CNN poll of Republicans: Huckabee 22, Palin 21, Romney 21
posted at 5:57 pm on June 2, 2009 by Allahpundit
They poll this every three months, always with the same large-ish margin of error (4.5 points), and thus far always with similar results. Namely, Huck, Mitt, and Sarahcuda bunched together at the head of the pack.
What makes this one noteworthy is how far Palin’s declined since February, when she led with 29 percent. The Levi/Bristol tabloid nonsense is taking its toll.
The poll indicates that 13 percent of Republicans would back former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in 2012, with 6 percent supporting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Ten percent of those questioned say they would most likely back someone else…
The poll’s release also comes as Romney’s recent schedule gives the impresison of a man intent on running for the White House again. On Monday, Romney criticized the Obama administration over national security at a speech sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Friday he was the keynote speaker at a major Republican Party dinner in Virginia. He’s campaigned recently for GOP gubernatorial candidates in Virginia and New Jersey, and he’s a frequent guest on cable news programs and Sunday talk shows.
Asked Sunday about a bid in 2012, Romney told Fox News that “I’m not going to close that door” — although, he added, “I’m not going to walk through it either.”
Who benefited from Palin defectors? Er, not sure: Huck’s actually lost four points himself since the last poll while Mitt, ominously, remains stuck at 21 notwithstanding his financial acumen in an age of recession and his attempts to position himself as a party elder statement. Exit question: If Palin decides not to run, which of the remaining two will pick up the lion’s share of her supporters? The temptation is to say Huck because of her following among conservative Christians but I think that misunderstands the core of Palinmania. Her fans don’t love her because she’s a social con, they love her because they see her as a Jacksonian. And while superficially Huck is closer to that model than an urbane millionaire like Mitt, I think Huck’s reputation for being a big-government conservative, fairly or not, will haunt him going forward. My guess is that Romney will pick up the Palinistas if he runs. Which, let’s face it, he almost certainly will.
Update: Dude?
Blowback
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Stop it. He’s young and you’ll only get him all a twitter…frankly, I’m LMAO.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 7:50 PM
Romney and Rudy were here during the runoff? Gee, I never noticed. Maybe everyone was too interested in Palin.
bill30097 on June 2, 2009 at 7:51 PM
You southern belles think you’re so smooth and luscious with your language.
blatantblue on June 2, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Well, you would need protection from blatant trying to break down your door. Especially since I called him sugarbritches.
See, your cat loves you. He has manners.
HornetSting on June 2, 2009 at 7:51 PM
If Sarah runs, she will win in 2012 the GOP nomination and it there will be little doubt.
She will pick Romney as her running mate to unite the party.
It will be a very tough ticket given that Obama and the Dems in Congress are destroying the country.
The main issue will be the economy/currency, etc. along with the weakening military and our troops STILL in Afghanistan.
She is at 21% and not even trying being that she is working hhard as a governor while Mitt and Huck screw around.
Huck is not a conservative anyway and Mitt doesn’t have the courage to defend conservatism.
Sarah has the courage, charisma, conservatism in acts and not just talk. She is sincere, does not break the 11th commandment, while Mitt makes lame shots at her.
She runs, she wins the nomination.
The question is: Will she beat the Messiah. I think she will because Obama is failing so bad and the economy is deteriorating fast.
Sapwolf on June 2, 2009 at 7:52 PM
It used to facinate me to see the Chinese kids at church write their names in Chinese. It’s amazing how the a change in the pressure of their strokes makes a difference in the words.
A coworker majored in Asian studies…she taught me a few Japanese words but I can’t spell them.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 7:53 PM
I suppose, though I’m already practically fluent in bars and houses of ill repute.
DarkCurrent on June 2, 2009 at 7:54 PM
President Mike Pence.
Bugler on June 2, 2009 at 7:54 PM
If you’re enjoying yourself, then it’s all good.
I’ll be back later. Home run derby time at the field!
Sayonara b*tches!
blatantblue on June 2, 2009 at 7:55 PM
For once, he had manners, I will agree.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 7:56 PM
What happens when the base starts screaming that Romney isn’t pro-life enough?
Speedwagon82 on June 2, 2009 at 7:56 PM
I don’t hear bb complaining…
DarkCurrent on June 2, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Language, language. You’re dealing with women who loves guns and can shoot them better than you, sugar.
HornetSting on June 2, 2009 at 7:57 PM
No but he has run off…
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Huh?
Knucklehead on June 2, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Yes we would. Liz unfortunately is getting a late start. However, I love the woman and she would be great as a Veep for the Cuda.
Liz cannot win in the top spot due to her last name unfortunately.
Together they have 10 children. Solid gold if they run as Palin/Cheney though.
Sapwolf on June 2, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Barry Goldwater Jr. on Glenn Beck today regarding Sarah Palin:
“She’s attractive, she’s smart. And she doesn’t take any crap from anybody!”
Imagine running a candidate in ’12 that fights back!
portlandon on June 2, 2009 at 8:02 PM
I love the way Liz Cheney handles the media. She gives it right back in an intelligent way. I would love to see what her opinions are on the issues.
HornetSting on June 2, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Hornet sting
I could outshoot you anyday. K bye I really g2g
blatantblue on June 2, 2009 at 8:03 PM
OT….
