Whitechapel - And Huckabee is toast

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-29T04:48:12-08:00

I have no foreign policy credentials should sound bad to even the most biased right winger.

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-29T05:26:20-08:00

Worse, he tries to spin the growing crisis in Pakistan to discuss illegal immigration in the US!

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-29T05:37:32-08:00

"Huckabee's foreign policy credentials have been under a microscope since the candidate admitted that he was unaware of an intelligence report that Iran had suspended its nuclear weapons program earlier this month."

Please, please tell me his candidacy is an elaborate hoax ala Steve Colbert.

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-29T07:33:35-08:00

Weirdly, he does sound like someone spliced the genes of Bush and Clinton ...

As a former Baptist minister from the southern state of Arkansas, his campaign speeches include frequent references to God and the Bible.

He plays the bass guitar - in a rock band called Capitol Offense - and does not believe in the theory of evolution.

Hmmm, maybe more of Bush than they wanted ...

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-29T19:17:28-08:00

He plays the bass guitar - in a rock band called Capitol Offense

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME.

Goddamn, that's a great name for a D.C. band... like Bad Brain or Fugazi. Shitty that it has to be his.

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-29T19:57:06-08:00

The good news is he might actually stop Il Douche (Giuliani) from getting nominated. The bad news is he might be nominated himself.

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-30T05:33:47-08:00

I find it odd that the reporter has decided the fact that he plays in a band and the fact that he doesn't believe in evolution are obvious things to include in the same sentence ... did I miss the part where owning a well-thumbed copy of Origin of the Species was a prerequisite for joining a rock band?

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-30T05:54:58-08:00

Considering the USA is a country that communicates and interferes often with other countries and that is currently at war with Iraq, foreign policy credentials are kind of a must for a president. But apparently, Huckabee is still trying to grow opposable thumbs.

I loved how he tried to correct his mistake about Pakistan "being in Martial Law" two weeks after it was lifted.

Later Thursday, at an event in West Des Moines, Iowa, Huckabee told CNN that "it was not that I was unaware it was suspended, two weeks ago, lifted. ...The point was, would it be reinstated, would it be placed back in? All of the aspects of martial law have not been completely lifted even now. There's still a heavy hand Musharraf has used."

JTraub, this thread's title couldn't be more accurate.

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-30T13:12:46-08:00

I doubt if his credentials or lack thereof will factor into it. Bush didn't have any and got elected twice. Republicans won't care as long as he's pro-war and racist against Mexicans.

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-30T13:23:44-08:00

Personally, I think a Huckabee nomination by the GOP would be a good thing.

For the Democrats that is. Huckabee is probably the most unelectable of the GOP pack, but the radical contingent likes his credentials so he's seeing a surge in the polls. I suspect he scares the shit out of the traditional, more centrist conservatives that still make up the bulk of the parties voting power. Those folks are looking for someone with experience, not just in Foreign Policy, but in how to work with Congress, something the present and previous administrations failed miserably at. So, if he does get the nom, we could see the GOP tear itself apart over this, especially if the Dems nominate someone the conservatives don't automatically detest, like anyone besides Hillary.

Anyway, it will be interesting to watch. It'll all be over and the real fight will starting in a few weeks.

-CD

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-30T13:39:01-08:00

So, because Huckabee is a proven moron, he stands less of a chance to get the nomination?

I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
-- Alan Jackson, from his #1 charting, Grammy award winning song

Now, I'm not a real country man, I watch VH1 but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in CMT and TNN, but I think a chunk of those in love with this song might be voters.

And Huckabee is toast

2007-12-30T14:46:17-08:00

Huckabee still has a shot, although I think he'll end up as McCain's running mate. I like Huckabee and have donated to his campaign, but his foreign policy (in)experience concerns me greatly. I'm just glad that McCain has come alive again.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-02T06:44:56-08:00

New plan,

I suck at foreign policy, but so does the sitting president.

