I’m running out of ways to make a play on words of Governor Goober. Pretty soon, I’ll be forced to simply call him stupid.
This past week, Huckafraud lied through his teeth about a cross being subtly but strategically placed in a campaign ad to make it appear the candidate was a preacher in a pulpit. He dismissed such thoughts as a conspiracy theory, saying that anyone who saw a cross rather than a bookcase also probably heard “Paul is dead” if you played the ad backwards.
But Dan Riehl proves how the lighting in the ad was manipulated. And beyond that, we’re talking about political advertising. There is not one thing in the foreground or background that isn’t deliberately placed. To expect anyone to believe otherwise is to believe in Santa Claus.
Buttressing the idea that the cross is deliberately placed is the fact that Huckabee not so subtly also mentions “Christ” in the ad. Now before people go ballistic on me, allow me to point out that by mentioning the savior, Huckabee deliberately excludes anyone but Christians from his Christmas message. This is extraordinarily unusual for a man running for president in a multi-faith country. And for Huckabee to deny that the ad was not targeted at the Christian right is ludicrous.
This has been my beef with Huckabee – his willingness to inject his religion and religious beliefs – subtly or not – into the campaign. It is done to pander to the Christian right and it is working. But Huckabee’s efforts to obscure his left leaning record on a variety of issues as well as blatant flip flops on some others and now this blatantly exclusionary commercial all add up to a slick, untrustworthy, dissembling man and unworthy to be considered for the presidency.
If that weren’t enough, now comes word that a member of his campaign or an “ally” depending on who you read, decided to tug on superman’s cape and criticize entertainer/pundit Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh describes the attack:
So the Huckabee Universe Guy said, “Honestly, Rush doesn’t think for himself. I mean, that’s not necessarily a slap because he’s not paid to be a thinker, he’s an entertainer. I can’t remember the last time he’s veered from the talking points from the DC-Manhattan chattering class. If they were praising Huckabee, he would be, too.â€That’s just… I can’t believe that there is a Republican alive today who thinks this, whether supporting the Huckster, Giuliani, whoever. Then this also, said the Huck forcer, “I have to think that he’s dying to have Hillary in the White House. Bill Clinton made Rush a megastar. Having another Clinton back in power would make him the Leading Voice of the Opposition, once again.â€
Ed Morrissey chides the Hucksters for “Bringing A Water Pistol To A Firefight.” Limbaugh’s response proves the wisdom of that remark:
What this supposed Huck supporter… I’m not even sure it’s a Huck supporter. This sounds like something a Clinton person would say. You know, this is what the Clinton people believe, that Bill Clinton made my career, that all I want is somebody in office that can make me even bigger, and that I don’t think for myself. You people are just mind-numbed robots. I can’t believe there’s anybody on Huckabee’s staff that ignorant about what happens on this program. If this is indeed Huckster forces attacking Rush, then he’s got some people on his staff that are going to cause him problems because that’s just simply idiotic. This notion… I have to explain this too often, as far as I’m concerned. This notion that I was nothing, that I was just wandering aimlessly in the radio muck field until Bill Clinton came along, and voila! I blossomed into what I am today is frankly absurd. This broadcast commenced with 56 little radio stations and WABC New York on August 1st, 1988. By 1993, when Wilhelm Von Der Schlick Meister was inaugurated as president, number 42, we had 500 radio stations and our audience was at about 17-1/2 maybe 18 million people.
To buttress the idea that this indeed is what the Huckabee camp thinks of Rush and, more importantly, is part of an emerging strategy to create an “Us vs. The World” mentality among his supporters, here’s a great analysis by Allahpundit on a similar dustup the Hucksters are having with Ann Coulter:
The more the conservative world comes out against him, from Will to Peggy Noonan to NRO to Rush to Sean Hannity, the more he’ll be forced to pitch an “us against them†campaign to his supporters. He’s too far left on too many issues to tack right credibly, so the only way to keep them in the fold is to try to build on that religious and economic populism he’s peddling and make this a full-blown Cause against the conservative establishment. The trick is keeping the few truly big players like Limbaugh neutral, since they really do have the chops to tilt this thing in a two-man race. Sounds like it might already be too late.
Here is the conservative crack up writ large. Not a regional schism but rather cultural one. It’s the rural/devout Christian/big government/compassionate conservative wing of the party vs. the urban/secular/traditional/libertarian factions. I wrote about this urban/rural split in my Pajamas Media article:
It is more related to the urban/rural tensions in the party than perhaps any objection to Huckabee using his faith to energize the Christian right. Surely there are as many urban evangelicals as there are rural libertarians. But the heart of the party is still in the south and what used to be called “The Bible Belt.†These Republicans are more socially conservative than party members who live in the urban and suburban centers of the north and west.They have stood by and watched as what they call the “Wall Street †wing of the party denigrates their social agenda and takes their vote for granted. Supporting Huckabee and listening to the rest of the party wail about the candidate’s faith and unelectability only makes them more determined to support him. This also goes for the growing number of “Main Street†conservatives who have an affinity with the Christian right and have bought into Huckabee’s vision of a less corporate, more compassionate party.
Huckabee is running toward a gasoline dump with a lit match and no one appears able to stop him. Rudy is fading. Romney is dropping. Fred is struggling. McCain’s campaign is holding its breath, hoping not to get sidetracked by the coming New York Times hit piece. And emerging from all of this relatively unscathed will be the Preacher Man, fully able to exploit the cleavage between those who think he would be a disaster as a candidate and those who see him as the future of the party.