BOR is opening a can of whoopa$$ on NBC and the Long murder.
Knucklehead on June 2, 2009 at 8:04 PM
I love to watch her in interviews. Smart and to the point adn she explains herself so well. I like Ann Coulter as well, but it’s also nice to see a woman put the smack down on a man with her brain as opposed to snark.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 8:05 PM
Dude, Sarah is more folksy, and a x100 breath of fresh air over Pawlenty, and is straight middle class and can talk to the rest of us.
Plus, Pawlenty is too dull and boring.
Sapwolf on June 2, 2009 at 8:05 PM
Oh look! It’s Beck!
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 8:07 PM
I’ll go with Palin….
Tim Burton on June 2, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Sarah should wait until 2016 and let these two trainwrecks try again to convince conservatives that they are not statists. Mitt successfully fooled Rush, Ingraham, Beck, Hewitt and the rest while no one rightly takes Huck seriously. He’s a goofball who should stay on TV.
V15J on June 2, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Quite the diverse group of Republicans they have in Manhatten.
heshtesh on June 2, 2009 at 8:08 PM
There’s only room for 2. Decide among yourselves.
DarkCurrent on June 2, 2009 at 8:10 PM
Dude.. Read my whole post. I said Palin is my number one. And Pawlenty is my sleeper.
What I hate is people who get all defensive for no reason. Right now the only person who is a non-starter for me is Huck.
Besides, Obama may still have high approvals in 2011 like HW Bush and scare off many top contenders in favor of 2016 leaving a B-List candidate to run in 2012. That’s how the Clintons snuck into office.
swamp_yankee on June 2, 2009 at 8:11 PM
Stop it. I’m going to have to get my friend to teach me some very specific words in Japanese…
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 8:12 PM
Keep pushing that meme, AP. Maybe it’ll take hold- but probably not while she’s in a statistical dead head for the lead.
Oh, and maybe you could look for news reports out of NY in the next few days, and scan them for any “gaffes” she may make. Chances are, there will be quite a crowd at the dinner she’s attending, and when she goes to Auburn NY for the Alaska/Seward event.
cs89 on June 2, 2009 at 8:14 PM
I’m out (in my best Cosmo Kramer voice)
Knucklehead on June 2, 2009 at 8:14 PM
Is Hot Air going to embrace Huck? Are they going to blow kisses at him in a few years after blasting him to pieces (in lock-step with the liberal media) during the last election cycle?
This will be interesting…
Skidd on June 2, 2009 at 8:17 PM
GOP nomination for sure.
The presidential election campaign will be the best in history as the Messiah with a s**t economy, the MSM, troops still in Afghanistan tries to hold out against St. Joan of Arc reborn to save her country and be the last hope of our Founding Fathers for living the rule of law, cutting spending and taxes, promoting energy independence and finally breaking the last glass ceiling to possibly be the first lady POTUS ever.
Sapwolf on June 2, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Enough with celebrities. Let’s amend the constitution and go with Susan Boyle. Oh wait…
cackcon on June 2, 2009 at 8:18 PM
LOL! Slaps money on counter
DarkCurrent on June 2, 2009 at 8:18 PM
I like your spirit guys, but something tells me Obama will have to wreck this country in his first 4 years (like Carter) for the people to vote Republican. That’s what’s happening in the UK right now; Cameron has spent the last 4 years detoxifying the Tory brand (much to my disgust) and is only likely to win now against Brown, the most loathed (unelected) PM ever. The sad thing is that Blair could probably give him a run for his money.
We concentrate too hard on principles and governance; the idiot masses vote according to “likeability”, that’s how they fell for this moron Obama. Palin’s numbers on PoliticsHome don’t look too good, (and I’m a fan). I don’t think much of Huckabee’s record, but even I can see that he’s likeable. But I suspect that he’d still lose, like McCain did, because hardcore Cons wouldn’t turn out to vote for him, and Dems would vote for a Dem anyway.
Fortunata on June 2, 2009 at 8:19 PM
Boy we do agree on the Huckster. Evangelical vote but really not much else. Plus, despite me not being much of a fan for Romney, the Huck’s people broke the 11th Commandment and played the religion card on his mormonism.
Sapwolf on June 2, 2009 at 8:19 PM
May it be so
DarkCurrent on June 2, 2009 at 8:19 PM
But, as it stands now, I’m really liking John Boehner.
JetBoy on June 2, 2009 at 6:09 PM
It does’nt appear that three years is going to be of much help for you.
heshtesh on June 2, 2009 at 8:26 PM
allah just doesnt seem to get it. Yes Palin has lost a few points since the last poll that came out over 4 months ago. But allah also said that Huck lost some points and Mitt HASNT gained anything. So she isnt losing support.
ousoonerfan15 on June 2, 2009 at 8:29 PM
There are two things that bug me about what posters say:
1)Those who are indignant that polls are being conducted so early in the election cycle who seem to overlook the fact that Obama is running a perpetual campaign.
2)Those who say that polls don’t matter this far out.
We are just past the midway part of the first quarter of the next election cycle. Saying that polls don’t matter this far out is basically saying that touchdowns or points scored early in the game don’t matter or factor in the final result. In football a point is a point regardless whether it is scored in the first or fourth quarter.
