Huckabee ad renews faith in politics debate
By Joanna Weiss, Globe Staff
Mike Huckabee's new "Merry Christmas" ad is drawing cheers from Christian bloggers, consternation from advocates of church-state separation, and a fair amount of fascination from all sides: Today, the Internet buzzed with speculation about whether a bookshelf, prominently featured in the background, represented a subliminal "floating cross."
Conspiracy theories aside, the ad has gained attention for what it represents: a deliberate, pointed salvo in a Republican primary campaign that has increasingly hinged on religion. The implied message, observers say, seems to be twofold: that there's one important religion, and one candidate who represents it best.
Asked about the ad on Fox News Channel today, Ron Paul, a rival for the Republican nomination, gave a harsh off-the-cuff assessment. He quoted Sinclair Lewis saying that ‘‘when fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross,’’ then went on to tweak Huckabee for ‘‘using a cross like he is the only Christian, or implying that subtly.’’
Huckabee stood by the ad. ‘‘If we are so politically correct in this country that a person can’t say enough of the nonsense with the political attack ads could we pause for a few days and say Merry Christmas to each other then we’re really, really in trouble as a country,’’ he said while campaigning yesterday in Houston, the Associated Press reported.
He also dismissed speculation about the bookshelf. ‘‘I will confess this: If you play the spot backwards it says, ‘Paul is dead. Paul is dead,’ ’’ he said, a joking reference to the urban legend about the Beatles’ ‘‘White Album.’’
If Huckabee is indeed trying to lay claim to the Christian faith, his ad — clearly aimed at evangelical conservatives — seems a not-so-subtle contrast with Mitt Romney, Huckabee’s chief rival in the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses. As Huckabee’s profile and poll numbers rose in recent weeks, his frequent references to religion — and to his background as an ordained minister — prompted Romney to deliver a long-awaited speech about the role of faith in public life, in which he asserted that religion had a role in the public square.
But Romney, well aware of some voters’ mistrust of Mormonism, was careful to talk about the value of all religions.
Huckabee, by contrast, has been specific, said Barry Lynn, executive director of the advocacy group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "Jesus and Mike Huckabee are both products being sold by this commercial. And I don’t see how anyone could view it otherwise," Lynn said.
The ad is part of a striking rise in religious rhetoric during this campaign, he said. Talk of faith also extends to the Democratic side, he said, from Barack Obama's references to "a kingdom right here on Earth" to Hillary Clinton's references to times that she has prayed.
"I've never seen such a religion-drenched primary on both the Democratic and Republican sides," Lynn said.
I think most are jealous they didn't think of being so downright honest about our feelings at Christmas
And Huckabee jokingly chanting "Paul is dead" just demonstrates how in touch he is with Jesus. Just jolly Huckabee, just jolly... almost as much as attacking a country that did nothing to us is in touch with what Jesus taught us.
Ironically, Paul is the one being smeared as anti-christ like....God help us all.
as a Christian, I personally am offended that a presidential candidate will use our (his and my) shared faith as a tool to gain votes. Though i am a born-again Christian, I believe that faith should influence the individual and the community, but NOT creep into the state, NOT be the turning point of a campaign and is definitely NOT a reason to vote for someone.
In fact, I believe that Mr. Huckabee is NOT a logical choice for the Christian conservative base that he has fooled. He is a big government liberal and he loves taxes - his being pro life is the only thing he has going for him with Christians, but there is a much better candidate for pro-lifers, and for Christians and for everyone else for that matter (hint: he has two first names)
Remember, it was Huckabee, the theologian, who, in the last debate, wouldn't (or couldn't) give a straight answer on the question of whether Jesus would support the death penalty. God help us all, indeed.
Mike Huckabee is AUTHENTIC!!!
He is a true fiscal conservative and the American people are tired of the half-truths and outright lies being distributed about him. Check the polls and you will see the people are not falling for this hate filled propaganda.
The REAL truth is he is ahead of your candidate and you just can’t stand it…
Merry Christmas!
As a student in high school I find this add completly disrespectful. This guy is obviously going to make the bible part of the constitution. I can not belive that Americans have actually supported this man for president. If a political candidtate will post an add like this it goes to show that he/she is not tolerent of other people or their religous belifes. I thought Huckabee had some good things to say but after watching this add it completly changed my view of this person.
