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January 07, 2008
The Audacity of Hopelessness?
As Huckabee surges, and Hillary fades, Republicans continue thinking the unthinkable:
Okay, it's not that bad. Yet. But talk of a rebuilding time has already begun. Allah ran a poll today at Hot Air, and Obama scored surprisingly high. I was talking to some conservative co-workers today, and all of us indicated that if the choice came down to Huckabee versus Obama, we might just reject the candidate from Hope for the candidate of "hope."
Why, after making pleas to party unity in the past, would I even consider such a vote? Honestly, because I think Huckabee would be a worse president than Obama. Huckabee's temperament and decision-making process does not inspire confidence in his ability to make important decisions with good counsel. When he was governor of Arkansas, Huckabee granted 1,033 clemencies. In many cases, he did so against the advice of prosecutors and victims' families.
Time and time again, Huckabee put his own opinions on redemption above the judgment of those who were tasked with administering the justice system in his state. In fact, he showed near-disdain for those who disagreed with his decisions.
This is not a man I want to elevate to the highest office in the land. All-knowing, overbearing sanctimony is not a trait I value in a president, especially when life or death decisions are at stake. It's not just clemencies, though. Huckabee's record on taxes, spending, immigration and crime all suggest that his political instincts are guided more by his heart than his head - by his emotions and personal convictions rather than by what's best for the people he was elected to govern.
Would Obama be better? At this point, I'm just thinking he couldn't be worse and he at least has the virtue of seeming more...optimistically Reaganesque about America in his rhetoric than Huckabee. That's a sad commentary on who is ahead in the race for president thus far. When Rudy Giuliani was ahead in the polls, evangelicals and social conservatives threatened to bolt the party, and warned (in a passive-aggressive way) that their decision to sit out the election was the fault of anyone who voted to make Giuliani the GOP nominee.
Now those who threatened to sit out the election are appealing to party unity in the face of a Huckabee primary victory. Too late, guys. Those who threatened to sit out then have very little basis upon which to criticize now. Maybe next time, they’ll reconsider using threats as a power play, lest their tactic be used against them.
I'm hoping Huckabee is defeated in the primaries, which would keep many of us from having to make such a choice. Do the right thing, South Carolina - send this guy back to Arkansas.
Welcome, fellow Ace of Spades morons.
Would I really do it?
Depends on the stubbornness of Huckabee supporters. When I leaned toward Giuliani and appealed to party unity, I was told that my choice was the determining factor in what they did in November. Recognizing that Giuliani would likely split the party, I have started to consider other candidates.
What did I and other Giuliani supporters get in return?
The Huckabee surge, from many of those who threatened to stay home.
Thanks, social conservatives! You've picked the one guy who will proudly split the Reagan coalition.
Presently, I'm a Thompson supporter. If he can't pull it out in SC, I will re-enroll in the Republican party (dropped affiliation after amnesty) and caucus for Romney. I will work to help any Republican candidate beat Huckabee until the bitter end.
Only after all that is done will I consider doing the unthinkable and pulling the lever for Obama.
Also - There's another reason I was hesitant to mention, but here you go - as governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee wore his faith on his sleeve, but not always in a good way. He called political opponents "un-Christian" for disagreeing with his policy proposals. His view of mercy and a convict's faith played a role in whether that person received a pardon. He used the language of Christianity to support questionable public policy.
Honestly, I don't think I could handle four years of watching the faith I fervently believe in used as a political selling point for policy, whether I agree with that policy or not. Obviously, I think the church could handle that strain, but I can't help but wonder how many people will be turned off to Christianity by Huckabee's use of it.
To me, that's much more important than who wins a presidential race.
Still, at the time of this post, Hillary is ahead in NH. And there's no way in heck that I'm voting for her. So it will be write-in for me if (yes IF) Huckabee manages to win the nomination.
Not IF as in "I think it will happen." But IF as in, well, IF. Some folks at the HQ seemed to have a hard time with that concept.
Posted by slublog at January 7, 2008 10:16 PM
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Comments
I'll probably commit hari-kari if it's an Obama/Huckabee race. I honestly can't vote for either person.
Posted by: steveegg at January 8, 2008 11:05 AM
I would probably vote Obama, and count on 40 Senators to keep anything particularly onerous bottled up.
Posted by: Thus Spake Ortner at January 8, 2008 12:40 PM
Did you get to NH for the weekend with Dunkle?
Posted by: MainiacJoe at January 8, 2008 02:06 PM
Who would Huck and Obama choose as veeps?
Posted by: MainiacJoe at January 8, 2008 02:06 PM
Did you get to NH for the weekend with Dunkle?