If you are a person with serious Presidential ambitions in 2012, your first goal is to become VIABLE. And for those in Rio Linda, that means that enough people know your name to support you and to boot are willing to donate to your campaign to keep you going down the road.
What this poll does is allow Huckabee, Palin, and Romney to continue down the road for another 3 months and to raise more money for a future campaign.
technopeasant on June 2, 2009 at 8:38 PM
also here is another poll I found from gop12.com. It is a list of the favorable/unfavorable ratings for all the major republicans. After looking at this poll it is obvious that Palin is one of the two or three best republicans leaders that the GOP has. Here is the link:
http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=DD327E513043FF53AD4491656ECA41A8?diaryId=13367
ousoonerfan15 on June 2, 2009 at 8:39 PM
Lots of time left. It is very telling that Romney can’t get more traction with the economy this bad. I love me some Sarah, but she’s probably better off winning another term in AK and giving it a shot in 2016 if the country isn’t ready to ditch Obama four years earlier. Of course, if we get hit again, Cheney and Petraeus will be vying for the position of Caesar to lay waste to the barbarians.
Dudley Smith on June 2, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Laura Bush/Condoleeza Rice 2012!
Or more realistically…. Palin/Rice 2012 ???
BPD on June 2, 2009 at 8:46 PM
If have two lists. One if polls show Obama weak. And a second if polls show Obama strong.
I love Palin, but would rather not waste her. If the GOP candidate gets trounced in 2012, its is likely that they will be swept away into irrelevancy, especially if they’ve had two losing bids. (Palin as veep in 2008)
Palin is a vital to the culture war as she is to the poltical front. Just her success and presence can help wreak havoc with the Left’s foundation of identity politics. She can inspire young women, working mothers and famlies of people with disabilities to take a long hard look at the GOP and real conservatism.
If Obama is vulnerable. I say go for it. She will be tarred and feathered, but it will be worth it if she can win. It will be a waste if she cant. I’d rather save her a let her be a lioness in the Senate in the Seante or something.
swamp_yankee on June 2, 2009 at 8:49 PM
What money? What counter?
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 8:54 PM
<blockquoteswamp_yankee on June 2, 2009 at 8:49 PM
Exactly. Perfect.
Dudley Smith on June 2, 2009 at 8:55 PM
swamp yankee:
In any other time in American history I might be convinced to agree with you about Sarah Palin delaying her entry into the Presidential arena but I really feel if Obama is re-elected in 2012 he will find some way to repeal the 22nd Amendment (maximum two terms as POTUS) and basically install himself as a permanent el Presidente a la Castro or Chavez.
I know amending the Constitution is very difficult: 2/3 of the House and Senate and 38 states (3/4) but Obama now owns a majority share of GM and Chrysler-how much would you have bet two years ago at Vegas that this would have occurred.
Is anyone willing to go to Vegas or gamble online that Obama could not somehow or someway manage to orchestrate such a travesty. As for me I am not willing to make that wager if Obama is re-elected in 2012.
technopeasant on June 2, 2009 at 8:57 PM
While I think the repeal of the 22nd amendment is a threat, I honestly do not think 38 states will vote to repeal the amendment. There are more than 12 red states, or at least states that don’t want a dictatorship, that won’t approve it.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 9:00 PM
Procure DVD player.
Procure boxed set of Seinfeld (complete edition)
Start from disc 1 (No skipping ahead, though it won’t be funny at first)
Proceed until it is funny
Continue
DarkCurrent on June 2, 2009 at 9:10 PM
For all of you posters taking jabs at Huckabee, maybe you don’t realize that he is the Republican candidate for THREE different PPP polls in 2009 who has ranked closest to beating Obama in 2012!!!
For all of you posters who think Mike Huckabee was the candidate who stood in Mitt’s way in 2008, just who had ALL the money to spend??? Not Mike Huckabee and he still had far more states on Super Tuesday than Mitt!!! Mike Huckabee was the candidate that Mitt Romney kept from being nominated, not the other way around. Don’t you people realize that with all the polls, it shows what the people in this country want, and right now, it’s Mike Huckabee. If he had the money Mitt just spent on the election in 2008, I guarantee you Mike Huckabee would have been the nominee in 2008 no matter how uppity people like you are!!! Get real and see how other people like him. He shouldn’t stay out the race, he has just as much right to be a candidate as anybody. Just because you don’t like him, doesn’t mean the rest of the country doesn’t like him. Give him a chance this time…don’t let Mitt Romney poison your minds again against Mike Huckabee. BTW, last election Club for Growth was the biggest critic of Mike Huckabee. Mitt Romney and his surrogates gave over $500,000 to CFG. Do you think just maybe that had a little to do with who they supported?
As far as his show on Fox News, you bet he now gets to talk straight to the American public. MSM, Hot Air, Limbaugh, Hannity, Ingraham and all the other TV and radio personalities gave Mitt Romney all the support and good exposure on their shows daily in 2008, but he still could not buy the votes of the people. The American public saw through that man as the plastic man who was the best flipflopper money could buy. Whether you like Huckabee or not doesn’t really matter, because the people in this country now see him for who he is, not what money and the advertising Mitt payed to paint him in the last election. He is the TOP REPUBLICAN as of now, but you just can’t accept that, can you??? All of you and the Washington elites just ignore him, just like in 2008. That’s probably a good thing because America doesn’t want anything to do with someone the Washington elites want. That leaves out Romney, doeesn’t it? Thank God Mike Huckabee has a show on Fox News that demonstrates what kind of a person he trully is.
