Huck and Bariatric Surgery

The Corner ^ | 12/31 11:26 AM | Lisa Schiffren

[Checkers]

Jonah, that Powerline blogger you link to does make an excellent case that Huckabee's 110-pound weight loss in a year, and other physical changes are more consistent with bariatric surgery than unassisted diet and exercise. I had wondered about it, but am always happy to believe it is possible to do it without the surgery. From everything we now know about obesity, however, while it is possible to overcome, it is pretty difficult for someone with the dread "fat gene" to keep it off for a long time without constant vigilance. (Indeed, recent pictures suggest that campaign life is taking a toll on his waistline. Or was that just the hunting jacket?)

So, if Huck had the surgery, I for one, would not blame him or think any less of him. (That would be true even if I thought highly of him.) I regard it as a radical but increasingly common solution to a persistent problem. No more or less. Nor do I really think it is anyone's business, though, like plastic surgery, it isn't so easy to hide and unless you are exceptionally vain, you will probably be happier admitting it. At least that applies in private life. It's a different ballgame now that he wants to be president. In that case being honest is warranted, since it is a serious operation, with ongoing health implications.

Even if he did it for pure health reasons, he would have had to consider the fact that his career could not progress without the weight loss, however effected. Because, as is clear, fat is the last taboo in the upper reaches of American power. The days of 300-lb. presidents — Grover Cleveland, William Howard Taft — are over, if only because whatever intelligence, wisdom, and energy they might bring to the task, the ubiquitous, angle-loving camera would do them in before they got off the ground. And, in our morally challenged culture, physical fitness is considered a proxy for moral fitness, regardless of the individual truth of the matter, or the general justice of the equation.

In Huckabee's case, acknowledging the surgery (if true), would also, unhappily for him, deprive him of moral credit for what is, in his own telling, his signal personal accomplishment. He has made much of his victory over the flesh, and spent much time cajoling the population of Arkansas — and the rest of us — to follow suit. His health care policy, for heaven's sake, is based on having all of us lose weight and get exercise so we don't need insurance or medicine. If he had the surgery, his preaching is based on a deep deception about the road to health. Not so good.

[mamelukesabre]

“Slime, what an idiot”?

I don’t think I’m familiar with that movie. Please tell more.

[Ditter]

How ever he lost the weight, I am proud and happy for him but........... I’m not going to vote for him.

[Democrat_media]

To: Democrat_media

Good post pointing out the REAL issues of the campaign. I personally couldn’t care less if Huckabee currently weighed over 300 pounds, had bariatric surgery, or hair transplants. It’s his stance on the issues that have been wrong and will destroy the country (and what’s left of the party).

81 posted on 01/01/2008 9:18:23 AM PST by CottonBall
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Thanks. Good to see someone gets it and knows what issues are important and what a threat to our way of like this Huckabee Huckster or Hillary Clinton is.

[CottonBall]

Good to see someone gets it and knows what issues are important and what a threat to our way of like this Huckabee Huckster or Hillary Clinton is.

I guess we ought to be fair here and I do see that almost everyone here realizes the threat Huckabee is. That's why they're talking about bariatric surgery and ridiculing his family picture - likely out of frustration that he's even polling well.

But as you pointed out, sticking to the REAL issues is what's important. And it differentiates us from the liberals, who do use personal attacks in lieu of discussing the issues. We just need to keep bringing the threads back to it when we can! Thanks for doing so.