Huckabee to announce his candidacy this weekend?

[Mr. Morden]

From the Hotline:

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/01/huckabee_hearts.html

-----------
"We wouldn't be surprised if Mike Huckabee announced his candidacy for WH '08 this weekend. He's making his first appearance on Meet the Press since February of 2001, according to Nexis search. He's also addressing the National Review Conservative Summit in DC that morning.

On Tuesday, Huckabee starts a five-city tour of Iowa. In addition to the a few radio shows, the events aren't all the usual county GOP fare -- many of the stops are labeled as "Meet Mike Huckabee" events.

And we hear from a local Arkansas activist that he's setting up one-on-one phone calls with state Republicans today..."

[YRABNNRM]

If there's one man that can take the nomination from McCain, it's Huckabee.

[Reaganfan]

If there's one man that can take the nomination from McCain, it's Huckabee.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Agree, but Romney's fundrasing shows he could also be a force.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

If there's one man that can take the nomination from McCain, it's Huckabee.

Why Huckabee and not Brownback?  Huckabee has a hick name and is from a hick state...(not that Brownback is a good name for a pol).  Don't know that much about him except for reading wikipedias page on him, but right now I don't identify with Huckabee.

I can't see the GOP passing over McCain's biography and winner potential in order to nominate someone with a fiscal record like Huckabee, but I can potentially see the GOP rolling the dice on someone who is both a fiscal and social conservative like Brownback .  

[Joe Biden 2020]

Huckabee has a decent shot.  As I've said before, McCain is just too old and not in the best health.  It'd be more logical based on age and health to nominate Dick Cheney.  Dick Cheney is just a tad younger (I believe?) and he's in decent health other than his heart.  Mind you he hasn't had a heart flare-up in at least two or three years if not more.

Now, I know Dick Cheney will not run, as he knows Iraq would kill his campaign in its infancy or make his campaign still-born, but in terms of age and health, he would be a better candidate than John McCain.

So, having said that, I see Mike Huckabee and Sam Brownback as the leading Presidential contenders for the Republicans.  Conservatism is not a bad thing and I don't think this country is mad at President Bush because he's conservative, they're just angry because he mismanaged and destroyed a perfectly legitimate war mission when he forgot or failed, take your pick, to plan for what would happen after Saddam Hussein was overthrown.

Again, just because Huckabee and Brownback are ultra-conservative, they're not dead ducks.  If matched up with Hillary Clinton, I would vote for Huckabee or Brownback in a heartbeat.

I'm Democrat, but I'm a conservative Democrat.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Unlike Brownback, Huckabee, though a Southern Baptist preacher, is not seen as a religious nut

I haven't paid attention to either one or their positions, so fill me in...how is Brownback more of a religiouis nut than Huckabee?

[Mr. Morden]

So, having said that, I see Mike Huckabee and Sam Brownback as the leading Presidential contenders for the Republicans.

The leading contenders for the GOP nomination?  Meaning, you think *both* of them have a better shot at the nomination than McCain?  Not just one of them, but *both*?  Wow, I agree that McCain has his vulnerabilities, and is far from a lock as the nominee, but I'm not going to go quite *that* far......at least right now.

[Smash255]

Unlike Brownback, Huckabee, though a Southern Baptist preacher, is not seen as a religious nut

I haven't paid attention to either one or their positions, so fill me in...how is Brownback more of a religiouis nut than Huckabee?

snowflake babies

[JSojourner]

If there's one man that can take the nomination from McCain, it's Huckabee.

Why Huckabee and not Brownback?  Huckabee has a hick name and is from a hick state...(not that Brownback is a good name for a pol).  Don't know that much about him except for reading wikipedias page on him, but right now I don't identify with Huckabee.

I can't see the GOP passing over McCain's biography and winner potential in order to nominate someone with a fiscal record like Huckabee, but I can potentially see the GOP rolling the dice on someone who is both a fiscal and social conservative like Brownback .  

Huckabee is an ordained Southern Baptist minister.  He was high up in the Southern Baptist Convention during the purges of moderate clergy and professors in the 80's and early 90's.  He would be a huge draw for votes from the religious right. 

Of course, in a general election, he would have problems with women...having vigorously opposed the denomination's historical position allowing the ordination of females.  Since the purge, the SBC has done everything it can to prevent women from seeking and receiving ordination.  To the point that today, it flatly refuses ordination.  There are still a few ordained women in the SBC, but they received their credentials before the purge.  Most have left the denomination for the more progressive "American Baptist Church".

I know Huckabee can win the nomination.  I doubt seriously whether he can win the general.

[Frodo]

Excellent -I would definitely consider supporting him.

I know Huckabee can win the nomination.  I doubt seriously whether he can win the general.