Grrr...no. No more media passes available for the debate. Grrr...
Who would Huck and Obama choose as veeps?
Interesting question. Not sure. Huckabee would likely choose a statesman foreign policy type to offset his, well, complete and utter lack of knowledge. Obama will probably go for a southern governor.
Posted by: Slublog at January 8, 2008 02:15 PM
Huckabee would likely choose a statesman foreign policy type
If Huckabee/McCain is on the ballot this November, I'll remember I heard it here first! :-D
Posted by: mainiacjoe at January 8, 2008 04:54 PM
Yes, Obama bumper stickers for the family cars if Huck wins.
I just wonder, if Huck wins and chooses a VP that is MUCH more palatable than he is, would that change anything for you?
Posted by: mike at January 8, 2008 04:54 PM
Who would either of these clowns nominate to the Supremes? Opinions?
Posted by: chewydog at January 8, 2008 05:10 PM
Who on the Christian Democrat (nee Republican) side? Why Giuliani, of course. The "R"NC has been pushing him since the beginning of 2007, and they'll get their grand not-quite-as-liberal-as-the-'Rats coalition.
Posted by: steveegg at January 8, 2008 05:13 PM
I've already declared to my buds that anything short of Thompson and I'll be voting Obama. I was planing on voting thrid party if Thompson didn't get it, but given how the GOP in Congress has behaved over the last 7 years, it would at least force the GOP to become an opposition party again, something which it was very good at under Clinton.
So, as long as Obama gets it and Teh Ferd doesn't, I'm through with the GOP. I'd rather have a known quantity liberal like Obama than a RINO.
And, with a mixed race guy named Barrack Hussein Obama in office, we could kill two birds with one stoner. Rainbow Coalition and CAIR would have a lot harder sells with Obama in office.
Posted by: Mooseman at January 8, 2008 05:27 PM
I've voted for every Republican presidential candidate since 1972 and would not hesitate to vote for Obama over Huckabee.Some advantages of Obama would be
a. Blaming the Democrats instead of having
Republicans be blamed for an, at best, weak
presidency.b. BIG pickups in the 2010
congressional electionsc. 12 or more years of Republican
presidents starting in 2012. (similar to the
anti-democractic backlash after Carter)--------
Ref other comments..
I don't care who Huck's VP pick would be.I'm not happy with the Supreme Court outlook but
I don't see a big improvement with Huckabee's
picks over Obama's. And a term of Huckabee would
result is such a large Democratic majority in the
Senate that Supreme court picks afterwards
would be even tougher to live with.
Posted by: Arthur at January 8, 2008 05:30 PM
Well, as I've commented at HotAir and Ace, we're in agreement here. I'll vote for Obama over Huck.
Heck, there are three candidates right now that could drive me to vote for a Dem. (sad but true).
Socialist Huck. (of course)
Isolationist Paul. (no surprise)
...
And third, with the money quote:
“I would rather have a clean government than one where quote ‘First Amendment rights’ are being respected that has become corrupt,” McCain said. “If I had my choice, I’d rather have the clean government.”
If that's how you respect an Oath of office to uphold and defend the Constitution... I'm not going to give you a vote to get the chance to try again.
Posted by: Gekkobear at January 8, 2008 05:47 PM
Ditto Gekkobear.
Any of the three quite possibly could fracture the party.
Posted by: krakatoa at January 8, 2008 06:03 PM
We have 11 months left to make this decision! We're going to learn a lot more about both guys (if they are the nominees) by then. No need to decide now.
Posted by: gp at January 8, 2008 06:12 PM
If it is indeed Huck vs. Obama it's gonna get downright nasty. Almost worth hoping for just for the theater of it -- but with any luck Super Tuesday will sweep Huck aside.
Posted by: Hermit Dave at January 8, 2008 07:29 PM
Huck and Obama both belong to very nutty fringes of Christianity, and a choice between those two would effectively disenfrachise secular libertarians such as myself.
"My advice to you, is to start drinking heavily."
Posted by: David Ross at January 8, 2008 08:52 PM
This is a mistake. Obama is a straight up socialist without even the slightest leanings towards conservative principles. At least with Huckabee you would have the possibility of conservative influence on the administration.
The other part is that setting this up as an us vs them (libertarian vs social con) like you are doing here is bound to have bad long term affect on what is already a loose affiliation.
Posted by: Education Guy at January 9, 2008 10:14 AM
The other part is that setting this up as an us vs them (libertarian vs social con) like you are doing here is bound to have bad long term affect on what is already a loose affiliation.
That's Huckabee's campaign strategy in a nutshell.
Posted by: Slublog at January 9, 2008 10:52 AM