The president bot-5000 (Romney model with presidential hair) certainly sees blood in the water.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-02T13:55:13-08:00

In case anyone missed his super-special gaffe re: Immigration, enjoy the following:

From a NY Times article.
* * *

On Thursday night he told reporters in Orlando, Fla.: “We ought to have an immediate, very clear monitoring of our borders and particularly to make sure if there’s any unusual activity of Pakistanis coming into the country.”

On Friday, in Pella, Iowa, he expanded on those remarks.

“When I say single them out I am making the observation that we have more Pakistani illegals coming across our border than all other nationalities except those immediately south of the border,” he told reporters in Pella. “And in light of what is happening in Pakistan it ought to give us pause as to why are so many illegals coming across these borders.”

In fact, far more illegal immigrants come from the Philippines, Korea, China and Vietnam, according to recent estimates from the Department of Homeland Security.

Asked how a border fence would help keep out Pakistani immigrants, Mr. Huckabee argued that airplane security was already strong, but that security at the southern United States border was dangerously weak.

“The fact is that the immigration issue is not so much about people coming to pick lettuce or make beds, it’s about someone coming with a shoulder-fired missile,” he said.

* * *

Yes, that's how my immigrant grandmother-in-law lost her fingers: picking lettuce and fluffing pillows. And to think, she was depriving an American of that privilege.

-Z

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-02T16:43:12-08:00

Remember the SubGenius motto:

"Act like a dumbfuck and they'll treat you like an equal."

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-02T17:16:53-08:00

I think the right is a total mystery play for me this time. I can't imagine what they are going to do, and am sorta under the impression righties are not too sure either.

I mean, Clinton and Obama don't represent ideal choices for my views, but I am confident I will be happy with the appointments and justices that would arise from either presidency.

I get the impression the right has no idea who they they can trust to go to the general, but I have lost touch with that view point, so maybe they do and I don't see it. Law school was full of right wingers to debate, but unlike the last presidential election I no longer have the advantage of that community.

Note: nearing day 6 without any real sleep, so no idea if I am expressing my thoughts well.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T06:59:04-08:00

Living here in Iowa, I know that all eyes are on us today. Its tough to say which way things are going to go tonight. The media says one thing, the man on the street says another. I do expect a good turn out. I've talked to a lot of people, and despite what the polls say, there is no one in either party that seems to have much of an advantage over the rest. If I had to make guesses, I'd go with Obama and Romney coming out on top

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T09:41:15-08:00

But apparently, Huckabee is still trying to grow opposable thumbs.

He can't do that. One must believe in evolution for it to work.

The GOP is in a weird place right now. Romney is too slick/fake, and it's off-putting to the religious right--a source of biggest war chest--that he's LDS. If Guiliani could stop adding "9/11" to every sentence that comes out of his mouth and talk about stuff like economic development--which I think is his most important legacy to NYC, btw--he'd be in a better place. Huckabee is Bush 2.0--a not-so-bright good ol' boy that most D'uhmericans can get behind because they ARE Mike Huckabee. Ron Paul is a bigot, a hypocrite and has speech patterns like Ross Perot on poorly-made meth.

The weird part is that any of them might get the nod to the main event.

I know he can't win, and I suspect he may actually *be* a Keebler Elf, but Kucinich is really the only candidate on either side who really makes any sense to me. Part of his charm is that he isn't as polished as the others--his views aren't pulled from a demographic sheet or a poll, they're what he actually believes. That he's willing to take the bust when that doesn't jive with what's popular to say makes him more endearing.

If we could transplant those qualities to someone like John Edwards (who's the Mitt Romney of the Democrats), or even Obama...

I think Clinton will fall into the same trap as her husband. Getting into the Oval Office isn't the end goal--it's the start of your getting work done. The Clinton camp just seems hellbent on just getting in--consequences be damned--that they lose sight of having to *do* something once they're there. Add to that Hillary's tendency to polarize people, and while she's got the money to burn, she's not the horse to watch.

