Posted on 10/25/2007 9:52:56 PM PDT by Fred
Republicans have won five of the last seven presidential elections by running candidates who broadly fit the Ronald Reagan model--fiscally conservative, and firmly but not harshly conservative on social issues. The wide-open race for the 2008 GOP nomination has generated two new approaches.
Rudy Giuliani, for example, isn't running away from his socially liberal views, although he has modified them. But he is campaigning as a staunch, even acerbic economic conservative. Should he win the nomination, conventional wisdom has it he may balance the ticket by picking former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as a running mate.
Mr. Huckabee, on the other hand, is running hard right on social issues but liberal-populist on some economic issues. This may help explain why the affable, golden-tongued Baptist minister was the clear favorite at the pro-life Family Research Council's national forum last Saturday. And why Mr. Huckabee's praises have been sung by liberal columnists such as Gail Collins of the New York Times and Jonathan Alter of Newsweek.
Mr. Huckabee attributes his support to the fact he is a "hardworking, consistent conservative with some authenticity about those convictions." He is certainly qualified for national office, having served nearly 11 years as a chief executive. I have known and liked him for years; on the stump he often tells the story of how we first met outside his boarded-up office in the state Capitol, which had been sealed by Arkansas Democrats who refused to accept he had won an upset election for lieutenant governor in 1993. But I also know he is not the "consistent conservative" he now claims to be.
Nor am I alone. Betsy Hagan, Arkansas director of the conservative Eagle Forum and a key backer of his early runs
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Phyllis Schlafly, president of the national Eagle Forum, is even more blunt. "He destroyed the conservative movement in Arkansas, and left the Republican Party a shambles," she says. "Yet some of the same evangelicals who sold us on George W. Bush as a 'compassionate conservative' are now trying to sell us on Mike Huckabee."
Who is Mike? An innocent looking lying whore!!!!
let’s repeat this again
Republicans. You have to be
pro-life
AND
cut taxes
AND
stop being such a wuss when it comes to islamofacism
AND
protect our border.
Thank you
The Republican Party wasted too many years of opportunity to groom an appropriate conservative candidate for 2008....a race that everyone knew would be the most critical race that America has ever faced.
At risk is our judicial system which equates to the agenda of the SCOTUS, our Constitution, our values, our laws, our borders, our culture, our freedoms, even our language. It hangs in the balance in 2008. America’s INTERNAL enemies have floated to the surface of a stagnant pool, like the pond scum they are....and who is there to FIGHT THEM, TO STOP THEM in the 2008 race???
That is what I asked the Repub Party the day I called them and cancelled my support and membership in their useless, weak, pathetic so-called organization. A Repub President for TWO TERMS, and a Congressional majority for ALMOST two terms. And what did they do with it???
QED
Well, it ought to be Dick Cheney, but we’ll just have to settle for Fred. ;-)
Sorry, that's the way it is.
“When conservatives took over the Southern Baptist Convention after a bitter fight in the 1980s, Mr. Huckabee sided with the ruling moderates. Paul Pressler, a former Texas judge who led the conservative Southern Baptist revolt, told me, ‘I know of no conservative he appointed while he headed the Arkansas Baptist Convention.’”
I would really like to validate if the above is true. The SBC was a real mess by the late 70s, and the “moderates” as called above were actually outright theological liberals. Many worked hard to get the SBC back into traditional conservative hands. If Huckabee sided with the “liberals” that were driven out of power, then he isn’t the kind of guy I want running our country. He would be another Jimmy Carter - which we don’t need.
Actually, I have to question why a Southern Baptist Minister would seek political office. There is NO higher calling than the ministry of the Gospel. Anyone that was a minister, that can be happy doing anything but serving as a minister, wasn’t ever really called by God....he could be bogus.
This write up is disturbing. If you can provide further collaboration, it would be appreciated.
Romney, Giuliani and Huckabee all have one thing in common, destroying the GOP in their respective states.
Oh that's bad. :-)
I will try. Fund is a very reliable source. He is writing for the WSJ so his priority will be fiscal issues.
As abhorrent as abortion is, it is a issue of STATE RIGHTS. I want my president to defend my constitution and my state rights, otherwise no one will have any rights. Roe v Wade was bad law as it invented a right that only the legislatures of each state can either give or deny.
This guy has been completely under my radar so far, but just what I have read in the column makes it certain that he has no chance of ever getting my vote.
He’d be worse than Rudy.
While I may agree with you on most, if not every, point, I would prefer not to see Pelosi and Reid running the agenda for our country.
You, in your uncompromising world, appear to prefer that outcome.
I, and I pray, most Republicans, do NOT.
While I may agree with you on most, if not every, point, I would prefer not to see Pelosi and Reid running the agenda for our country.
-
unless they ran as Republicans and suddenly they are now what we need for this country.
rebel_yell2 wrote: “You just ran a lot of FR and 90% of the voting population out of the Republican party. Enjoy losing EVERY election until hell freezes over.”
What planet have you been smoking crack on?
If you would bother to read it, you will learn that the four issue positions you think are losers for the GOP (pro-life, cut taxes, win the war on Isamofacism and protect our border) are all proud planks of the 2004 Republican Party Platform which was a winner in 2004.
http://www.gop.com/media/2004platform.pdf
Liberals and RINOs want the GOP to be Democrat Lite, a guaranteed losing position.
Ronald Reagan proved that when Republicans act like conservatives, they win. Bob Dole proved that when they act like anything less, they lose.
only a pro-life republican will want to appoint judges that will actually remove roe v wade. Furthermore he would be opposed to taxpayer funded abortions.
This is clearly not the case with Rudy (the leading contender) and as for Ron Paul, I have no real problem with his federalist position here because it probably true that it will lead to pro-life policy and that’s what he wants.
Are those four elements that demanding (of our politicians): Life, liberty, security, and sovereignty?
“Nor am I alone. Betsy Hagan, Arkansas director of the conservative Eagle Forum and a key backer of his early runs for office, was once “his No. 1 fan.” She was bitterly disappointed with his record. “He was pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise a liberal,” she says. “Just like Bill Clinton he will charm you, but don’t be surprised if he takes a completely different turn in office.”
“Phyllis Schlafly, president of the national Eagle Forum, is even more blunt. “He destroyed the conservative movement in Arkansas, and left the Republican Party a shambles,” she says. “Yet some of the same evangelicals who sold us on George W. Bush as a ‘compassionate conservative’ are now trying to sell us on Mike Huckabee.”
I copied the above from a conservative news site, I forget which one :)
I am not necessarily anti-Huckabee and will vote for whatever Repub wins the nomination. However I thought the above is food for thought.
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