As far as a BIG GOVERNMENT Republican, why don’t you try reading the other side of the story about Mike Huckabee on Hucksarmy.com. Click on Discussion. Click on Mike Huckaee news. Scoll down to issues about Mike Huckabee and you will read what really happened in Arkansas, not just what Mitt and/or the MSM printed last time. Mike Huckabee is just like Sarah Palin only with more experience and is a better debater and speaker, which is exactly what we need against Obama. Do you really think boring Mitt Romney could hold a candle to Obama? If you think a rich man would have stood an chance against Obama with the economy in the shape it was in from Wall Street in 2008, you are crazy! One of the reasons the American people liked Sarah Palin is because she relates to the middle class. Does Mitt Romney? No way, and won’t in 2012 either. Mike Huckabee has always had the ability to connect with the middle class. He explains things that so everybody can understand what he means. If some of you, like the MSM and the Washington elite, think Mike Huckabee is too corny or country, shame on you. This man is the best bet the Republican Party has to beat Obama. Nobody else stands a chance. Palin would be next, but, unfortunately, the MSM has painted her with being stupid, and it has stuck with a lot of the American people. Maybe by 2016, with more experience, the people will forget what happened in 2008. Mike Huckabee is not bigoted against the Mormons, he just doesn’t like Mitt Romney and the way he governed in Mass as Governor. Mitt Romney got Romneycare (healthcare just like what Hillary wanted for the U.S.)and it almost bankrupted that state, he was in office and didn’t fight against the gay marriage issue (I don’t mean just by saying I don’t like it) he let them have gay marriage without fighting against it – all of this while he was Governor for 1 term. This is a Conservative???
VFT on June 2, 2009 at 9:10 PM
ladyingray:
You forget about the leverage that Obama could exert over a state legislature by refusing to withhold state stimulus money if they didn’t vote on the Amendment, and once the vote was agreed to, couldn’t you conceive of the scenario where the thug from Chicago, ACORN and Obama’s brownshirts or Black Panther allies could twiat the arms of legislators to vote the ‘right’way.
By the way the governor doesn’t enter into the equation on a constitutional amendment.
technopeasant on June 2, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Gov Romney was just on with Sean. I just can’t imagine what our country would be like now if he had been elected. Nothing like it is now. Romney is a common sense business man and knows you can’t continue to bail these companies out and giving the company to the union. Too bad mccain and huckster couldn’t keep their envy under control and maybe, just maybe we wouldn’t be trillions in debt.
By the way, if any one knows what’s after a trillion, don’t mention it out loud, maybe the “O” doesn’t know.
Bambi on June 2, 2009 at 9:15 PM
No. For the first time since Reconstruction, Tennessee elected a fully GOP Senate & House. For. The. First. Time. Since. McCain won the vote, easily, 2-1.
In another few years, that will grow.
btw, my DEMOCRATIC Governor refused some of the stimulus monies…and I expect the next (will be GOP) Govenor to do the same…naw…by 2012, the states will be tired of his blustering and his promises…I really do not think this will happen.
And I am not a political light weight.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Please…you aren’t referring to the “master of my domain” are you?
Don’t. Need. That.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 9:18 PM
Too long to read, but I glimpsed the last sentence and that’s all I need to know about Huckbots. They are still pushing lies about Romney.
For the record, Romney is like my third or fourth favorite. I live in Mass. I know for a FACT that he fought against gay marriage. There are a couple of devious groups pushing false literature and a couple of sucker groups who have bought it hook, line a sinker.
Gay Marriage in MA was a SJC decision. Mitt fought for a Constitutional referendum. He did all he could short of disbanding the SJC or ignoring the Rule of Law. Not only did the SJC mandate gay marriage, the Legislative branches are SO liberal and the Dem majorities are SO large, Romney had no recourse.
Romney led the fight against gay marriage.
SO HUCKBOTS, please stop that crap that is why so many people can’t stand the “Huck Army”. You guys just keep perpetuating lies.
swamp_yankee on June 2, 2009 at 9:19 PM
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 9:17 PM
As a final resort the states could vote to convene a Constitutional Convention and get it done that way.
technopeasant on June 2, 2009 at 9:20 PM
2012? you guys are talking about 2012?
This shit is going be over by winter.
R.I.P. America
BPD on June 2, 2009 at 9:22 PM
Who’d be veep? They’d have a surer shot of taking office than under McCain.
MadisonConservative on June 2, 2009 at 9:23 PM
I think you, Huck, and AP are three of the very small minority who think Huckabee and Palin are similar.
Of course, other posters are welcome to chime in as to whether they are alike or different.
cs89 on June 2, 2009 at 9:25 PM
As to the “Dude:” Cheney’s old and has a sick heart. Not gonna happen.
