American Pastoral - Mike Huckabee preaches to the choir, but not everyone's singing along.

Opinion Journal ^ | December 21, 2007 | PEGGY NOONAN

[samtheman]

for me the fact that he used the cross and then denied the cross was the most telling thing to come from this ad

That's right. He joked about playing it backwards and hearing "Paul is dead" -- which was a clever (and pre-planned) reaction to his critics -- but the fact is, the cross as a trick of lighting and not an actual cross was a kind of subliminal imagery, putting it in there to trick us with an association of his face and that symbol.

It was premeditated and cold-hearted, a product not of Christian evangelism but calculated mass-media science.

Very Clintonesque.

[LRS]

Welcome to the camp
I guess you know why I’m here
I am the Huckster
And I’m being pushed this year
If you want to follow me
You have to play pinball
And put in the earplugs
Put on the eye shades
You know where to put the cork...

[fkabuckeyesrule]

The Huckabee ad was good and infact effective. That’s why we’ve seen alot of the candidates coming out with their Christmas/Holiday season commercials. Alot of these politicians just can’t fake warmth (especially PIAPS). The only good ad IMHO other than Huckabee is the Obama ad.

[ichabod1]

But he denied, sorta, that it was intentional. To my thinking, he should have owned up to it and dared any of his inquisitors to make an issue of it. This is Christmas. The cross is a symbol of Chistmas. The cross belongs to the message. I would have liked that much better.

Right. Like if, just as the cross came in to focus, he said let's remember Jesus is the reason for the season, that would have been fine. Instead he gave that little wink and that peering look like he's checking to see if he got one over on you. I don't like that. Look, both he and Mitt have changed some positions. But when I look at Mitt I don't sense guile. He may just be a lot smoother, but I don't.

[libstripper]

Ann Coulter is, too, when it comes to the Huckster.

[Coldwater Creek]

There is absolutely no way that you can lump Mike Huckabee in with those three pseudo ministers. And, then to suggest that God is involved is beyond the pale.

I probably am not going to vote for Huckabee, but it is time to stop attacking a man for his name.

[X-Servative]

BINGO! He got called on the cross and then lied about it. Right up there with “I did it but I didn’t inhale.” Must be something in the water in Hope.

[claudiustg]

What Peggy Noonan said:

“I wound up thinking this: That guy is using the cross so I’ll like him. That doesn’t tell me what he thinks of Jesus, but it does tell me what he thinks of me. He thinks I’m dim. He thinks I will associate my savior with his candidacy. Bleh.”

[Rockitz]

I’m not attacking the Huckster for his name, rather his character. The other three in my list were also lacking in character as you may recall.

[PghBaldy]

Good article. Expresses things I can’t. The more I see him, the less I like him. It started with his “innocent” question about Mormon theology (Jesus & Satan brothers?). It’s been downhill since. I somewhat liked him before, but that was a turning point for me. He’s playing a nasty game. Reminds me of the Clintons.

[cowdog77]

I’m a Christian first, a mother second, a conservative third, and a Republican fourth.

I will be voting for Alan Keyes.