Paul Weyrich to evangelical leaders: We should have backed Huckabee; Update: Weyrich disavows anti-Romney ad
posted at 6:12 pm on April 8, 2008 by Allahpundit
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A belated solution, perhaps, to the mystery of why he threw Mitt under the bus last week. Sounds like he was never a big fan on the merits but was wooed by the siren song of electability. Which, in Mitt’s case, turned out to be as melodic as the McCain Girls’ latest.
Last month at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New Orleans, several dozen leaders of the “Christian right” met to strategize next steps—but the meeting inevitably included discussion of missteps in the GOP presidential campaign…
The room—which had been taken over by argument and side-conversations—became suddenly quiet. Weyrich, a Romney supporter and one of those Farris had chastised for not supporting Huckabee, steered his wheelchair to the front of the room and slowly turned to face his compatriots. In a voice barely above a whisper, he said, “Friends, before all of you and before almighty God, I want to say I was wrong.”
In a quiet, brief, but passionate speech, Weyrich essentially confessed that he and the other leaders should have backed Huckabee, a candidate who shared their values more fully than any other candidate in a generation. He agreed with Farris that many conservative leaders had blown it. By chasing other candidates with greater visibility, they failed to see what many of their supporters in the trenches saw clearly: Huckabee was their guy.
Huck’s gripes on this point occupy a nice chunk of the NYT’s profile of him from December, although they were obscured at the time by the media frisson over his idle wondering in the same piece about the relationship between Jesus and Satan in Mormon theology. Quote: “Richard Land swoons for Fred Thompson… I don’t know what that’s about. For reasons I don’t fully understand, some of these Washington-based people forget why they are there. They make ‘electability’ their criterion. But I am a true soldier for the cause. If my own abandon me on the battlefield, it will have a chilling effect.” Is that it? Did electability sink him? Sounds like it:
Huckabee could not gain traction among the religious right leaders who could have generated the financial backing he needed to run a national campaign. In October, as well, he met with a group of conservative Christian leaders—most drawn from the ranks of the CNP gatherings—who say they were “vetting” the candidates. Most didn’t like Huckabee’s positions on immigration and tax reform. Others thought him insufficiently ardent in criticizing Islamic extremism and abortion. Members of the group believed that Huckabee was “their guy” from a religious perspective but said he was not quite ready for “prime time.”
But no other candidates thrilled the leaders, either, so Huckabee was the one candidate they invited back for what one leader called a “do-over.” He did much better the second time, yet the group remained too divided about his winning potential to agree to endorse him. When he won a stunning victory in Iowa, he didn’t have the resources to take advantage of that upset in the primaries that immediately followed. McCain beat Romney in New Hampshire, and the Arizona senator soon became the unexpected front-runner.
I don’t quite follow. Their constituency is big enough that any Republican nominee would have no choice but to woo them in the general election even if he hadn’t received their endorsement in the primary. It’s no secret how much many of them hate McCain — look for the line near the end of the World Mag piece about Maverick having “no clue what we’re about” — but here he is anyway, gladhanding John Hagee and putting together a “Committee of 50″ to help get out the evangelical vote. They could have backed Huck as late as mid-January, in time to tip South Carolina to him, which would have given him fresh momentum and a cash infusion ahead of Florida and then god knows what would have happened. It’s not like they came out en masse for Romney, the supposedly “electable” social con, either, so what gives? Were they worried that Huck’s squishiness on the war and spending might have alienated some of the flock? Don’t forget, while most of Huck’s supporters were evangelicals, it’s by no means true that most evangelicals were Huck supporters.
Who knows? Maybe this is just Weyrich et al’s attempt to get back in the good graces of a guy who now wields considerable influence among their base. Exit question: What if? What if they had endorsed him after Iowa?
Update: I don’t know what the story is with Weyrich but all this vacillating isn’t doing him any favors.
Recently I received a phone call from someone asking if former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney should be Arizona Senator John McCain’s selection for Vice President of the United States.
I said, “No” because I did not think this was the best path for Romney right now; nor was it, in my view, the right fit for McCain. My understanding was that this was to be a personal letter to the Senator; it was not clear to me that this was to be an advertisement.
