Hucksterism lives

The Seattle Times ^ | December 29, 2007 | The Editors

[2ndDivisionVet]

The Christmas ads that showed up in Iowa and New Hampshire — and here, on the Internet — are mostly just more ads, but with a new and disturbing twist.

There is Barack Obama, being sensitive by letting his wife, Michelle, speak first; Rudy Giuliani, softening his image by joking with Santa, and Ron Paul grinning in the midst of family pandemonium. John McCain reminds us he was a prisoner of war, Fred Thompson offers heart-warming snapshots of the troops and John Edwards promises not to forget the poor. The hullabaloo has come over the ad for Mike Huckabee. He speaks alone, telling the viewer that "what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ." As he says this, the camera pans and a shelf appears between his head and a Christmas tree — in the form of a bright white cross.

The subliminal message is, "I'm a real Christian," and that maybe his opponents aren't. For that, he has been attacked — and of course, he knew he would be attacked. He wanted to be attacked. It allows him to defend his innocuous words — and they are innocuous, out of political context.

All this strikes us as brilliant politics — and a regrettable injection of more religion into a contest for secular office. Americans may demand a president with religious values, but up until now, most voters have not chosen their presidential candidate based on who scores highest on the fervency meter. Looking at the Huckabee ad, and remembering that it's more than 11 months to the election, we think: What next? Who's going to top this?

[2ndDivisionVet]

Wow! A Seattle paper skewering two liberals in one short editorial!

[samtheman]

Clinton ad connected to the Christmas of gain. In her ad, she sits by a pile of presents and inserts gift cards identifying the contents: "Universal Health Care," "Alternate Energy" and "Universal Pre-K."

In some future anti-Clinton ad, someone could use this ad as a starting point and then show "the other side of the story" with armed feds ala Ilian Gonzalez, bursting into someones home, rifling through purses and piggy banks, and exiting with cash in hand... and guns aimed in a threatening manner at the occupants. (or something like that)

[BigAlPro]

It's time to exercise my Right to Freedom of Religion. I will be voting for the candidate which best supports my values, not the candidate which totes the best religious credentials. Although I am a conservative Christian, and my faith plays the highest role in my decision making process, a candidate's denomination is not even in my top ten list for presidential criteria.

I don't care if the candidate claims to be a Catholic, a Baptist or a Mormon. I don't care if he goes to church every Sunday or if he tithes as requires by the bible. I don't even care if he falls asleep occasionally when he does attend church. So long as he will uphold his oath of office as president with the highest of moral values, he will get my vote!

Many Christians fear Romney because he is a Mormon. They don't trust Giuliani because he is a Catholic. They now believe that Huckabee is the most trustworthy because he is a Protestant minister. They like McCain, even though he tried to grant citizenship to over 12 million illegal aliens and now denies it. PHOOEY on all of them!

Last I checked, being a religious leader was not part of the President's job description. If "We the People" truly believe in "Freedom of Religion", then a candidate's denomination should not play significant a role in our thought process. It is time for all Americans to consider the position of President and evaluate each candidate's ability to best carry out the task at hand. It's time for America to elect the candidate who will make the best President.

[ovrtaxt]

I’m with you. As a hard core Jesus freak, I’d rather have an atheist surgeon working on me than a Christian, if he was the best in the world. That’s an extreme example, but the principle holds.

Hunter may not have ever been a “professional minister”, but his life speaks for itself. He’s getting my vote, if he’s still in the race by the primary.

[Coldwater Creek]

If only Hunter had been an ex governor, he would have won the nomination hands down.

[dearolddad]

Clinton ad connected to the Christmas of gain. In her ad, she sits by a pile of presents and inserts gift cards identifying the contents: "Universal Health Care," "Alternate Energy" and "Universal Pre-K."

Perhaps some reporter should ask sen. Clintoon who's credit card she will be putting all of these presents on.

[Salman]

Yet another example of misuse of the term "subliminal".

There was nothing subliminal about it.

[Kevmo]

Huckabee has surged because he won a couple of debates and he’s got evangelical support. If a quick rise can happen to the liberal pro-life evangelical Huckster, it can happen to the conservative pro-life evangelical Hunter.

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According to Intrade, the winner of the December 12th GOP debate was... Duncan Hunter.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1938773/posts

Why the smart money is on Duncan Hunter
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1926032/posts

In this poll Hunter is up 3% and even with Paul and Thompson.
http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=3481ef60-8195-46a9-af04-b87b907bcfdd

[Prophet in the wilderness]

" Many Christians fear Romney because he is a Mormon. They don't trust Giuliani because he is a Catholic. "

I just don't trust them because they say and speak that they are conservatives, when in truth, they are not, I just don't trust them because they are Liberals.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

For me, either , or :

Thompson or Hunter, or Hunter or Thompson, I would be happy with both as the POTUS.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

>>Perhaps some reporter should ask sen. Clintoon who's credit card she will be putting all of these presents on.<<

[BigAlPro]

To discriminate based on a candidate’s core values, principles or positions on issues is what the elections are all about. To discriminate based on denomination goes against the core of America’s sovereign existence. Voters are quick to judge politicians for hypocrisy, while they themselves violate the premise of The Constitution. Sad, isn’t it?

[Prophet in the wilderness]

What I see happening when some people who dare to talk about Mitt's liberal record, they are attacked for being bigoted, discriminating Mormonism... how is talking about Mitt's liberalism bashing Mormonism ?
Yes, I made some post on a Mormon discussion thread, and I do not hold the beliefs of Mormonism.
The Mormons I see here mince words, and blur the lines between strictly talking about Mitt's liberal record and in the same breath, if you criticize Mitt, your a Mormon basher.

[BigAlPro]

It is the liberal way of dealing with things they don't understand or people with whom they disagree. Even if it comes from conservatives, it is still a liberal tactic. I wrote an article about the cigarette tax in Michigan and was accused of attacking poor people and minorities. I wrote an article about illegal immigration and was labeled a hateful racist. I wrote an article about the sinfulness of homosexuality and was called hateful and hurtful. I wrote an article about issues of faith and was referred to as a zealot.

When you stand up for what you believe and say what you think, there will always be people who try to discredit you. I have learned that if you can't take the criticism, you need to keep your mouth shut. I choose to speak up, therefore, I accept the criticism thrown my way. In fact, my favorite thing about writing is reading the rebuttals written against me.

By the way, I disagree with many aspects of the Mormon faith and I am concerned for the salvation of all Mormons, but I am still voting for Mitt Romney on January 15th.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I don't disagree with you that you have the right to pick whom you see fit, I just don't trust Mitt, and I was accused of being a Mormon hater.
Yes, I stated what I believe on a thread dedicated just for that discussion.
However ? somehow ? when ever someone on FR criticize Mitt on his record, the Mitt supporters accuse those people of hating Mormons.