The Huckablundering Train Wreck

(Click the pic to the right for a good article from Doug Giles)

I've been overwhelmed with things at home of late, so there hasn't been much time or energy left for much-needed blog therapy. Things are looking up this week though, so hopefully there will be some therapeutic posting in the near future.

As Ann Coulter says:

Huckabee is a "compassionate conservative" only in the sense that calling him a conservative is being compassionate.

Anyway, this slow-motion Huckabee train wreck is fascinating. I'd like to do my small part in speeding it up for everyone's sake. Seriously, for all of those people who are considering Mike Huckabee for President... please reconsider:


Normally, a negative CNN piece on a Republican candidate woundn't be surprising, but he's gotten a pass from the MSM recently and this clumsiness on foreign policy is frightening.

Round-ups worth checking out are all over the place, but start here and here at STACLU and then go here at HotAir.

I was excited about Huckabee early on, but I want a conservative president before a Christian one... and Mike has had so many blunders lately it's painfully obvious that he's not the man I'm looking for (that doesn't sound right). Foreign policy and national security are huge, as is cutting taxes and fiscal conservatism. The only candidate I see with the conservative creds out there is Fred, and I agree with John Hawkins:


As usual, I agree with Thomas Sowell:

... Republicans, as usual, seem to have more people who would make good presidents than people who would make good presidential candidates. Unfortunately for them, we have elections instead of coronations.

Fred Thompson seems to have the best policy positions and the best political track record among the Republican candidates -- and the least effective presentation of himself.

If Senator Thompson can beat the odds and become president, he would probably be better than most of those who have been in the White House in recent times -- though that is not extravagant praise. ...

Please consider Fred Thompson for President:

Christmas Ads...

Huck kicked 'em off with the now-famous "floating cross" that was really just a well-positioned and well-lit bookcase:


Very strong, but we now expect nothing less from Mike. Don't know what the big deal about the cross in the background is. Some people are surprised to find that Christmas has something to do with... Christ. It's a well-done ad. He's clearly got a good marketing team doing the video. Very strong.

Now let's go to Rudy with a little less Christmas (although that sweater is about as Christmas as you can get), and a little more ass-kick...


Sticking with the strength. Not bad. Could he look any more odd in that sweater though?

McCain skips Christmas altogether and promises it won't be easy:

Update... the McCain Christmas ad is here:


(sigh) Sorry John, but it's (still) over.

Silky Edwards goes for what will possibily go down as the all-time worst Christmas ad/message:


Wasn't that awful? On message, just pathetic though.

Obama invites the whole family... what, no O?


Happy Happy!

Now if this ad from Chillary doesn't terrify you, nothing will:


That is unbelievable. Liberalism Socialism right there for all to see... giving us big government gifts we don't want, but yet are forced to pay for. Isn't she wonderful horrifying?

Mitt? Fred?

Update: Fred adds his holiday ad to the mix... my favorite:


Well done Fred. That was great!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Update: Nathan Tabor writes a column titled Culture, Character and Christmas Ads where he concludes:

Now, it would be extrapolating a bit much from these ads to determine on their basis alone who is and is not fit for higher office. However, in the midst of the scripted world of presidential campaigns, it is often the little moments which betray flashes of a candidate’s character or innermost thoughts.

When it comes to selecting one from among ourselves for the office of President of the United States, other qualities are subordinate to the content of the candidate’s character. It is character which allows men and women in high office to face difficult decisions without buckling, and where the future of our nation is concerned, nothing less than the best will do.

Right on.

Murdock examines Huckabee’s Earthly record

Derek Murdock drops a hammer in Huckabee: Holy Man and Heretic:

The Republican presidential race has devolved into holy war. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney recently told voters he believes “Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of mankind.” Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee subsequently asked a writer, “Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?”

How this will cut taxes or kill terrorists remains elusive. These theological niceties also distract from the urgent task of examining Huckabee’s Earthly record. His background and positions should scare the hell out of GOP primary voters.

...

Mike Huckabee is smooth, relaxed, and quick-witted. We soon will learn if that is enough to trump Republican heresy on education, taxes, spending, crime, terrorism, and ethics.

Read the rest. I could toss a bunch more links on top of this column, but I think that's enough of a drubbing for one post... ouch.