Be a great mentor for the next generation, though. He’s an anchor who has had a front-row seat to multiple GOP administrations. The man knows what works and what doesn’t. He also pulled off the hardest job in the world for the past 8 years- sitting supportively in the copilot’s seat.
cs89 on June 2, 2009 at 9:28 PM
Pfft, I saw the headline and then the count.
Have a great night y’all.
Geronimo on June 2, 2009 at 9:33 PM
As long as the naive American public remains mesmerized by Obama (62% blame Bush for the current economy)’ Obama’s personal popularity remains in the 60s), he is invulnerable. However, at some point, there will be a blunder so stupendous in nature (unfortunately , probably catastrophic)that even a moron will be able to see through this BS artist.
Currently Huckabee appears to be the candidate who could give BHO the closest contest but, at the moment, even he looks like a loser.But two years from now ??????
MaiDee on June 2, 2009 at 9:38 PM
Huckabee could not beat McCain, Romney could not beat McCain.
Both men have raised taxes to record highs in their states when they were governors.
Their records when scrutinized, are horrendous.
kcarpenter on June 2, 2009 at 9:39 PM
Bambi,
What is there to be jealous about? Money doesn’t buy principles. Yes, Romney is such a common sense businessman that he told McCain to vote FOR the first bailout. This was the main reason McCain lost his bid. Mike Huckabee was the only candidate who consistently always voted against the bailouts. He didn’t need to take a poll to see what was the right thing to do (like Romney obviously). If Mitt Romney was so good with the economy, why was Mass one of the worst states for unemployment compared to all other states during the time he was Gov? Mitt Romney cared about being President, not about taking care of his state. He left Mass. roads in terrible condition. The people in Iowa are fighting in court against gay marriage…just like Mitt Romney should have done. Talk is cheap..I can say anything, it’s his record that counts!
Mike Huckabee supporters all wanted Sarah Palin to be our next VP because she is so much like Mike Huckabee. If you could get your clouded glasses cleaned, maybe you could see the similarities too. MH and SP both are good speakers, both good debaters, both social conservatites, both for gun rights, both against gay marriage, both relate to the middle class, both are likeable, both stick to their principles and don’t change their minds because it’s more popular in the polls, both are outsiders from the Washington elites, both are Christians, but don’t force their religion on their constituents as Governor while in office, both have been put down by the MSM and/or ignored in Huckabee’s case. These are just a few things I can think of quickly, but I’m sure there’s lots more. But, Mike Huckabee has more executive experience as Gov. 10 1/2 years, is good with the press’ questions and has a great sense of humor which he uses to make his points. People like that in a candidate because they don’t appear so negative, but the point is made all the same.
Big difference is Mike Huckabee was Gov. of a very Democratic state with huge majorities of Dems in the legislature that he had to contend with to get anything done. He was very successful as Gov. with a 65% approval rating in summer of 2008 from the people in Arkansas. He had to face a very difficult and poor economy in Arkansas. He also had a 48% Black vote (Democrats) for him when he ran for Governor in Arkansas. We can use a Republican candidate who can relate to the Black people like Gov. Huckabee. He just doesn’t try to get their votes, he works with them all the time. They know he cares about them. Sarah Palin governs a very Republican state which in the past 4 years has had a surplus from the oil in Alaska. You cannot compare Governors from one state to another because their situations are always totally different.
VFT on June 2, 2009 at 9:51 PM
Yeah, Huckabee will be the nominee. And Glenn Beck won’t shed a tear from now until well next week. Ain’t gonna happen.
Redneck Woman on June 2, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Nonsense. Palin’s simply been out of the news cycle. Whereas Huckabee’s name and basset-hound mug are stamped on one of the highest-rated cable networks twice a week, in prime time.
The fact that Palin is still polling that highly after having dropped off the face of the media world (if not literally then certainly by comparison to 8 months ago) says a lot about the staying power of her appeal.
As for a Mitt-Huck-Saracuda matchup, I see Huckabee as being at the biggest disadvantage. Huckabee was essentially a one-trick pony — he was the “Christian candidate”, and he drew most of his support from the religious right (the Fair Tax was just window-dressing to shore him up against Romney; he never campaigned on his economic chops). He pandered to that voting bloc and established himself as Jesus’ choice for the Presidency, which was easy as pie in the 2008 field; the next closest candidate was/is a Mormon, which would have likely been fine for the Christian right (I was certainly fine with it) had Huck not been there or not played the Jesus card so hard.
Romney would own the economic vote by the sheer force of his expertise and experience. Huckabee was never convincing on economics, and usually sounded like he was repeating what people smarter with money than he had given him to say on 3×5 notecards (i.e., Fair Tax). And in the likely-rough economic environment of 2012, Romney would have a big advantage here.
With Romney stealing any economic thunder Huckabee might try to use against Palin, Huckabee would be forced to retreat to his safe-haven: religious values, a middle-class folksiness that says “I’m one of you”, and the Christian vote. And it would be here that Palin would destroy Huckabee.
He can’t beat her on charisma. He can’t use Christianity against her like he did against Romney (all he could do would be to try to use Bristol’s pregnancy against her, which would be political suicide). Palin’s PTA-hockey-mom backstory makes her the quintessential “one of us”/middle-class candidate.
