Huckabee? Hope Not.
Mike Huckabee. Until recently, a name not often recognized, a face probably even less so. Now it seems that the little engine that couldn’t is beginning to pick up some Conservative steam, and may prove to actually be capable of chugging alongside the bigger locomotives (or should I say, “loco motives” … we are talking about Republicans, after all) in the race to the summit of that Iowan Caucus hill come January.
In particular, the trainwreck of Engines 911 and LDS at last month’s Republican YouTube debate seems to have given the struggling Huckabee Express a chance to do some catching up.
It’s not like Giuliani and Romney have totally derailed, by any means. But their distracting, non-stop, childish fray at the debate certainly gave Huckabee a great opportunity to distinguish himself from the pack by actually behaving like a grown-up. One that might be worth listening to after all.
So the Republicans began to think that perhaps this little engine’s coal might be worth stoking. Yikes. Thanks, kids. See what happens when you bicker?
I’m sure a win by a Southern Baptist preacher would be a Neocon’s wet dream. For me, of course, not so much. His present-day stance on the issues pretty much tells me all I need to know, so there’s really no need to dig up dirt from days gone by. And anyway, I’m riding the blue train. Red is simply not my color. All aboard!
Still, it is interesting to note that back in 1992, when running for the Senate (unsuccessfully, as it turned out), Huckabee suggested isolating people with AIDS from the general public, opposed boosting federal funding in the search for a cure and said that he felt “homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural, and sinful lifestyle, and we now know it can pose a dangerous public health risk.”
Even though by 1992, anyone with half a brain (maybe that was the problem) knew that HIV and AIDS were not communicable to the public at large, Mikey said, “If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague.”
In addition to the quarantine, he also thought it might be a fine idea, in light of the extraordinary amount already being spent on AIDS research by federal health agencies, to perhaps staunch that by asking Hollywood celebs to foot the bill for any additional funding. They do have deep pockets, after all, and he apparently felt that federal tax dollars would be better spent on other diseases. Those ones that might befall breeders as well as queers.
I’m pretty confident that by 1992 most of us were also well-aware that the disease wasn’t just a gay plague. But, then again, we’re talking about Mike Huckabee which brings us back to that “half a brain” thing, so go figure.
Of course now, under a presidential-candidate type of scrutiny, he touts that his administration will be “the first to have an overarching strategy for dealing with HIV and AIDS here in the United States, with a partnership between the public and private sectors that will provide necessary financing and a realistic path toward our goals.â€?
That’s pretty ambiguous. As far as I know, “necessary financing” means he has a plan for how best to cover the costs of quarantining and isolating the afflicted, because Lord knows that can’t be cheap!
Okay, I’ll admit that that may be cynically presumptious of me. A bit extreme, perhaps. Or a lot. Whatever. Just making a point that I find such rhetoric hard to swallow given his past history.
Still, Huckabee has yet to tackle that first hill in Iowa next month anyway, so even if he does make it to the top with an “I think I can” attitude (that boost of confidence in large part courtesy of Rudy and Mitt, in my opinion), there’s still a lot of rail left to ride.
I really don’t care which of the little red engines peaks first, frankly. It’s not all downhill after that, as there are still many more mountains to climb. I just hope in the final stretch, when the last Hill to conquer is of the Capitol variety and we’re left with only two final contenders to chug it out - one red and one blue, that the red one runs out of steam and gets its Conservative caboose kicked. Particularly if, by chance, that little engine indeed happens to be the Huckabee Express.
mike huckabee, iowa caucuses, rudy giuliani, mitt romney, election 2008, gay rights, aids/hiv, presidential election, iowa voters
December 9th, 2007 at 3:07 am
Save me a seat on the train! So he’s a Baptist preacher and he thought it was a good idea to quarantine people with aids? I’m not a biblical expert, but didn’t Jesus try to reach out to people afflicted with diseases like leprosy?
December 9th, 2007 at 3:32 am
Yeah, but only after He decided to run for the office of King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Prior to that, his record might have been a bit iffy.
December 9th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Let’s see. Huckabee’s skepticism towards Darwinian thought and desire to put God into the science class gives him anti-intellectual credentials. His devotion to Wal-Mart certainly gives him standing among his peers in the party of mammon. His commitment to keep marriage in line with the Decalogue, at least “until Moses brings two stone tablets down from Brokeback Mountain that say we’ve changed the rules” (spouses as chattel, like your donkeys and slaves!), should gladden the hearts of the Roy Moore Theocrats. As a preacher of Compassionate Conservatism — “those of us who are people of faith need to act out of our souls and consciousness, and not expect government to do what we could do if every believer, instead of sending half of his money to the government in taxes, would give one dime out of every dollar to his church” — he is a logical heir to Bush’s mantle. All in all, I say he is an almost perfect representative for the modern Republicans. And best of all, he is a “real” Christian and not a cult member: “I would suggest that we need an evangelical version of Shock and Awe.”
I would suggest that Huckabee, like George W. Bush, is all wrong for America.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
As always, Doug, well said. You’re right, he is an almost perfect representative for the modern Republicans, and right, too, that he and his ilk are all wrong for America. The Grand Old Party ain’t what it used to be.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:55 am
Now you’re all getting a little rough on “Huck” aren’t you? Isn’t he from the same state as one of your favorite (sort of) presidents?
The thing I like most about Huckabee is that he’s not Rudy. Rudy scares me. The guy looks more and more like the Joker from the old Batman comics every day. Maybe I’m watching too much TV.
Here are my picks from among the current Republican contenders:
1. None of the above (has a huge lead over the others)
2. Ron Paul (boosted by fact that GOP establishment types hate him)
3. Huck (most likely to bore other Republicans and keep them at home on election day)
4. Nixon (tanned, rested and ready).
December 11th, 2007 at 3:45 am
BOB, thank you!! I’ve been trying to figure out whom Giuliani reminded me of … I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but you’re absolutely right. Gioker, indeed. And scary, I agree. Not saying Huck is any worse a villain, just have my personal opinions about the guy. Given the bunch, I’d go with your first pick. Second choice, I might even have to jump to #4, tanned rested and ready, despite my admitted infatuation with Ron Paul.
December 11th, 2007 at 4:43 am
[...] Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee both present a stark contrast to George W. Bush. They come across as easygoing and relaxed, like [...]
December 12th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I like the Joker comments! I just wish that politics, in general, was less negative all the way around. Hillary wants my vote? Then give me REASONS to vote FOR her and not reasons to vote against Obama. Rudy wants my vote? Give me reasons to vote FOR him and not reasons to vote against Romney. I know…I am dreaming. I will never see it, but it would be nice.
December 13th, 2007 at 4:28 am
Amen, Steve. Few on either side of the political fence seem to actually be trying to win votes. It’s apparently easier to give the reasons why the opponent isn’t deserving. Process of elimination, I guess.
December 29th, 2007 at 3:27 am
[...] Of course Mike Huckabee has since become fit, trim, in shape and ready to participate in the 2008 presidential marathon. Don’t know about the rest of the ‘bee hive; they may very well still be strapping on the all-you-can-eat feedbags, but at least Mikey is certainly down to fighting weight. A big loser indeed (let’s hope.) [...]