In this volatile race, anything is possible. And while it was not very smart to attack Rush Limbaugh (the campaign says it didn’t come from them) it is fully in keeping with a strategy that seeks to unite supporters as a Band of Brothers against those who would destroy them.
This may very well allow Huckabee to win the nomination. But what happens to the party and conservative movement as a result of his deliberate challenge to the establishment is another matter.
7:23 pm
Well, perhaps you should stop and think about the fact that Rush Limbaugh is such an integral part of the GOP’s establishment.
That could be an issue that needs attention if the GOP is to regain relevance.
Having 2 million listeners a week is great and all. But against a population of over 300 million it’s not going to make you a majority.
Correction: 20 million (ed.)
7:27 pm
I’d add Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity to the equation as well.
I mean seriously, it’s true idiots are easily manipulated. Hype them up on the murder of fetus’ or the brown threat from Mexico. And they’ll ignore the fact that you really aren’t going to do anything about either issue.
But let’s face facts. While useful, the brain dead are also incredibly unpredictable.
7:45 pm
Good Grief. You should write fiction of novels. Perhaps you do. They would be page turners.
Sorry the whole Cross thing is silly. Itis a book case for goodness sake. THe more you talk about that the more you make people actually think you don’t like Christians. That is of course insane
What the conservatives need to worry about is smearing Huckabee so much he is damaged. I ahve never seen so many distoration about his record in Arkansas. It is breathtaking.
Oh and lets talk about unfair articles. DId you catch that Novak article yesterday. As s former SOuthern Baptist I just was amazed how misleading that article was. Novak was using terms like conservative and liberal and iplying a political context to them. When everyone knows that followed that saga those terms that a specific theological context as to scripture. However the causal reader would think that Huckabee was appointing far left wackso in in the Baptist Church in arkansas. Yeah I have no reason to paranoid. Yeah right
THe Rush Limbaugh Ting was silly. Can we be honest here. It is Rush getting ratings. SOmeone that likes HUckabee in DC makes a comment to a obscure blog for Atlantic magazine and Rush goes ape ****. He was entertaining I suppose but has little to do with real issues
10:17 pm
It is going to be a fun election! Until a socialist wins!! Conservatives WAKE UP!
10:24 pm
And I’m supposed to believe that this moron spouting lib talking points was an unnamed “Huckabee ally?” Give me a break.
This smells like a dirty trick by an opposition campaign. I mean, think about it. What would attacking Rush gain? Nothing.
This is a manufactured story. It’s a dirty trick.
10:28 pm
Unleash the Hounds of Rush…
Marc Ambinder seems to have created quite the little tempest in a teapot. He quoted an unnamed “Huckabee ally” (whatever that means) attacking El Rushbo.
“Honestly, because Rush doesn’t think for himself. That’s not necessarily a…
10:48 pm
I’m running out of ways to make a play on words of Governor Goober.
Huckabuffoon. Feel free.
11:49 pm
The thing that disturbs me about this Elmer Gantry reject is his sanctimonious posturing while at the same time being disingenuous about what he is doing.
If Huckabee is as Christ centered as he wants us to believe, let him prove it by being a truly honest man in all his actions as a genuinely Christ centered man should be. He is selling his supposed holiness for a shot at the presidency
12:00 am
Hey, jh, tell us what you think of Wayne Dumond while you’re at it.
3:55 am
The Christian right (and other fed up conservatives) are supporting Mike Huckabee, but the right’s pundits are not flocking to support him, and many of them are actually trying to derail him. Case in point:
Rush’s Hit-Piece on Huckabee (stick with it, audio of Rush)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu-ZSSaZELM
Something is very very very very wrong with this picture. Bottom line: The best candidate for the Republican nomination is Huckabee. Join with us!
Huckabee – Cinderella Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILPcnn9Sf94
12:20 pm
Davebo,
For what it is worth, I have heard Rush say that he is a Conservative before he is a Republican. If he is part of the ‘GOP establishment’ it is primarily due to the fact that he is NOT a liberal.
Howzabout “Huckabee afraid, very afraid”?
4:30 pm
Yes, the bookcase conspiracy and the Paul is dead thing is a hoot. Can you conspiracy nuts spell “over analyze”?
The more that Liberals pile on Huck, the more Christian voters are signing up for him. You can call my momma names, but when it comes to my preacher, thems fighting words.
And that strategy that some Liberals are taking of laying off Huck until he gets the nomination, cause he will be so easy to beat in the presidential election? I’m guessing that Libs have never actually polled Christians in this country, after Liberals liken all preachers to Jimmy Swagart. (But careful there Libs, consorting with loose women is a presidential private matter.)
And who are they going to beat Huck with? A nasty tempered hag who sat around the White House for 8 years doing nothing, or a politically inexperienced Muslim? Are you kidding?
9:54 am
[...] Right Wing Nut House, “Huckadumb†[...]
1:56 pm
[...] Huckabee is making the case loud and clear that he deserves the second spot on the ticket. By embarrassing McCain in the south, Huckabee reveals McCain’s electoral dysfunction – and his desperation. His well-known appeal to independents is based on the fact that he is not a doctrinaire, hard core conservative. What would happen to his independent/moderate base if he were to choose a rabid social conservative like Huckabee whose past statements on everything from gays to women’s rights leave the ticket wide open to devastating attacks by the Democrats? [...]