Plus: she’s a woman, he’s not; she’s beautiful, he’s a chubby band geek with bad skin; she’s successfully running a major state in the union, his term as the governor of Arkansas was unremarkable. None of which is to mention Palin’s mind-blowing popularity with the hoi polloi on the campaign trail and at the ballot box (what, you think 60 million people voted for John McCain because of his great policy and charisma? Hah).
In a Huck-Mitt-Palin primary, I fail to see how Huck comes out as anything but the big loser.
Harpazo on June 2, 2009 at 9:56 PM
technopeasant,
My spouse said the same thing when Obama was elected. He would get enough majority to ram though legislation for a 3rd term to be our Dictator. We can only hope and pray for the people in America to wake up to how he is increasing the Government so that we won’t be a democracy soon, but a true socialist county like Europe.
VFT on June 2, 2009 at 9:59 PM
My spouse said the same thing when Obama was elected. He would get enough majority to ram though legislation for a 3rd term to be our Dictator.
VFT on June 2, 2009 at 9:59 PM
Well, he is touted as the new FDR.
Of course, Roosevelt had polio, where 0-town has man-boobs.
Harpazo on June 2, 2009 at 10:01 PM
I don’t like Huck because he’s so fundamentalist in his religion — no offense meant. Anybody who grounds their life in religion is okay with me — I just don’t believe they should govern me by their beliefs. I’m more libertarian than anything else now-a-days. I used to be a Democrat, but I voted for Reagan twice and McCain. I like Palin. pb
pbabb on June 2, 2009 at 10:13 PM
HuckaTurd won’t make it out of Iowa in 2012. Mark my words.
BuckNutty on June 2, 2009 at 10:13 PM
What I take away from the poll, Allah, is despite the fact he’s on TV almost every night on Fox, Huck hasn’t raised his national profile past Palin by much, despite the fact she’s up there in Alaska most of the time doing her job away from the national eye, only coming out to make a press conference over something like the shooting of the soldier and the Tiller murder.
With the ratings Fox gets Huck should be capitalizing on this national exposure and yet he can’t pull away.
manofaiki on June 2, 2009 at 10:18 PM
Harpazo,
Mike Huckabee was not pandering his Fair Tax, he believes in it very strongly and still supports it by mentioning it on his show, has speaking engagements about it, etc.
Mitt Romney will be remembered because he SUPPORTED the first bailout, Mike Huckabee DID NOT. The people in this country do not want to chance our next President to be a flip flopper who votes according to who he wants to pander to. Even Ted Kennedy said Mitt Romney had no principles when he ran against Mitt for the Senate in Mass. That was long before Mitt ran for President. Don’t you see a pattern? How could we trust him to do what he says, when he changes his mind at the drop of a hat (or vote)?
Mike Huckabee left Arkansas with a $850 Million dollar surplus with excellent roads, improved schools from 49th the the U.S. to 8th!! He governed for the people of Arkansas, not according to what the CFG would say about how he governed in Arkansas. Isn’t that what we would want our President to do? Care more about all the people in the U.S. rather than his own polls?
That was a fallacy that Mike Huckabee only got the Christian vote. There was an article in the news about the vote in Iowa. Mike Huckabee got a higher percentage, but Mitt Romney got a lot too. Again, the MSM and Mitt Romney wanted to peg him with “only Evangelical voters” so they could influence voters in future primaries. In many of the states he ran against McCain, Mike Huckabee got the highest Republican vote. Mike Huckabee consistently got 10-13% of the vote in the states voting after he dropped out of the primary. This was no campaigning, or anything. That’s how much the people liked him. The PPP polls I referred to in my previous post showed which Republican candidate was the closest to Obama: first of all Republicans, Mike Huckabee was within 7 points (same as McCain), with Independents, Guiliani was top, with Mike Huckabee 2nd, with Democrats, Guiliani was top with Mike Huckabee 2nd. Does that sound like he only can get the Christian vote? I think his program has showed the Independents and Democrats what a great guy he is. So forget the fallacy that Mike Huckabee cannot get anybody but Christian voters.
VFT on June 2, 2009 at 10:20 PM
As nice of a guy as Huckabee seems to be he is not the man for the job. He is not a conservative…he is a social conservative populist. He is as dangerous as McCain was.
therambler on June 2, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Harpoza,
BTW, why do you think Mike Huckabee has the highest rating on cable on both Saturday and Sunday evenings every week? Do you think it’s only Christians who watch him? People like him, period!!! Just because the people on Hot Air have been putting him down ever since the primaries in 2008, doesn’t mean that the American public feel the same way. Obviously, they don’t when you look at his TV ratings, his radio ratings, he has been the top Republican in the last 5 polls, CNN, Fox News (don’t think it’s just the Fox people they poll), and 3 PPP polls. Are all of those polls wrong??? I don’t think so.
You might be right about Sarah not being in the news as much as Huckabee, but during the primaries, Mitt Romney was being pushed by all the Republican elites, the radio & TV announcers and the newspapers as the choice, but the American people made their own choice, and it was NOT Mitt Romney. Mike Huckabee consistently got more votes after he dropped out of the race than Mitt Romney did.
VFT on June 2, 2009 at 10:33 PM
I said “I’m Out”
And yes, I’m still master of my domain.