Thus, I now request that my involvement in this effort be disregarded as this effort to influence the Senator moves on.
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Later, Nozzle. Remember, vote early and vote often.
Cold Steel on April 8, 2008 at 11:11 PM
Weyrich was convicted by the Holy Spirit and had to make a denuciation of Romney in the presence of God.
Yes Weyrich was evidently following the wrong Jesus (Nozzle on April 8, 2008 at 11:05 PM) but he accepted the error of his ways,repented and put his trust in the true Jesus Christ, Son of the eternal unchanging God who created the universe and will thus be spared from an eternity of torture in the lake of fire!
Mormons who convert to Christianity make great Christians! (but they get disowned by their families)
But in reality…what’s more important, being accepted by your family or going to heaven?
SaintOlaf on April 8, 2008 at 11:15 PM
I remember reading posts here after the first debates..and hands down everyone here agreed Huckabee should be VP.
And everyone said VP not president because he wasn’t as well known or wasn’t expected to rise to the top.
But the point is everyone thought he was presidential material and probably the best candidate.
Now all the evangelicals are coming out saying they should have supported Huckabee.
Well now that we are stuck with Juan Mccain, hopefully everyone has learned their lesson.
SaintOlaf on April 8, 2008 at 11:23 PM
If it happens evangelicals will become further marginalizes and irrelevant.
Either because they are stupi as a doorknob or religious bigots. Either way, pathetic.
peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Romney for US Senate from Massachusetts in 2010. Kerry’s up for retirement that year.
Don’t forget to help Jay Rockefeller “choose” retirement this year…donate to his opponent here:
http://www.jaywolfe2008.com/
Although I just saw a page saying that Kerry is up this year? I could have sworn it was 2010. Has the filing deadline for the election already passed in MA?
funky chicken on April 8, 2008 at 11:27 PM
I think you were reading a different blog, pal. Most saw huckster for the lying, corrupt, opportunistic arkansas politician that he is. Only one guy waged a dirty campaign and that was the sniveling, nasty little weasel huckabee.
peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:28 PM
What wonderful christians, lying for Jesus.
peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:30 PM
Only one guy waged a dirty campaign and that was the sniveling, nasty little weasel
huckabeeRomney who single handedly blew $100 million on fraudulent negative campaign ads against every candidate who was leading him in polls.peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:28 PM
Did you forget about Romney’s ads? Dirtiest campaign in either party.
SaintOlaf on April 8, 2008 at 11:34 PM
Prove it. Provide a link to one thread that shows what you claim.
RushBaby on April 8, 2008 at 11:34 PM
That’s a shame. That would be some race..John(flip flop)Kerry Vs. Willard(flip flop)Romeny.
SaintOlaf on April 8, 2008 at 11:36 PM
They must have a school for politicians in arkansas. “When someone points out your record, cry personal attack!”
Delusional.
peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:37 PM
Come on, admit it. You voted for carter twice, didn’t you?
peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:38 PM
Hope you don’t mind.
RushBaby on April 8, 2008 at 11:39 PM
RushBaby on April 8, 2008 at 11:34 PM
Yeah, I’m going to search through a year’s worth of posts to prove you wrong.
You remember as well as I do..”Wow Huckabee is such a great debater” “If he had a chance of winning I would vote for him” etc..
I’m talking about pre Romney smear campaigns here..first few debates.
SaintOlaf on April 8, 2008 at 11:40 PM
For the fifty bajillionth time:
There are about 20 names on McCain’s short list. There is no guarantee that either Romney or Huckabee are on the list. And Romney’s more likely to be on it than Huckabee.
In any case, downing Romney does nothing to increase Huckabee’s chances, so going all negative on Romney just looks trashy.
Sekhmet on April 8, 2008 at 11:40 PM
Come on, admit it. You voted for carter twice, didn’t you?
peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:38 PM
Lol. How you would assume I was a liberal at all from any of my posts bewilders me….
Maybe you’re forgetting that Reagan was a Christian icon and was extremely vocal about his Christianity.
