This really does take the proverbial cake. Huckabee, who has lost the Iowa lead of late owing to Romney's negative ads, called a press conference today to inform reporters that he had decided not to run a new negative ad attacking Romney, because as Huck put it, quoting the Bible, "What does it profit a man to gain the world, but lose his soul?"
He then tried to show the gathered media the ad, in a transparent attempt both to get the message out via unpaid media, and to get credit for supposedly taking the high road. I'm sorry, but this is as phony as all get-out. I've made no secret of my enthusiasm for Huck's candidacy, and I hope he wins Iowa, but this smells of Eddie Haskell. The same Jesus Christ who warned his followers not to risk their souls for worldly gain also said, in Matthew Chapter 6:
1 "(But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2 When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites 2 do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 5 "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."
Live by the Word, die by the Word...
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Hold the phone, everybody: looks like this might have been a very sincere move on Huck's part, over and against his strategists, at the very last minute: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0108/7665.html
I was *really* sceptical about this, seeing it as an orchestrated, cynical move, but in light of what the Politico's Jonathan Martin wrote, I'm really thinking Huck was sincere.
If he was sincere, he wouldn't have proceeded to show the ad to the media.
Huckabee's prominence stems from one important fact, and only that fact: Evangelicals fall for people who wear their faith on their sleeve. That's why they supported Jimmy Carter. That's why they are easy prey for the religious cranks who buy TV time. That's why they support a naif like Huckabee over a fellow Evangelical, California Congressman Duncan Hunter, whose qualifications and intelligence far outstrip Huckabee's, yet who doesn't make it a habit to brag about being "the Christian candidate."
I remember (and enjoyed) an episode of "South Park" in which Eric Cartman forms a Christian rock band solely to make money. Cartman's bete noir, Kyle, angrily says, "You don't know anything about Christianity!" Cartman replies, "I know enough to exploit it." Cartman is right: Evangelical Protestants, unfortunately, are some of the most gullible people on earth. Show them a fish sign or any overt suggestion that relates to their faith and they fall for it like snow in an avalanche. Such an attitude is the complete opposite of the biblical injunction to "test the spirits;" i.e., to evaluate everything and everyone intelligently, and not to accept things blindly.
I think this particular incident shows us either that A) Huckabee is sneaky and underhanded (we want this for a President?) or B) Huckabee is not at all smart (again, we want this for a PRESIDENT?!).
Quoting Jesus while actually showing the ad? C'mon Governor.
Why not just send out a press release stating that he's decided not to run an ad, leaving out any details of the ad itself? Or better yet, just pull it and move on. If he'd done either of these things, I'd have loads more respect for him. But he didn't. And if it comes right down to it, and I "have to" vote for him (at least he's better than ANY of the Dems), I'll definitely be holding my nose when I press the VOTE button.
I agree with Joseph about Duncan Hunter being a great candidate, and maybe the best of the conservatives, however, I disagree with these statements:
"Evangelicals fall for people who wear their faith on their sleeve. That's why they are easy prey for the religious cranks who buy TV time."
I agree that Evangelicals should not be blindly led by TV commerical spots, however, for those members of our voting public who do not immerse themselves watching debates and reading blogs, etc., they look for the candidate that speaks loudly about what they believe in. Sometimes this may not often be the "best" candidate for the job, but they are often "better" than the alternative. For instance, Clinton or Obama. I, for one, believe that Huckabee was sincere. That is not to say that he couldn't have done it better, or more honorably. But, I believe that many more people would have seen the ad than are following this story.
Just my "two cents". Please go easy on me, this is my first post.
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