Knucklehead on June 2, 2009 at 10:39 PM
VFT on June 2, 2009 at 10:33 PM
I would never discount anybody who is on TV as much as Huckabee or Romney are. As I have told other Palin supporters today the main thing that this poll establishes is that nobody is running away with the race and that despite being out of the national spotlight for the last 6 months Sarah Palin is a player along with Huck and Mitt. And right now being viable is about as much as you can ask for. It allows you to travel down the road and raise more money. We’ll see what it looks like again in late August or September in the CNN poll.
technopeasant on June 2, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Romney. We need a tried and true capitalist to get us back on the road to sanity.
Star20 on June 2, 2009 at 10:47 PM
If Mike Huckabee only appeals to evangelicals than someone please explain to me why he has won every 2012 poll that has been taken? While you’re at it, also explain to me why he was one of the top choices among Indpendents in the recent Fox Dynamics poll. Not bad for a Bible beater, eh?
Mike Huckabee is for total tax reform (Fair Tax), A+ rating from the NRA, 100% pro-life and pro-family rating, and wants the world’s strongest military. He is the real deal. A conservative with cross over appeal. His favorable ratings spank Romney’s and put Palin’s to shame.
I thought you guys wanted to beat Obama.
Iowans Rock on June 2, 2009 at 10:58 PM
22!
That’s a helluva number.
Not everybody can pull 22% of 30% of the voting population….
6.6%
Juggernaut!
notropis on June 2, 2009 at 11:01 PM
I’m sorry to burst anyones bubble over here, but Palin has probably the highest name recognition out there as any candidate has had in recent history. She had 8+ solid weeks of solid media coverage at a time when everyone was paying attention. She is still all over the media. Every time she breaths there is coverage. She should be running away with these polls if she were to become the eventual nominee, which she will not be.
Iowans Rock on June 2, 2009 at 11:05 PM
I didn’t say he was pandering with his support of the Fair Tax or that he doesn’t think it’s really the best way to reform the tax code. I said that he pandered primarily to the religious-right/social-con Christian crowd. And that, by comparison, the Fair Tax was window-dressing.
Of course there were non-Christians who voted for him because they liked his economic (and/or other) policies. But they were far from the bulk of his support. The man directly campaigned via the church networks, for Pete’s sake!
You seem to be mistaking me for a Romney supporter. I didn’t support him in the primary because I thought he was wishy-washy on conservative principles. But that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize the guy’s superb executive and fiscal abilities (particularly vis-a-vis Huckabee), the bailout notwithstanding.
Education and infrastructure (that’s union work, that is) are the two areas you laud him in? Funny, here in the People’s Republic of New Jersey those are two of the main pillars of our Democrat overlords’ platform. Don’t get me started on Huckabee’s gubenatorial performance in Arkansas, else I’ll start rambling about ethics and taxes…
I’m less interested in there being a Republican in the White House than I am in having a Conservative there. Mike Huckabee is a statist, not a conservative.
Your question is based on two false premises, namely (1) that Huckabee was/is the only candidate who would care more about the American people than about polls (which is an assumption) and (2) that improving, as best one can, a state’s roads and schools is a populist virtue rather than a governor’s responsibility.
So the MSM and Mitt Romney invented out of whole cloth the story that Huckabee bounced around the church circuit, soliciting campaign money from the congregations in the church sanctuaries. Right.
(And of all the pulpits he could have used, he chose to solicit from televangelist Kenneth Copeland’s stage. If that ain’t selling out his principles for cold hard cash, I don’t know what is.)
Huckabee clearly made use of connections from his Baptist preacher days for his own political gain. Not that I have a problem with him using such connections, but don’t try to tell me that he didn’t present himself as the Christian choice for POTUS. I remember his statements to that effect quite clearly.
I didn’t say he could ONLY get the conservative Christian vote, just that he DID get it in ’08 while running against a Mormon, a pro-choice divorcee, and a religious non-entity. My primary reason for bringing it up was to compare his appeal to that voting demographic with Palin’s, and indicate her ability to easily neutralize his advantage.
What you are describing above, however, reminds me of another area Huck’s ’08 appeal where Palin will steal from him: populism. Huckabee banked on his populist message and appeal (as did Obama, it should be noted). Palin manages to generate a similar or greater level of populist appeal without suffering from the same level of compromised conservative principles that Huck did.
Again, Huck’s populism played itself out in statist policies. Palin’s does not (yet) appear to do so.
What does Huckabee being (or not being) a “great guy” have to do with being the President? I know a lot of wonderful, funny, nice, decent, humble people who I wouldn’t let run the country if my life depended on it.
Again, I never said he couldn’t get anybody but Christian voters. I just said that in a primary between Palin, Huckabee, and Romney, Palin’s and Romney’s strengths would divide and diminish Huckabee’s support moreso than any other pairing would do to the third. This would be an inversion for Huckabee from ’08 when he did essentially this very thing with McCain (split the support) to spoil Romney’s run.
Harpazo on June 2, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Cos that was some seriously favorable coverage she got, hunh?
notropis on June 2, 2009 at 11:11 PM
Huck, Mitt, and Sarah speaking at CPAC.
Who is everyone going to be standing in line for hours and hours to see?
’nuff said.