SaintOlaf on April 8, 2008 at 11:43 PM
No we don’t. Some people fell for the second coming of jimmy carter but not anywhere near the number you imagine. Most saw him for what he is, a phoney. A corrupt, tax hiking, open borders, felon freeing, say anything politician.
Thank goodness his political career is over.
peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Don’t even try to compare huckster with Reagan. carter is his soul mate.
With that, I’m bowing out. I don’t get into pointless debates with fanatics.
peacenprosperity on April 8, 2008 at 11:45 PM
That’s why Reagan’s advisor joined Huck’s campaign… because he saw the second coming of
ReaganCarter right?.SaintOlaf on April 8, 2008 at 11:48 PM
I challenged you to prove yourself right. You made three (3) flat assertions about content on Hot Air. Defend them or concede to my challenge graciously.
RushBaby on April 8, 2008 at 11:56 PM
RushBaby on April 8, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Good luck with that RB. Oaf’s MO is an all out siege on logic. I’m beginning to think he is really an it: a spambot. He just jumps from point to point and refuses to address any direct questioning.
Cold Steel on April 9, 2008 at 12:23 AM
I believe that little tool has been, possibly is, here under more than one nic; a couple of clones have already been banned for their bigotry. One thing we can take to the bank: the moderators are aware of goofy games, and Oaf is on their radar screen.
I enjoyed reading you tonight. Excellent fight.
RushBaby on April 9, 2008 at 12:35 AM
If he would have been conservative, we would have backed him. Thompson was as close as we got this time around.
Mojave Mark on April 9, 2008 at 12:36 AM
Radical Evangelicals give the Republican party a bad name. You people are bigots and need to get out of the party. I don’t know what sort of looneytoon fantasy land you guys live in to think that anyone other than your fellow evangelicals wanted the Huckster as VP or Pres let alone some majority here.
This country has freedom of religion as a constitution right for a reason and there is not a damn thing you will ever be able to do about it. So please take your “better than my Jesus” and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
The conservative movement does not need your bigotry.
Poptech on April 9, 2008 at 12:57 AM
Amen.
RushBaby on April 9, 2008 at 1:19 AM
Rushbaby,
I am ready for my apology now!
Come on man do you really think I would lie?
This will suffice as an apology:
Dear Saint Olaf, I am supremely sorry for dishonoring your character by calling you a liar and a bigot…you truly are a saint…please forgive me.
I will be waiting.
SaintOlaf on April 9, 2008 at 2:35 AM
And Amen!
opusrex on April 9, 2008 at 2:37 AM
The conservative movement nominated John Mccain?
No.
The conservative movement tried to prevent John Mccain from being nominated and failed.
Yes, the conservative movement does need Christians in order to win.
The Christian vote got split between Huckabee and Mccain(to prevent Romney)at the end and Mccain defeated the conservative movement.
My point earlier was, Huckabee was the only candidate who could defeat Mccain and was the most electable Republican in the general. Everyone(except southern gent)recognized that fact, before Romney blew a fortune on a smear campaign and split the Christian vote against Mccain.
The fact is, the real bigotry that took place this election was bigotry against Huckabee for being a Christian minister.
The leftists,atheists,mormons,gays etc. persecuted Mike Huckabee non stop…..where have you been?
It was worst form of Christian persecution we’ve seen from the American media ever!
SaintOlaf on April 9, 2008 at 3:49 AM
That comes from the Mormon/Latter-Day Saint (LDS) who said this:
And this:
But Allahpundit chose to ban me, not Roger Waters.
I was able to return to HotAir when Captain Ed came aboard. I’m thankful that Allah has not banned me again. But, if that happens again, I’ll start posting to my own blog instead of HotAir, and those of you who are interested in what I have to say can find me there.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 5:54 AM
SaintOlaf,
Thank you for fighting the good fight.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 5:55 AM
“That’s why Reagan’s advisor joined Huck’s campaign”
No. If the others and Huck had thought he was worth it they would have employed him much earlier.
davod on April 9, 2008 at 6:10 AM
Huckabee is the anti-Christ…Talibangelist.
adamsmith on April 9, 2008 at 8:33 AM
You mean Ronald Reagan? A Christian icon? The twice married actor who signed the bill which made abortion legal in California? Come on. As for Reagan’s brand of conservatism, he wasn’t much in favor of exclusionary Christians. Reagan was a libertarian who harbored no ill will to his fellow Christians. It is high time for exclusionary Christians such as Weyrich and Hagee to distinguish between libertarians and libertines.