I doubt whether any Republican -assuming he makes it through the primaries (which rules out Giuliani and Romney)- will be able to win in the general election if Iraq continues to deteriorate, which, IMHO, is all too likely. 

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Excellent -I would definitely consider supporting him.

Good riddance to you.

[adam]

Looking forward to it.

[JSojourner]

Unlike Brownback, Huckabee, though a Southern Baptist preacher, is not seen as a religious nut

I haven't paid attention to either one or their positions, so fill me in...how is Brownback more of a religiouis nut than Huckabee?

I am not sure I would call either one a religious nut.  But both are beloved by leaders of the religious nuts in our country.  Pat Robertson, James Dobson, D. James Kennedy, Jerry Falwell -- all frequently tout the potential of Huckabee and Brownback to be Presidents who will pay attention to Christians.  (Code for:  conservative fundamentalist Christians.  They're not talking about Episcopalians or Lutherans!)

Both are Theocrats.  Brownback would criminalize abortion, even in cases of rape and incest.  And to the best of my knowledge, he opposes therapeutic abortion as well.  Huckabee's position is the same.

Both oppose the right of gay and lesbian people to marry.

Brownback is a member of Opus Dei, his scalp hanging next to that of Rick Santorum on the Opus Dei lodgepole. Huckabee is ordained in the SBC and (as detailed in an earlier post in this thread) has been deeply involved in the SBC's purge of moderates from the denomination and of women from the pulpit.

Brownback has suggested that the Bible story in Genesis should be taught as science in the public schools.  I think he's gone so far as to suggest it be taught INSTEAD of Evolution.  I believe Huckabee favors teaching it alongside Evolution...but I am not sure.

One thing in the favor of both from a moderate or liberal standpoint:  Both men have made compassionate appeals on behalf of the needy.  Brownback joined Barack Obama in getting an AIDS test last year and called on Congress to increase funding for AIDS prevention and treatment in both the U.S. and Africa.  Huckabee opened the state's fiscal coffers and encouraged Katrina victims to re-settle in Arkansas for as long as need by.  By every account I have read, they were well treated and continue to be.

I would say they are not quite as nutty as Rick Santorum, Jim DeMint or Tom Coburn.  But definitely closer to that tribe than a paleoconservative like Richard Lugar, Mark Sanford or George Voinovich.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Unlike Brownback, Huckabee, though a Southern Baptist preacher, is not seen as a religious nut

I haven't paid attention to either one or their positions, so fill me in...how is Brownback more of a religiouis nut than Huckabee?

snowflake babies

how is that nutty? a snowflake is unique as is each human, and snow is frozen just as those embryos were frozen.  

though it is a bit cheesy, seems a like a pretty apt analogy to me

regardless of your position on the issues, why would anyone have a problem with that analogy?

As long as he didn’t do something stupid, like Santorum’s 2006 press conference declaring we had found the WMD we were looking for in Iraq, Brownback is a viable candidate.

And Brownback has one HUGE advantage over the rest of the GOP field:  he has the complete trust of social conservatives with regard to possible appointments to the bench.  Brownback is trusted not to pull any surprises: no Souters, no O’Connors, no Miers, no Kennedys .

[SPC]

If there's one man that can take the nomination from McCain, it's Huckabee.

or Giuliani...
...or Romney...
...or Gingrich...
...or Brownback...
...or Thompson...
...or Gilmore

[DownWithTheLeft]

If there's one man that can take the nomination from McCain, it's Huckabee.

or Giuliani...
...or Romney...
...or Gingrich...
...or Brownback...
...or Thompson...
...or Gilmore

...or Tancredo
...or Paul
....or someone not announced

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Huckabee is just another lunatic that supports Bush's escalation plan which is opposed by 61% of Americans.

[Deano963]

Huckabee has filed papers to create an exploratory committee. It's on Political Wire.

[Mr. Morden]

To be more precise, he is going to file those papers on Monday.  Full AP story here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/27/ap/politics/mainD8MT9DHO1.shtml

------------
"Republican Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and a favorite of conservatives, will take the first step in a 2008 presidential bid, an official told The Associated Press on Friday.

Huckabee, 51, plans to file papers on Monday establishing an exploratory committee that will allow him to raise money and hire campaign staff, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting a formal announcement."

[YRABNNRM]

If there's one man that can take the nomination from McCain, it's Huckabee.

or Giuliani...
...or Romney...
...or Gingrich...
...or Brownback...
...or Thompson...
...or Gilmore

No.

[Reaganfan]

I'm really glad. I like Mike Huckabee, think he would make a very good president, and he is definitley in my top three with McCain and Romney. McCain/Huckabee would be a major ticket.

[adam]

McCain/Huckabee would be a major ticket.

Yes, a major disappointment. I would be devasted if a candidate as great as Huckabee were to be wasted on a ticket with such a sure loser.