AP: You know who’s looking like a GOP frontrunner right now? Mike Huckabee
posted at 8:26 pm on July 14, 2009 by Allahpundit
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What color is the sky in your world, AP?
Huckabee’s value as a presidential candidate, however, has gotten a boost primarily from the downfall of others within the Republican Party. Admissions of affairs by Nevada Sen. John Ensign and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, both considered at one time potential GOP contenders, have helped Huckabee.
In other words, the Baptist minister with a covenant marriage is starting look a lot better by comparison.
Huckabee may also get some help from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s surprise announcement that she’ll step down as governor, midway through her first term, later this month. It’s unclear whether the former Republican vice presidential nominee’s announcement is a prelude to a 2012 bid, or an exit from politics entirely.
Huckabee says he’s still a fan of Palin, but questioned the Alaska governor’s move.
“Well, it’s a risky strategy, and nobody knows whether it’s going to pay off or not,” Huckabee said on “Fox News Sunday” earlier this month. “And even if she did get out, primarily because of a feeling of being chased, that’s not going to stop if she continues in politics. The only way that stops is for her to completely exit the stage and the spotlight.”
I like to goof with you guys about him being the nominee because I know it (inexplicably) torments you, but seriously: Assuming Romney runs, which is a near certainty, give me a scenario in which Huck tops him for the nomination. He’ll have his strongholds — Iowa, South Carolina, plenty of other southern states — but Romney will have the coasts, the northeast, lots of the midwest, most of the party bigwigs, all of talk radio, and a huge war chest on his side. He’ll also be seen as the “economy” candidate while Huck is pigeonholed as the social con. And needless to say, if Palin runs and pulls evangelicals away from him, Huck will be lucky to win a single primary. So I repeat the question. How does Huck win the nomination?
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Sorry, Charlie was a registered Democrat, Jeff
Damn , Just when things were looking up!
MaiDee on July 15, 2009 at 4:32 PM
If our only options are Romney or Huckabee (God help us all), a third party run by Palin should be encouraged. If not, droves of us would vote 3rd party regardless. Might as well have a viable 3rd party candidate.
Norwegian on July 15, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Unemployment has spent how much of the past century in single digits, and how much in double? You’re simply wrong. This recession/depression will be hard, but it’s an outlier. “Normal” is better than this, if our gov. doesn’t screw it up too bad with taxes etc.
cs89 on July 15, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Sorry, but Barbour is not the one. From Rasmussen’s most recent poll on 2012 GOP contenders:
Norwegian on July 15, 2009 at 4:54 PM
I didn’t think NC, VA and FL would go blue last time either. Think even harder, and take nothing for granted.
ddrintn on July 15, 2009 at 5:02 PM
To answer your question, Allah, go back to Arkansas and run for Governor again.
Romney will be tied to the mast of RomneyCare in Massachusetts (i.e. the health care “reform” he successfully pushed through the General Assembly in that state), which sounds like its a complete bust to me.
Huck has become a tool of corporate interests from my perspective, but, if you are bored, try to find his concession speech on youtube.
It was the best political speech of 2008.
It sounded like it was written by the founding fathers.
But, since that time he has been petty and dull, which means that he should fit right into today’s Republican Party.
molonlabe28 on July 15, 2009 at 5:06 PM
To all those who think that Huck would make a good candidate for President, I ask you to reconsider. Nominating Huck would guarantee a 2nd Obama term.
Dollayo on July 15, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Again, let me remind people that way more Republicans voted for Huckabee last time around than Romney. Which Romney will run in 2012, the liberal Gov. of Mass or the suddenly very conservative 2008 Romney. Huckabee has been consistent with his conservative views. we even had in 2008 people like Gilmore and Hunter who were real conservatives too running…however people on this site for some reason fell in love with the suddenly conservative for the election Romney. Please……and Palin….please…once upon a time there was a party called the Whigs…they stood for nothing other than to oppose Andrew Jackson, the Republicans need to be more than simply the anti-Obama party. Huckabee is the real thing, Jindal seems to be the real things, there are others out there too…let them emerge naturally and not just because they are anti-Obama. The anti-Obama thing does not seem to be working out right now. Reagan was not anti-Carter or anti-Ford he had real beliefs that he held dating back to his days as an actor. Palin and Romney = a second Obama term.
arizonateacher on July 15, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Huckabee?