Update: Couldn't resist adding Peggy Noonan's column (not a Huck slam) from earlier today in which she wonders if Republicans are becoming a different kind of party.

The Republican race looks - at the moment - to be determined primarily by one thing, the question of religious faith. In my lifetime faith has been a significant issue in presidential politics, but not the sole determinative one. Is that changing? If it is, it is not progress.

Read the rest.

Also, Prager has a good article in a recent post that's worth reading if you missed it.

Update #2: The Republican Jimmy Carter? Many comments here at HotAir. Ann Coulter certainly thinks so:


And Mitt responds to the above "Republican Jimmy Carter" Foreign Affairs link by suggesting that the Huckster is running for the wrong party. Indeed.

I would probably/reluctantly vote for Huckabee against Hillary or Obama (unlike some conservatives), but he seems too much like a charismatic George Bush to me, and that's no compliment. No more compassionate, big government conservatives please. As Prager says... compassion is great on the micro/individual/personal level, but on the macro/country/governmental level we need standards - and a strong conviction that there is such a thing as right and wrong that's worth fighting for. I like Mike and admire many of his positions, but this country needs a strong CEO for President, not a Pastor.

Mitt, Fred or Duncan (maybe even others) before Mike.

Update #3: Steven Mosher disagrees:

... Finally and most importantly, Huckabee is right on the issues. He equally and eloquently defends the right to life of the unborn, and the right to bear arms of the people. He is pushing for the abolition of that most-hated American institution, the Internal Revenue Service, and its replacement by a simply and fair levy on consumption. As a former governor, he talks about rejuvenating the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution by ceding authority back to the several states. He is a friend of Jeffersonian democracy and a foe of the centralization of power in Washington. If all this isn't Reaganesque, what is?

I knew Ronald Reagan. I once even had the honor of writing a speech for him. And I admit that Mike Huckabee does not have the same star quality about him as the late great President. Who does? But Huckabee has the same ah-shucks demeanor, the same unforced eloquence, and the same grace and good humor under pressure. And increasing numbers of ordinary Americans-the same good folks who voted for Ronald Reagan by the millions-are mighty impressed.

Check out his website... it's a great one.

More commentary and video of Huck's foreign policy here at HotAir.com.

Martha Zoller at Human Events: "Mike Huckabee is not ready for prime time on foreign policy."

Considering Mitt Romney for President...

Let's start with Dennis Prager who says that it's values that matter, not theology:

[T]he theological beliefs of a public figure should matter only when one is choosing a theological leader, never a political leader - unless those beliefs form the basis of social and moral values that one abhors. It is very important to know the theological beliefs of one's clergyman or the head of one's seminary, but as far as the head of one's country is concerned, only his moral and social values matter. I would much sooner vote for an agnostic whose values I shared than for a believing Christian or Jew whose values I did not share.

I couldn't agree more with that. Spot on.

Now, if you didn't watch/listen to it last week, please take 20 minutes to listen to Romney's "Religion in America" speech:


I was thoroughly impressed with that speech. Awesome. It has me giving Mitt a second look and I'm liking what I'm seeing/hearing. Is he too polished... too slick of a politician? I thought so, but I'm becoming a Mitt fan. I just wish Thompson would make a move!

Finally, click the magazine cover in the top right of the post (or here) for National Review's endorsement. This critique of Huck's foreign policy acumen from yesterday is also worth reading... clearly a primer for the Romney endorsement as Huck and Mitt are the two getting most of the attention at the moment.

I'll add more to this post later. In the mean time, consider Mitt Romney for President.

Update: More commentaty from RedState.com :

... The most important thing for me, however, is that wherever the candidates stand from issue to issue, I believe that Mitt Romney will make the best President of the group. I believe that he will be the best person at managing the monster that is the federal bureaucracy, shrinking its size, and advancing conservative causes wherever there is opportunity.

This country and this Party need Mitt Romney.

Peggy Noonan has some thoughts on the speech too that are worth checking out.

Mike Huckabee's Sunday Morning Sermon... (updated)

Mike Huckabee on rights and responsibilities:

Update: Mike Huckabee on the Fair Tax:


Also, the Fair Tax came up at the recent ABC News Republican Debate from Iowa. Mike Huckabee responds:


More on the Fair Tax: