

People who comment on politics cannot be a expert at all things and Mr Novak is no exception. See my post from months back Robert Novaks Very Misleading Article on Huckabee and Baptists

One problem is we have people whose main concern is not electing McCain but having other agendas. We see this in all camps. From some Huckabee supporters to Romney supporters that keep dropping Mitt's name all over the place for him to be VP. They are all a minority and we should not make them out to be bigger than what they are.

An element of the Christian community is not reconciled to McCain's candidacy but instead regards the prospective presidency of Barack Obama in the nature of a Biblical plague visited upon a sinful people. These militants look at former Baptist preacher Huckabee as "God's candidate" running for president in 2012. Whether they can be written off as merely a troublesome fringe group depends on Huckabee's course.

As a Huckabee supporter I can tell you this group is very small. On the local level I have not met many people that fit this dynamic

Huckabee's announced support of McCain is unequivocal, and he is regarded in the McCain camp as a friend and ally. But credible activists are spreading the word that Huckabee secretly allies himself with the bitter-end opposition. That hardly seems possible considering his public backing, but critics of Huckabee's 10 years as governor of Arkansas say he is all too capable of playing a double game.

There is the crux of the matter. I suppose these are the same credible activist that contributed to Novak's other badly written piece I referenced above. I suppose some see Huckabee a threat. Especially the Club for Growth Crowd. Many of these conservative activist of course opposed McCain left and right and one wonders who is playing who here.

McCain and Huckabee were friendly rivals in this year's Republican competition, sharing contempt for Mitt Romney. Indeed, McCain could not be where he is today had not Huckabee mobilized born-again voters to upset Romney in the Iowa caucuses. All efforts by Romney to overtake McCain in conservative Southern state primaries were stifled by Huckabee's success in those contests. Huckabee quickly endorsed McCain once he clinched the nomination. They bonded publicly in Little Rock, Ark., April 24 during McCain's recent tour.

So should be believe conservative activist with other motives or our own lying eyes?

Nevertheless, reports out of the evangelical community dispute Huckabee's support. One experienced, credible activist in Christian politics who would not let his name be used told me Huckabee in personal conversation with him embraced the concept that an Obama presidency might be what the American people deserve. That fits what has largely been a fringe position among evangelicals that the pain of an Obama presidency is in keeping with the Bible's prophecy.

Good Grief.Pleaseeeee

According to this activist, at the heart of the let-Obama-win movement is longtime Virginia conservative leader Michael Farris -- the nation's leading home-school advocate, who is now chancellor of Patrick Henry College (in Purcellville, Va.) for home-schooled students. Best known politically as the losing Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia in 1993, Farris is regarded as one of the hardest-edged Christian politicians. He is reported in evangelical circles to promote the Biblical justification for an Obama plague-like presidency.

This is not going to be significant. I found working for Huckabee that Home Schooling movement is indeed diverse and can not be herded around very easily

In conversations with me, Huckabee and Farris both denied advocating that an Obama presidency should be inflicted on the country. Huckabee was enthusiastic in his support for McCain, noting how well they had bonded during their primary competition.

So let get me this straight. Farris himself says this is bladderdash yet I am reading this all the way down here in the column. How is Farris going to make this supposed Vote for Obama so we get Huckabee plan work if he is calling B.S on these allegations. Perhaps he is sending out directives via the secret decoder ring.

At McCain headquarters, there is no doubt expressed about Huckabee's loyalty. "I feel we haven't used him (Huckabee) enough," McCain campaign manger Rick Davis told me. McCain's strategists are more concerned that the libertarian Rep. Ron Paul has not abandoned his candidacy, keeps fighting for delegates and says he will not endorse McCain.
Even taking Huckabee's professions of support for McCain at face value, he is not leaving politics for the lecture circuit. He has formed the Huck PAC to back Republican candidates, his supporters have established a Website (Huck4America.com), and Huckabee backers are behind the Government Is Not God PAC to discourage McCain from naming Romney as his vice president
.

Well I am pleased to note the McCain people realize they are using Huckabee enough!!! Many of us have been saying the same thing. While we are at it on not using resources. When is the McCain Campaign going to start using this great Celebrity Catholics for McCain Committee!!! Obama is on the offensive on targeting Catholics and I feel we are not even out of the starting gate!!! When Can I expect some Press releases? When Can I expect people to start responding to Catholic Obama supporters in major publications that are not just yahoo Catholic bloggers like myself.

By the way don't worry too much about the Govt is not God PAC listed above. One just has to go to their FEC filings to realize this is a paper tiger. It's main purpose seems not to help Huckabee but help the people running it!!

Mike Huckabee has emerged from obscurity to become a major factor in American politics leading evangelical Christians. The McCain campaign counts on him to energize supporters who would rather wait for Huckabee 2012, not to encourage those dreams.

Of course and that is what Mike Huckabee is doing. There are no doubt Huckabee supporters that will not vote for McCain. In fact I know of their blogs. Just like there are Romney supporters. However facts are stubborn things. Most exit polling early in the primaries showed that Huckabee voters were very likely McCain voters. That has not changed. Huckabee went out of his way not to attack McCain. There are reasons for this.

My advice is let us keep focused on the task at hand and not make a big deal out of a largely non issue.

Update-
I see the wonderful Mrs Lopez at the Corner says today
This Would Be Bad for Conservatism [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
I'm not saying it wouldn't be a winner, but it would be bad: James Pethokoukis reports a McCain fundraiser claiming Huckabee is at the top of McCain's veep list. I honestly don't think McCain's sharing his real preferences. But I don't dismiss any possibilities this cycle.
05/12 12:58 PM

Good Grief. I love Mike Huckabee but you will notice I am not going on a Campaign for him to be VP. I would love it but that is something for McCain to decide. Mrs Lopez is pimping for Romney for VP if you follow her entries close enough) However it appears ,despite her past grudges against Mike (He is a Christian Socalist!!!) that she has evidence that Novak is off again.

Update II-
Looking around the blogpshere it appears that perhaps Novak's column might be prompted by people who are fearful of Huckabee being VP. They should be quiet. IN fact I hope we hold off on the who is the VP for McCain as long as possible. The people that will be creating the controversy main goals are not victory in 08.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

This whole situation is FUBAR.

How the Republican Party Committed National Suicide By JB Williams
http://www.michnews.com/artman/publish/article_19227.shtml

Who Hijacked the Primaries? by Brett Winterble
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24726

The Death of Conservatism? 43 Mistakes and the GOP's Dobson's Choice
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1961546/posts

GOP Leads Astray
http://gopleadsastray.blogspot.com/

Captain USpace said...

Just because he's been loyal is not a reason to make him the VP choice. If McCain chooses Huckabee he's an idiot. There are more people that he would lose in the middle to just gain a few mod-conservative Christians. Maybe McCain doesn't really want it, or maybe the TriLat Comm. or others in charge, tell him that Obama must be POSTUS. He would win if he chose a young, center-right minority like Michael Steele or Bobby Jindal.
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
throw the election

you don't really want the job
it is the socialists' turn

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
be a conservative

in name only that is
vote Left on most BIG issues

.
USpace
.

James H said...

Michael Steele or Bobby Jindal are not that much different than Huckabee. Huckabee has positives just like Romney does.

The problem is that many people are still viewing boyt Romney and Huckabee through the primary lens. Enough time has not gone by for people to look at it objective wise