Like Hagee’s hatred of Catholics, Mitt hatred makes Weyrich a very small man. Hardly befitting of the title Christian leader.
“If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals — if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.”
RONALD REAGAN, Reason Magazine, Jul. 1, 1975
Angry Dumbo on April 9, 2008 at 9:36 AM
The triangulation against Romney and Guiliani is what made McCain the nominee. Huckabee was never strong enough to grow beyond his base because of his time as Governor of Arkansas. When the Republican Party of Arkansas is telling the national Republican electorate to not nominate Huckabee, you have real problem on your hands.
Huckabee was given many chances to define a presidential position that would allow him to grow beyond his base and each opportunity was shot down and he chose to defend everything he had done as if he would the same as President.
gabriel sutherland on April 9, 2008 at 9:51 AM
Well put. The people who hated Rudy and Mitt gave us McCain.
Angry Dumbo on April 9, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Triangulation?
The “Religious Right” (including both evangelicals and Mormons/LDS) helped re-elect Bush in 2004. Those who want to “Defeat the Ultra-Right” had a plan to split us into three groups in 2008, so that no one group could stop McCain. Those three groups were: Huckabee, Romney, and Thompson.
Mormons/LDS naturally support Romney.
I am one of those people who were initially fooled by Thompson. He was my preferred candidate before he dropped out and I took a deeper look at Huckabee (and liked what I saw).
Huckabee was, and continues to be, marginalized.
This triangulation, along with Democrats voting in Republican primaries, is what gave McCain the lead. I remind you that Florida Democrats had no reason to vote in the Democrat primary. I think that was very intentional on the part of the DNC. Many Florida Democrats voted for McCain.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Allahpundit,
I had a long comment that I submitted around 6:00 AM this morning. Since it has been over 5 hours and it has not shown up yet, I will try it again in smaller pieces. If my earlier post shows up later, please don’t interpret this as “spamming”.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Too late? Maybe, maybe not. I do not wish any evil upon John McCain, but what would happen if between now and the Republican convention, due to some health issue, John McCain was not physically able to perform the duties of the office of the President of the United States? The party has to nominate someone. I believe the party will nominate Huckabee, and Huckabee will defeat Obama in November. Mike Huckabee will be the next President of the United States, and you will thank God when he is.
The Republican Party chose poorly when it nominated Ford over Reagan in 1976. We had to suffer through four years of Carter before the party came to its senses and nominated Reagan. We don’t have to repeat that mistake and suffer through four years of the socialist/communist Obama.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Everyone’s looking for the next Reagan, while he’s been right under your nose the whole time. Don’t you think that a man who was a vital part of Reagan’s campaign knew Reagan pretty darn well? When that man says he’s been looking for the next Reagan for a long time, and he’s finally found him, don’t you think that we should listen?
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Voters in remaining primary states (like mine) can still vote for Huckabee in their primaries. Yeah, I know I’m giving away part of my anonymity, and I already gave away some of that yesterday, but I don’t live in fear of retaliation from the unhinged left or the unhinged right (people like Roger Waters). No weapon formed against me shall prosper.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:28 AM
I repeat, voters in remaining primary states (like mine) can still vote for Huckabee in their primaries. How cool would it be to see Huckabee win a primary now? That would definitely send a message to the convention delegates and party leaders. It may even make McCain start respecting the far right, instead of trying to isolate us, attack us, swear at us, and defeat us.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:35 AM
isolate us…
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:35 AM
…swear at us…
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:36 AM
…and try to defeat us.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:37 AM
The “…attack us…” comment hasn’t posted yet. It was a link to the following CNN transcript:
Sen. John McCain Attacks Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Republican Establishment as Harming GOP Ideals
Aired February 28, 2000 - 9:59 a.m. ET
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Here’s a different link for “…attack us…”
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Don’t let McCain try to tell you that Governor Huckabee couldn’t defeat Obama. McCain said something very similar about Governor Bush in 2000:
Not only did George W. Bush defeat Al Gore in 2000, George W. Bush went on to be relected with a greater percentage of the popular vote than any Democrat has received since LBJ in 1964. If it were Constitutionally permissible for George W. Bush to run for a third term, he would win again. (I remind you of the loud chants of “four more years” at CPAC when George W. Bush spoke there in February.)