For my money, that's Obama, and for some reason, that sits poorly with me. He's certainly charismatic, and isn't as saccharine as most of the others. But he talks about using good judgment in place of actual experience, and this is to gloss over his lack of *any* significant experience. To his defense: no one on either side has experience as the American president. Not even Hillary.

Wow. Did I just babble that? My bad.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T16:57:06-08:00

Living here in Iowa, I know that all eyes are on us today. Its tough to say which way things are going to go tonight. The media says one thing, the man on the street says another. I do expect a good turn out. I've talked to a lot of people, and despite what the polls say, there is no one in either party that seems to have much of an advantage over the rest. If I had to make guesses, I'd go with Obama and Romney coming out on top

In Iowa presently, and same sentiments. However, there is a problem with Huckabee - most voters simply don't go out and look for information such as posted above, and don't recognize them for what they are when they see them. And not all of Huckabee's voters are necessarily idiots - my mom is a pretty smart lady, and she still likes the guy for his religious views. This just makes him all the more dangerous, really, that he can fool intelligent people as well as idiots. Huckabee's not out of the race yet, not by a long shot. I actually predict a victory for him tonight, as terrified as I am to say that.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T20:14:45-08:00

I actually predict a victory for him tonight, as terrified as I am to say that.

Did you put any money on it? ;)

I have a distaste for Huckabee, but I fear Giuliani. He's like Cthulhu, without the sexiness.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T20:18:04-08:00

Huckabee did very well in the Iowa caucus. Giuliani? 4% Even Ron Paul beat him (10%).

But New Hampshire is going to look very different.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T20:26:10-08:00

Just watching Huckabee's speech to his supporters... they played him in with Sousa's "Liberty Bell".

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T20:28:04-08:00

Also: Chuck Norris is standing closer to him than his wife is.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T20:44:49-08:00

Paul only beat the one man who wasn't officially running Iowa. I'm kind of curious to see how NH and SC play out.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T21:00:25-08:00

Obama!

Kind of off the subject but I just wanted to yell that out loud.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-03T22:05:53-08:00

@obliterati

I second that- fuck yeah!

Obama!

Woooooooooooooohooooo!

-Z

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T04:08:57-08:00

I have to say I was proud of,(and more than a little surprised by) the turnout last night here in Iowa. My little town of 900 had huge turnouts on both sides, and friends in other parts of the state reported the same.
Huckabee's win was not a surprise, even though I initially predicted a Romney win. The Obama win did surprise me a bit, due to the support Edwards had enjoyed leading up to the caucus. I'm more than happy with Obama's win, since I just don't like Clinton.
J

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T05:17:31-08:00

I was surprised and displeased with Huckabee's win in Iowa, but I was even more surprised and very happy with Obama's win. It was unlikely but happened all the same, he's my favorite candidate. I have to say, though, Edwards' speech was the best in the night. Hillary limited herself to say cliches. And Obama followed the same style as Edwards, but not with the same energy. I prefer Obama, but I wouldn't feel bad if Edwards became the next president.

As for Huckabee, a completely dull and uninteresting speech. Surprise, surprise. Anyone noticed Chuck Norris behind him?

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T05:30:58-08:00

Is it me or does he resemble The Smiler a little too much?

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T05:54:01-08:00

Is it me or does he resemble The Smiler a little too much?

Not really. Edwards looks much more like The Smiler. Maybe because he talks like he just dislocated his jaw.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T08:00:22-08:00

I did see a candidate on the news the other night who made me recoil in horror (because I thought it was the Smiler), but I can't remember which one it was.