Ron Paul knows that mixing politics, patriotism and religion is bad ; or as Sinclair Lewis said in his book "It Can't Happen Here" paraphrasing: "When fascism comes to America it will come wrapped in a flag, carrying a cross". Huckabee is doing a dangerous thing bringing religion explicitly into his campaign and implying that he is a "better" Christian than the rest of the candidates. Goodness, this is the game that Bush played to some extent and look at the quality of the person we have had for 7 years. Since he is always right, "The ends justify the means", so anything is fair including ignoring the constitution, trampling individual rights of everyone including US citizens, bankrupting the country, killing women and children in Iraq and condoning torture. Another 4 years of this idiocy and we are toast. Do the right thing and vote for someone who supports freedom, peace, a sound dollar, and the rights of the individual by being the "Champion of the constitution". If you know someone better at these things than Ron Paul, then please vote for them!
It would be enough, for me, that a candidate be a person of character, and if Faith is a part of that character, just as well. A part on ones character, not a part of government. When ones Faith is the basis for ones decisions, in government, that is Theocracy. And see how well that works in the Arab world.
Why is it that Huckabee's supporters are some of the most vile and downright vicious people online? And they are supposedly with the "moral superiority" crowd.
These people are thugs, tricksters, and thieves. They plant rumors, lie, and downright spit venom at everyone that says even the slightest critical thing about their candidate.
If this Huckabee's idea of the kind of morals we need to get back in this country, I say no thanks. We have had more than enough of that.
I would never consider voting for Huckabee based on the actions of his supporters.
Why waste a vote on Huckabee? He is not electable in the general election. He has already lost Utah and Idaho because of his comments on Mormons. That amount to 9 votes - a 18 point negative swing that the other Republican candidates don't have to worry about.
Anyone interested in what Huckabee is really like face to face should try this funny (but it actually happened) column:
http://goupstate.us/index.php/lanefiller/2007/11/02/title_14
Whoa whoa whoa!
Be sure not to judge a candidate by his supporters. I've kept this attitude for a while, especially with Ron Paul supporters.
(Not all but some radical) Ron Paul supporters have absolutely gone wild with comments and even death threats. They will absolutely tear down any person who speaks against the Doctor and have made it their goal to make sure the only positive press on the internet is about Ron Paul.
But I don't judge Ron Paul based on his supporters. Nor should you judge any other candidate to lead you based on how a few of the people following in the back of the crowd are acting.
Good quip from the Huckabee campaign.
If I had to choose between a guy that can find a subtle retort 4hrs later (based on an urban myth from an innocent source [Beatles] or a guy that can paraphrase Sinclair Lewis at 7am, WHY NOT go for the guy quoting a 30yr old counter-culture band versus someone who paraphrase Sinclair Lewis (off the cuff) at 7am. READING is so 1960s.
ALL we need is LOVE; Give Peace a Chance
Regarding 3 and 4 above. The Christian who will not stand up for what is right and good is sadly out of line with God's Word. America was founded on Christian norms and it should be a Christian nation, even if it accepts other faiths if someone wants to believe them. A Christian who does not understand that life in these United States can only continue if we turn back to the God Who made us strong in the first place, is sadly out of touch with Christian reality.
Oh Lord, save me from your kooky, intolerant followers!
I'm not crazy about Huckabee, but I'll take him over "Multiple" Mitt Romney anyday!
I'm trying to find out about Mike Huckabee. I have read the last sixteen comments and found out that there was only 1 person who actually told me anything. (Liberal who believes in Big government.)
There's a lot of fuss and feathers about the Christmas ad. What poverty of thought. If a man wants to wish me a Merry Christmas (especially around Christmas), I will take his good cheer in preference to BAH HUMBUG. But even Bah Humbug is better than all the name calling.
I want to know the following and cannot find it.
1. Will Mike pull the troops out of Iraq?
2. Will he stir up a hornet's nest in Iran?
3. Has he ever traveled outside the United States?
4. Does he understand the mindset of the Middle East? Does he truly respect it, or does he merely pay lip service to it?
5. Will he ignore red herrings like abortion and let the courts settle issues like that one? Conservatives seem to forget that that is how we got Roe vs. Wade in the first place. It is a slow process, done correctly by liberal lawyers. Conservative Lawyers in my opinion need the same sort of patience.
6. What is his view on the dollar?
7. How will he help Americans get out of the sub prime mess?
8. How does he feel about poverty and homelessness.
9. How about medicaide and medicare? The United States has a health care system second to none. It is just not accessible to everyone.
These are just a few questions. Where is the debate on them? So much ink, so little said.
Jerome
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