Mike Huckabee

Nonetheless, he has a sense of social responsibilty which I admire.

THE LIMITS OF HUCKABEE'S OUTRAGE....

Way back in May, at the first debate for the Republican presidential candidates, there was an interesting exchange that signaled the kind of talk we could expect from Mike Huckabee.

The former governor explained, "The most important thing a president needs to do is to make it clear that we're not going to continue to see jobs shipped overseas ... and then watch as a CEO takes a hundred-million-dollar bonus to jettison those American jobs somewhere else." After decrying CEO pay and vulnerable worker pensions, Huckabee concluded, "That's criminal. It's wrong. And if Republicans don't stop it, we don't deserve to win in 2008."

At the time, it surprised some people that a Republican candidate would even pay lip service to the concerns of working people. It led some to argue that Huckabee had something of a populist streak.

He doesn't. For one thing, it's hard to even take the notion seriously given Huckabee's enthusiastic support for a 23% national sales tax. For another, his talk about how "criminal" it is for CEOs to reap a windfall while workers are losing their jobs is just pleasant-sounding rhetoric, which he has no intention of taking seriously.

Huckabee made this abundantly clear during a CNBC interview on Monday night.

HARWOOD: Governor, let me ask you, which is the criminal part, the loss of those jobs and the loss of pension, or the golden parachute for the CEO? And what would you do about either one? HUCKABEE: It's a combination. It's when one person is losing his job who helped make the company successful and the person who steers the company either into bankruptcy or selling off it in pieces has that golden parachute of $700 million.... What the government ought to do is to call attention to it, put some spotlight to it. I don't think it's about coming up with some new regulation. Corporate boards ought to show some responsibility. If a board allows that kind of thing to happen, shame on that board.

Asked if he, as president, would actually want to do something about the problem, Huckabee said he would "like" to see corporate boards "show responsibility." He would oppose efforts to regulate, though, because government action "only exacerbates a problem."

So, in May, Huckabee insisted that it was "criminal" to see CEOs cleaning up while workers are losing their jobs, and said Republicans have no choice but to intervene and "stop it." But in December, Huckabee believes the government should do nothing more than "call attention to" the problem.

I suppose it's the difference between a long-shot in the spring, and a credible challenger in the fall. Seven months ago, Huckabee could pretend to care about working people, because few knew his name, and even fewer thought he had a chance. Now, Huckabee wants to win, so he's dropping the pretense.

Something to consider the next time the media mentions Huckabee's "populist" streak.

How about his latest "I'm not going to release and attack ad, but let me just show it to the mainstream media so they know I made an attack ad but decided to take the high road and not air it." The man's a little koo-koo.

Mike Huckabee said Wednesday that he's doing so well in the polls because "people are looking for a presidential candidate who reminds them more of the guy they work with rather than the guy that laid them off."

Mike Schmuck he be.

Leave it to the Reps to bring us another certified moron/nut. Of course, he is no worse than GWB, Nixon, Agnew, Quayle, or Reagan.

Advocate wrote:

Leave it to the Reps to bring us another certified moron/nut. Of course, he is no worse than GWB, Nixon, Agnew, Quayle, or Reagan.

Ah. Of the people you've listed I am going to rate them in order of their moron/nutt-itude. One being the highest moron/nut of all.

1. GWB, Nixon, Agnew, Quayle, Huckabee
2. Reagan (although, he really ought to join the others)

Gala wrote:

Advocate wrote:

Leave it to the Reps to bring us another certified moron/nut. Of course, he is no worse than GWB, Nixon, Agnew, Quayle, or Reagan.

Ah. Of the people you've listed I am going to rate them in order of their moron/nutt-itude. One being the highest moron/nut of all.

1. GWB, Nixon, Agnew, Quayle, Huckabee
2. Reagan (although, he really ought to join the others)

I love your term "nuttitude." May I have it? I would put Reagan at or near the top. Contacts, who were nonpartisan, said he was senile and completely removed from reality. He was scripted and controlled during his entire time in office. I could give you many supportive examples . Otherwise, I go along with your list.

January 2, 2008, 11:33 am

Two-Buck Huck

Makes one wonder what influence his interpretation of the Bible will have on our domestic and foreign policy if he's elected president.

He believes in the rapture. Under this belief, those saved would be lifted to heaven just before the imminent destruction of earth. Thus, why should Huck have any interest in making long-term improvements to the country?