Palin has been virtually MIA for the past 5 months. Huck and Mitt are on some cable news show nearly every day, and they still can’t put her away. What happens when she decides to make a play?
howIroll on June 2, 2009 at 11:12 PM
Iowans Rock on June 2, 2009 at 11:05 PM
Here I will disagree with you.
Yes Sarah had 8 weeks of solid coverage but that was 8-9 months ago; and Sarah hasn’t participated in a major partisan GOP event since helping Chambliss win his runoff in early December 2008. That’s basically 6 months of inactivity from the national scene while Huck and Mitt have been blanketing the air waves with their presence.
Don’t get me wrong. i don’t begrudge them that they are well known to TV viewers; they have to do what they have to do.
And to boot in the history of the two party system (Democrats and Republicans) since 1854 no first-time losing VP candidate for either party has gone on to secure the nomination for their party as the Presidential candidate in the next election cycle, let alone gone on to be POTUS.
Usually the losing VP candidate retreats into the wilderness never to be heard from again. That Sarah Palin is virtually tied for the lead in the runup to the 2012 primaries in 2 and 1/2 years I think is remarkable and living proof that Sarah Palin has a following in the GOP and should be considered a major player along with Huckabee and Romney.
technopeasant on June 2, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Because all the really successful shows, which run during the week, have the weekend off — but people still want to watch TV on the weekends.
Having the highest rated news-commentary show on cable (proof please?) on the weekend is like being the nicest shirt at Walmart. Show me the same success 5 nights a week, at prime time and I’ll grant you the point. But if he really had that big of an audience, he’d already be moved there.
Meh. People are easily swayed by name recognition and exposure. Three years out, polls mean very little beyond that.
I covered most of the above in my 11:08 response.
Harpazo on June 2, 2009 at 11:17 PM
And fun as this is, I’m out for the night.
Erev tov, everybody.
Harpazo on June 2, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Ted Kennedy criticized his principles?
Hahaha.
Romney’s not at the top of my list, but he’s head and shoulders above Huck.
cs89 on June 2, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Not this vote.
PrincipledPilgrim on June 2, 2009 at 11:36 PM
FIFY. And they’re still trying to take her out, and she’s still at or near the top of most polls without breaking a sweat. Who’s running to every TV camera and microphone in range, and who’s putting their head down and doing their job?
What does that tell you?
cs89 on June 2, 2009 at 11:36 PM
If God has a sense of humor — and I am pretty sure she does — we’ll all get to enjoy more palin in 2012!
benny shakar on June 2, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Hey Binny you need to get spinning on how Barry Soetoro’s born again Muslim roots are a net plus not a net minus….
sven10077 on June 2, 2009 at 11:46 PM
More truth in that than you realize.
ddrintn on June 2, 2009 at 11:48 PM
From the Cheney link:
Oh please.
Cheney’s mopped the floor with Obama, without even trying.
When you deliberately have to preempt someone else’s already planned speech, that says they’re getting to you.
Hawkins1701 on June 2, 2009 at 11:57 PM
I’m going to be interested in who goes negative first.
It won’t be Sarah Palin.
She has yet to say anything negative about any of these other Republicans, many of whom have hit her below the belt.
Tim Pawlenty, for example, at the RGA meeting in Miami a few months ago made a point of saying on TV more than once, “drill baby drill isn’t an energy policy”.
Ok genius, what’s your energy policy?
Oh, cap&trade you say?
Sarah is working on a pipeline for natural gas that’s going to be the largest energy infrastructure project in the history of North America.
Sarah Palin served on the Alaska Oil and Gas Comission. What about you, Timmy?
Sarah’s husband Todd actually drills for oil himself, in the Arctic. You think Minnesota has tough winters? Try Alaska’s North Slope in Feburary, pal.
I would like to see Timmy draw 5-10,000 people or more everywhere he goes. Thanks for playing, Timmy.
Brian1972 on June 3, 2009 at 12:14 AM
So who’s the Whig I’m sorry Republican nominee for 2016? Because none of these losers has a chance.
Terry Silver on June 3, 2009 at 12:37 AM
My only comfort is knowing that Huck can never beat Obama. Or Palin. Or Romney. Sure ha can win Iowa with his floating cross ads, but not much else.
hanzblinx on June 3, 2009 at 12:43 AM
You guys make fun of Mike Huckabee because he is a populist, but it’s great if Sarah Palin is a populist. IF Mike Huckabee could win the Republican nomination, I believe he would have a better chance in the general because he is a populist and cares about people.
Don’t worry, we all know who would go negative first…Mitt Romney. He was the candidate in 2008 who always went negative against whoever was in the lead. The debates were a riot. Mitt attacked whoever was his biggest ally at that time. Nobody else said negative things but Mitt during most of the primaries. That’s why none of the other candidates could stand him…not because of his money, but because he was the only other Republican candidate attacking Republicans. Everybody else played by the 11th commandment of Reagan except good ole Mitt.
VFT on June 3, 2009 at 1:19 AM
I wish that Huckabee would run for Senate and knock out one of those Arkansas Democrats, Pryor or Lincoln, whichever is up first. That would please me, but President? I don’t know, just can’t get enthused about that. Sarah’s my gal, unless she backs out, then who Sarah endorses will matter a whole lot.
Brian1972 on June 3, 2009 at 1:32 AM
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