LOL! Well, it's really too early yet for me to be picking a candidate. As I mentioned, I don't think Huckabee has much of a chance to make "the final cut." And there are others that I probably could support (Thompson, Hunter, Romney).
When I said that Huckabee had stolen my heart, what I was referring to was his beautiful and deeply moving speech on the "culture of Love" that he gave at the third GOP debate (IIRC). To make his point, he contrasted America, a culture of love -- given its philosophical and theological roots, and its historical behavior towards other nations suffering from tyranny, poverty, disease -- to that of a culture of death, which is plainly what aggressive, hegemonistic Islamofascism amounts to, and Huckabee said so. It was a wonderfully clarifying moment.
That was the overarching point; but he also made it plain that a culture of love is one that honors, values, cherishes, and protects human life at all its stages, from conception to natural death. He spoke of the millions of innocents lost to abortion, as well as the elderly, alone and abandoned in nursing homes, etc. And he called upon Americans to understand how unique in the world is the culture of love that America has historically nurtured, but which it appears we are moving away from, toward a more pragmatic, utilitarian ethos.
He challenged us Americans to renew ourselves and our society by focusing once more on love and life. He was appealing to "the better angels" of our nature....
Anyhoot, some people are "issues voters." I tend to be a "values and character" voter. I looked at who was standing on the stage with Huckabee, and I thought to myself, in terms of personal character, Huckabee is the "pick of the litter."
I admire him tremendously. Plus he's a musician, and that never hurts! :^)
In the final analysis, Huckabee probably won't be the GOP candidate. But then again, you never know: A lot can happen between now and November 2008, and probably will.
The major candidate I doubt I could ever support is Giuliani. There, it's definitely a question of character.... He may be a completely competent executive; but I don't feel/think I can trust him.
So there it is.... The next 16 months will be interesting, to say the least!
Thank you oh so very much for your insights into Huckabee! I missed the debate - now I am sorry that I did.