I've only been listening to the Republican primary with half an ear as of late and so was a bit baffled when the last few days saw the Huckabee campaign effectively hit 
From what little I know of Huckabee I like little. Aside from his robust gun advocacy (which is good) he's also advocated an approach to AIDS patients that harkens back to leper colonies and used his executive power to accelerate the parole of a convicted rapist who then went on to show society his thanks by again raping and this time killing another woman.
Assuming ole Huck' pulls a David to Giuliani's Goliath the above mentioned "stains," for lack of better words, will almost certainly serve an immense pile of politico ammo for a devastating Democratic salvo from either Senator's Clinton or Obama. Unlike the Swiftboat Ads of 2004 which harnessed, at best, a rather subjective and personal slice of Vietnam's history that many vets disavowed and supported, the looming Dem ads (we'll call them the Shields Ads in honor of the above mentioned victim) will be based entirely on recorded fact.
One could also imagine the DNC enlisting famed basketball star Magic Johnson as Huckabee's comments regarding an effective quarantine of AIDS victims came about right around Johnson's public announcement of his infection. Nearly 20 years later Magic lives and remains a mainstay of hope for those infected with HIV.
So what is it that's fueled Huckabee's sudden rise in popularity, and given the above analysis (which every member of the RNC must or should be considering) how will the party react? Or will the party react?
11 years ago
12 comments:
I'm not a Huckabee supporter, but I don't think these are good avenues of attack.
Huckabee's an advocate of health security, from his campaign in Africa to his reaching for a quarantine solution for a plague. I'm not sure I agree, but it's hard to say its unreasonable as such.
With regard to the rapist, one would think that a castrated rapist would be a candidate for parole, considering that both sexual desire would be lessened and he was "punished enough."
As history shows, one would have been wrong.
Dan, these are excellent avenues of attack for the Democrats. As I mentioned above, the Swiftboating of John Kerry is nothing compared to the potential Huckabee brings to the plate. Your counterpoints are simply too in depth and will likely whistle past and well above the heads of most people who invariably take what they see at it's face value.
He seems a bit of a puzzle (from the other side of the world, of course).
His latest policy involves repealing the laws of thermodynamics:
"I think we ought to be out there talking about ways to reduce energy consumption and waste. And we ought to declare that we will be free of energy consumption in this country within a decade, bold as that is"
In response to Dan:
Re the bizarre Aids statements, it is internally inconsistent for Huckabee to have claimed that it was such a huge threat that it justified quarantine and internment of 200,000 Americans, and yet so inconsequential that no federal money should be spent on it.
And as for the rapist DuMond, it does show the ineffectiveness of castration as a "cure" for sex offenders in an age of widely-available hormone therapy. I had actually thought that Huckabee's sympathy and assistance related to the right-wing conspiracy theory that DuMond had been framed and then castrated by the evil Clinton family.
Huckabee's connection with reality seems to have been severed some time ago.
Soob,
Indeed.
Phil,
Agreed on the internal inconsistency.
And as for the rapist DuMond, it does show the ineffectiveness of castration as a "cure" for sex offenders in an age of widely-available hormone therapy.
Perhaps. I think the major point is the vicious and extra-judicial nature of the castration.
I think the reason for the sudden rise is that personally he represents the Republican party pretty well. No one is choosing their candidate based on substance, only on style.
My two cents is that most Republican voters dislike all their choices (that's why Fred Thompson got in the race) - they have switched from McCain to Giuliani to Romney and now to Huckabee. As each candidate gets the upswing, more information will reach the Republican voter about that candidate, driving voters away from the candidate on to a new candidate.
Steve,
Given Huck's "Fair Tax" initiative I'd add a sizable Libertarian (heh, shades of Phil here) awareness as well.
Adrian,
That's an interesting conclusion, especially interesting as I (not a "Republican" but definitely politically conservative) fit that bill quite well.
It's only a matter of time before Alan Keyes gets a surge of support!!
Actually I was thinking of writing myself in...
Campaign slogan:
"Subutai for President, if you want to live."
Wow, I like it. Concise and definitive... But not quite "deep." I mean I've got to really drive the point home. How about:
"Subutai for Prez: Vote for me or I'll ride you into battle and if you get stuck by a spear, arrow or other such missile I'll kick you and curse you and then find some other poor bastard that didn't vote for me to ride." Now that's got Moxy!!
I myself am an Arkansan. Most people in Arkansas, even those who aren't politically aware, know the flaws of the Huck. All of these Huckabee stories have been covered by the Arkansas Times for years and are just now getting national attention.
Here's a list of issues that both Republicans and Democrats are upset about (forget the numerous examples of how he's ultra conservative or ultra liberal on certain issues).
Some of Hucakbee's Problems in Arkansas:
Wayne Dumond issue
Ethics problems
-illegally accepting large gifts
-deleting emails and records
-using a state jet for a book tour
-refusing to release information to certain news organization
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