I have to admit, Ron Paul is my favourite Republican nominee... Not sure why, but he seems the best choice from my tired little shell. Suppose it's partly because he's never given up his doctor's practice in all his years in government.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T09:17:25-08:00

Huckabee blew his load in Iowa, and had to win just to keep his little parade of cluelessness going on for a little while longer. He has no chance of gettig the nom, and will flop in the next couple primaries, if he can get enough money to last that long.

Giuliani finished so bad because he wasn't in Iowa. He's in Florida hoping he can win a big one. He has no money, and is trying to focus on a state with more delgates. I don't think he was in NH much, either, so don't expect mych from him there.

Obama's win was lovely, as muc for his win as for Clinton's loss - it's a blast watching them scramble to explain that this is no big deal for her campaign.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T09:36:55-08:00

Huckabee blew his load in Iowa, and had to win just to keep his little parade of cluelessness going on for a little while longer. He has no chance of gettig the nom, and will flop in the next couple primaries, if he can get enough money to last that long.

Very true. And its why I am neither worried and still stand by this thread's title. In fact I wonder if this might screw things up badly for the right, they have a false positive here. A massive focus of evangelical voters, which while important latter on, are reflected out of scope here.

See, the evangelicals don't scare me anymore as a voting block. They are a strong one - but they are at capacity, and have begun to splinter a bit. There are no more hidden voters to mobilize for the right, while the left still has room to grow. So in certain states evangelicals are over represented and will impact where the delegates go, but its going to hit agaisnt states where they can't. It will be McCain in New Hampshire. Rudy in Florida and New York. This entire thing is gonna be messy indeed.

On the other hand, I am interested to see where things go on Obama now.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T10:59:37-08:00

Interesting things I noted at my Democrat caucus station last night:

1) More 18-30some and 60-70some women voted for Obama, while more soccer moms voted for Hillary. I guess I'd expected more older women to gravitate toward Hillary for her stance on healthcare, but I was pleasantly surprised. More older men (<40) voted for Hillary, while younger men (>40) voted for Obama.

2) When Biden was disqualified (too few voters for him) they split almost evenly down the middle between Obama and Edwards.

3) Hillary supporters were more stoic, calm, organized, hardly speaking. Edwards supporters were cautiously optimistic, whispering and looking around the room. Obama supporters for confident, but kinda obnoxious especially when it became clear we had the 45% majority at our station. Towards the end we started tempting the Hillary people with donuts and stimulating intellectual conversation.

4) The Obama supporters left the fastest after the poll closed, probably to get home and check the results. I stuck around a while, though, to observe the others. The former Biden-supporters huddled in a group, discussing I'm-not-sure-what. The Hillary people filtered out slowly, individually, quietly. The Edwards people sorta tried to chat up the former Biden guys, but it didn't really work. Biden trickled out, and Edwards was the last to leave, all at once. I'm not sure what that says, but it was interesting to note.

Sadly, I didn't put any money on a Huckabee win. All well. Unfortunately, I think this is going to give Huckabee a good deal of false confidence, which means he can keep going. More merciful, for us and him, that he would have been knocked out early - now he's just going to skew the Republican side of things when it becomes clear that no one other than rural Christians like him.

I'm really hoping McCain does well in New Hampshire, not because I actually see him becoming president (though I guess I'd be OK with it), but because if he gains enough support towards the end, and he gets into a big competition with Romney or, god forbid, Huckabee, those voters who were attracted to McCain might actually vote Democrat to keep votes from going to his rivals, come the actual election. That's a long shot, I know, but still, it's a shot.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T14:09:14-08:00

I watched C-SPAN's coverage of a single caucus in Iowa last night. They had a few cameras wandering around the room listening in on precinct captains trying to lure undecideds and unviables over to their camp with empty promises and half-hearted compromises like "Okay, I know your issue is capital punishment, and it's mine too, but when I talked to Richardson, he sounded very thoughtful to my objections like he might actually consider changing his mind some day. So come on over here and we can work on things from the inside." Those harangued looked obviously pained and awkward -- as though they were just looking for a polite excuse to run far far away from these people that they know live somewhere near them. And you just know that those precinct captains are the same people as the street captains of the neighborhood association who go around writing down names of people they think are breaking ordinances and trying to get the city to install friggin' speedbumps on the street. Because we all like driving down bumpy roads. . .

