What's wrong with Huckabee?
06/09/07 09:49 AM
Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas is a former
Baptist pastor, a social conservative with a
compassionate heart, a warm and engaging fellow...
why is he languishing in the polls? Some think it
speaks to the demise of the religious right but I
think the real reason can be found in the following,
seemingly irrelevant quote:
"The majority of an independent-voter panel that watched last night's presidential debate expressed serious concerns about the Democrats' ability to fight the war on terror," the Post reported Monday. "Doug Schofield, 36, a benefit accounts manager from Franklin, said the terror issue could push him to vote Republican --although he's gay and more in tune with the Democrats' liberal social agenda," the Post said. Americans want to elect an un-Bush in 2008. But we also want to elect a grown-up who will protect us.
Not that Huckabee (or the Dems in question) aren't "grown-ups", but of the Republican candidates, Mike doesn't seem like the kind of tough, experienced, hard-nosed guy you would look to in a time of crisis. If a bunch of bullies attacked you, you'd rather have Rudy or McCain or Fred at your side than Mike Huckabee or the lovely and talented John Edwards. Like Bill Clinton he's from Hope, Arkansas and he reminds me a lot of a Republican Clinton, ca 1992. The Bill Clinton of 1992 wouldn't be able to get elected today, post 9/11. In the 90s we wanted nice guys for president. Today Americans want someone who isn't like Bush, but who nevertheless is manifestly strong.
I'd be happy to have Mike as my pastor or best friend, but for Commander-in-Chief I'd prefer someone more like Fred.
"The majority of an independent-voter panel that watched last night's presidential debate expressed serious concerns about the Democrats' ability to fight the war on terror," the Post reported Monday. "Doug Schofield, 36, a benefit accounts manager from Franklin, said the terror issue could push him to vote Republican --although he's gay and more in tune with the Democrats' liberal social agenda," the Post said. Americans want to elect an un-Bush in 2008. But we also want to elect a grown-up who will protect us.
Not that Huckabee (or the Dems in question) aren't "grown-ups", but of the Republican candidates, Mike doesn't seem like the kind of tough, experienced, hard-nosed guy you would look to in a time of crisis. If a bunch of bullies attacked you, you'd rather have Rudy or McCain or Fred at your side than Mike Huckabee or the lovely and talented John Edwards. Like Bill Clinton he's from Hope, Arkansas and he reminds me a lot of a Republican Clinton, ca 1992. The Bill Clinton of 1992 wouldn't be able to get elected today, post 9/11. In the 90s we wanted nice guys for president. Today Americans want someone who isn't like Bush, but who nevertheless is manifestly strong.
I'd be happy to have Mike as my pastor or best friend, but for Commander-in-Chief I'd prefer someone more like Fred.
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