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 11:59 AM
McCain likes to create ads that portray him as the candidate of honor and courage.
Those words mean something to me, but they don’t appear to mean much to John McCain.
CNN originally scheduled a series of debates, including one for February 28, 2008. John McCain did not have the honor and courage to go through with that debate and face Huckabee 1-on-1.
For those of you who think that CNN cancelled the debate and McCain had nothing to do with it, I remind you that Huckabee presented McCain with a letter, signed by thousands of voters, asking McCain to debate him before the March 4th primaries. A venue was arranged. All McCain had to do was be a real man and accept the invitation. Instead, McCain claimed a “prior commitment” which turned out to be a barbecue dinner for reporters, at which he apparently did nothing more than slop cole slaw and ribs onto the trays of impartial journalists. I wonder how many of them were from CNN? It seems to me that they were celebrating their apparent victory in suppressing the vote for Huckabee. Tasteless. Classless. Devoid of honor. Devoid of courage.
Now John McCain won’t face Michelle Malkin 1-on-1.
How can we trust John McCain to protect our country when he hasn’t had the courage to do a debate with Mike Huckabee or an interview with Michelle Malkin?
The answer is we can’t trust John McCain. He is afraid of being exposed for who he truly is, just like Obama.
As things currently stand, your choice in November will be between two Democrats.
Something has to change, and I am still believing God that Mike Huckabee is the next President of the United States.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Red Pill, you are a liar.
I have told you at least 3 times that I am not a Mormon. I was raised in a family where nobody went to church. My parents were non-practicing catholics and they still are non-practicing catholics.
Because I turned the tables on you and told you that YOU are going to hell (if there is a hell) which was just a way to show you how stupid you sound, you keep saying I am a mormon.
Dude, I am not a mormon. You know that because I have told you that many times.
Stop lying you moronic sack of sh**.
I voted for Romney and I hate Huckabee…and I admit Romney discussing religion sounded less intrusive to me than when Huckabee banged people in the head with it by quoting the bible.
And to the rest of you, whenever Huckabee or Romney come up, Saint Olaf, Red Pill, and Apolcolyps come out and within a few posts it invariably turns into a anti-mormon hate fest with these losers. TGhese guys actually believe that Huckabee could win the presidency…Apoloclypse guaranteed it and Saint Olaf says he would win 49 states…obviously these are kids playing on the internet.
My suggestion: stop feeding the trolls.
Roger Waters on April 9, 2008 at 2:15 PM
Red Pill said:
“Something has to change, and I am still believing God that Mike Huckabee is the next President of the United States.”
What else do you guys need? This is troll stuff. I for one wont bother with them anymore.
Roger Waters on April 9, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Red Pill said:
” was able to return to HotAir when Captain Ed came aboard. I’m thankful that Allah has not banned me again. But, if that happens again, I’ll start posting to my own blog instead of HotAir, and those of you who are interested in what I have to say can find me there.”
HA HA HA!! I didnt realize you were banned. Thank you Allah for banning this troll. Hey Red Pill, I am quite positively sure that you will have tons of people “interested in what (you) have to say). We will all be sure to follow you to your own blog. HA HA HA HA!!!
Roger Waters on April 9, 2008 at 2:22 PM
I challenge you to provide a link to a post of mine that you consider “a anti-mormon hate fest”.
If you can’t, you have made it obvious who the liar is.
Have a great day.
Red Pill on April 9, 2008 at 2:39 PM
Maybe that’s Huck’s big news(see above). He’s going to run on the evangelical ticket or something to that effect.
jeanie on April 9, 2008 at 4:40 PM
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