Shoot me now.
enoughalready on July 15, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Rush is Right.
OneVision on July 15, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Romney is not a liberal. Never has been. Yeah, he had to give lip service to the libs in Mass on abortion and gay marriage. But what were his actions as Governor?
The question is who is the most ELECTABLE and CONSERVATIVE candidate for 2012? Huckabee is not electable nationally. He can win the in the South. Maybe the mountain west. That’s it.
Romney is the most electable for 2012 at this point. Unless Jindal or someone else jumps into the race.
Pawlenty is a bore, and would be lucky to win 15 states.
Palin is of course the wildcard….let’s see what her numbers with indpendents are in 2011….
But at this point, Romney is the front runner.
therightwinger on July 15, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Liberals like Huckabee because they know he’s with them on all issues except the “social con” stuff like abortion and gay marriage.
If he wins the nomination, all true conservatives will be forced to hold their noses while voting, much as was the case with McLame. Obama wins by a landslide.
peski on July 15, 2009 at 9:22 PM
Time and time again it was said of Romney the more people get to know him, the more they like him.
He is truly an amazing and talented man. He’s a financial genius that will put the country back on track if we give him a chance.
scotash on July 16, 2009 at 2:31 AM
Huckabee in 2012 means Ogabe until 2016
long_cat on July 16, 2009 at 9:58 AM
“He is truly an amazing and talented man. He’s a financial genius that will put the country back on track if we give him a chance.”
He hasn’t shown it, supporting TARP and the Porkulus although criticizing the implementation.
Chris_Balsz on July 16, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Hate to say “I told you so”, but…
marklmail on July 16, 2009 at 10:39 AM
P.S. It’s not his strongholds NOW, it’s that he connects with avg people wherever they are exposed to him. Love him or hate him, it’s a fact. He makes a connection with people. He’ll pull middle America, evangelicals, and even a lot of black folks. You’ll see.
marklmail on July 16, 2009 at 10:42 AM
Huckabee? Well, interesting fantasy for some, I suppose.
AnninCA on July 16, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Your post, even if, theoretically, I’d give you being correct, still cries out more for a third party than this group of losers.
Jeff from WI on July 16, 2009 at 11:00 AM
3rd party = Obama Socialist State. EPIC FAIL.
marklmail on July 16, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Will Mitt be seen as the economy candidate? Or will he be seen as representative of the Republicans that sold our country out to China?
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FAIR TAX. The Republicans had control for 6 golden years, and all they could do was cut a snip hear a snip there and now those cuts are expiring. Huckabee is interested in true tax reform.
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You hear the ads he ran assuring Mass. voters he was utterly completely pro-choice and had absolutely the same position as the democrat candidate; they were so clearly, even aggressively worded. Then he does a 180? The impression is this is a man who lacks a spine. During both the governor and presidential campaigns he said what was politically expedient. You just don’t get that from Huckabee. You might not agree with him all the time, but he has humility and integrity. It’s not even about the life issue so much as the integrity issue, which means a lot as we witness Obama breaking promises left and right to the moderate dopes that were silly enough not to peg him for a liar from day one.
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You’re living in a fairytale if you really think it’ll be that easy for Mitt. I’m not necessarily against him, but he’s going to have to run on something other than himself. The person that wins is the one that takes the energy and desires of the Tea Party movement, makes a new Contract with America, and aggressively calls out Obama for what he is, a liar, a coward and a thief.
Simona on July 16, 2009 at 11:37 AM
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