But hey, that's people bein' people. I can't expect their dialogue to be as polished as people who have a whole writing team behind them. . . I know mine isn't. Which is why I keep my mouth shut.

Considering how freakin' scary Guiliani and Romney and McCain and Thompson all are, I'd still welcome a Huckabee nomination (though not election). I'd rather have a compassionate budget balancer who agrees that Bush's foreign policy is for shit than yet another warmonger who wants to throttle our civil liberties. Plus, you know there'll be jokes about Chuck Norris being the Secretary of Defense or the Director of Homeland Security.

Back in 2000, I supported the idea of a Hillary run in 2008 or 2012, but that was before I got to experience her record in the Senate. She was far too much of an enabler to the Bush administration to keep my respect. If people aren't going to fight for change when they're in the Senate, why should I believe they'll do it when they become POTUS? Of course, that meant that Dodd got my immediate interest when he stood up last month for denying amnesty for the telecoms for spying on us. He's gone now, not that he ever had a real chance. . .

I'm tentatively supporting Obama now. He can speak well sometimes, but he's not nearly as charismatic in brief statements as Huckabee can be (when Huckabee isn't talking about abortion rights and gay marriage). I fear that Huckabee is going to turn into a ruthless campaign machine, but I believe that America is dumb enough as a whole to vote someone even worse into office. That's why I'm not hoping for the worst possible Republican. . . we already did that twice in 2000 and 2004. Bastards.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T17:22:43-08:00

Being British, and therefore fairly unused to the concept that you have any say in who gets to represent your chosen party, all of this sounds incredibly terrifying, and yet awesome at the same time. There was a story on the BBC news site that said one of the parties ran their vote by having people stand in the corner of the room corresponding to their favoured candidate. It all sounds a little Monty Python.

I'm trying to imagine a situation where the local Guildford parties get the people together and ask them to choose their candidate. All I can picture is a room full of retired people drinking tea trying really hard not to offend each other.

This being a constituency where we still vote in national elections in the local community centre using pencils that are tied to the voting booth by some string and sellotapte. Last time I voted there was a group of women's institute volunteers outside the polling station wearing various coloured rosettes offering cake if I'd be willing to take part in the exit poll.

Democracy. It's just plain mental isn't it really?

All I really know about the US election is that I don't want Hilary, or anyone on the other side that's like Lieberman, to win because they hate the video games industry. Shallow, but it's not like I get a say anyway...

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T17:25:30-08:00

All I really know about the US election is that I don't want Hilary, or anyone on the other side that's like Lieberman, to win because they hate the video games industry. Shallow, but it's not like I get a say anyway...

If you are worried about paper tiger use of video games as a threat to children they all do it but none of them are serious enough to use any clout to push for any laws from congress on it.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T18:01:31-08:00

I'm trying to imagine a situation where the local Guildford parties get the people together and ask them to choose their candidate. All I can picture is a room full of retired people drinking tea trying really hard not to offend each other.

Which is why American politics is so exciting! We all punch each other in the head with vigorous zealotry 'cause our candidate is Right and True, until the candidate gets shut out in the caucuses, in which case we side with the Other Fella, 'cause we were on his side all along. Wanna have some real fun? Try to figure out the electoral college thingy....

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T19:25:57-08:00

There was a story on the BBC news site that said one of the parties ran their vote by having people stand in the corner of the room corresponding to their favoured candidate. It all sounds a little Monty Python.

That's precisely how it worked, at least for me. And now that I think about it, the process was a little Python-esque.

And Huckabee is toast

2008-01-04T23:56:33-08:00

Now you understand The Importance of Not Being Seen.