Marc Ambinder (December 20, 2007) - A Huckabee Ally On El Rushbo

Pure bunk. Rush doesn't like Huck because Huck is only conservative on abortion and gay marriage. He is really a liberal on everything else (i.e. taxes, etc.)

Rush has really only praised Romney and Thompson. You can argue that Romney is the favorite of the "chattering class" but you can certainly not argue that Fred is.

Posted by Joel | December 20, 2007 10:34 AM

Wow! How to destroy your own campaign: attack the most listened to talk show host in the free world two weeks before a close caucus. Are you sure this wasn't a Romney ally posing as a Huck ally? Huck won't know what hit him. This is the updated version of "never get into an argument with someone who buys paper by the ton and ink by the barrel.

Posted by Matt in Maine | December 20, 2007 10:51 AM

This analysis makes absolutely no sense.

First of all, Rush opposed the GOP/DC establishment on immigration.

Second of all, why would Rush oppose Huck if he wanted Hillary? Wouldn't he support Huck if he wanted Hillary (since Huck is probably easiest her her to beat)?

Finally - while I agree that Rush generally tries to be the GOP cheerleader (he takes talking points, expounds upon them, and attacks Democrats), this guy is a pretty smart guy. Most of the other radio idiots (Hannity, Savage, etc) are completely moronic and can be easily led by the GOP talking points, but Rush is an intelligent fellow. Don't underestimate him!

Posted by Democrats Against Hillary | December 20, 2007 11:12 AM

No: Rush doesn't think. Not one of the wacky radio celebs (left and right) have a functioning brain.

http://www.political-buzz.com/

Posted by matt | December 20, 2007 11:13 AM

Rush, like many of us, are REAGAN conservatives. Limited government, not expanding it. Huckabee wants to expand the role of the federal government in education, smoking, preventative health care. His immigration policy as governor was also an expansion of benefits for illegals until the "cooler" heads calmed down his "compassionate" side.

Huckabee as "Heroic Conservative" like Gerson writes in his book. There is nothing heroic about conservatives who want to expand the role fo the federal government. It's political pandering to get into office.

I wrote more about Huckabee's expansion of the federal role in education on my blog.

www.spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com

Posted by Spunky | December 20, 2007 11:39 AM

The Christian right (and other fed up conservatives) are supporting Mike Huckabee, but the right’s pundits are not flocking to support him, and many of them are actually trying to derail him. Case in point:

Rush's Hit-Piece on Huckabee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu-ZSSaZELM

Something is very very very very wrong with this picture. Bottom line: The best candidate for the Republican nomination is Huckabee.

Posted by apacallyps | December 20, 2007 11:43 AM

Hmmm...I don't really trust comments from anonymous "allies" of politicians.

Posted by KeepinItReal | December 20, 2007 11:50 AM

Cuervo Christmas Cookies

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Sample the Cuervo to check quality.

Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one shot and drink.

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make surethe Cuervo is still OK, try another shot just in case.

Turn offf the mixer. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the frigging fruit off the damn floor. Now mix the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters, get it out with a drewscriver. Check Cuervo aggin to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, into it. Hceck the Hose Cuervo.

Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar (or not if you don't like it too much). Whenever you can find. Greash the oven and bake a cake.

Turn the cake tin around around. Don't fall in the ofen. Forget to beat off the turner. New, threw the bowl throw window, finish hte Cose Juervo and putt the stove in dishwasher.

HAPPY BIRTFDAY!!

Posted by Larry Derry Barry | December 20, 2007 11:56 AM

Wow! I hope Rush helps to bring down the liberal Huckabigot campaign. Conservatives need to vote for conservatives. Mitt or Fred in '08!

Posted by Cory | December 20, 2007 12:00 PM

""" the right’s pundits are not flocking to support him, and many of them are actually trying to derail him. """

The pundit's hate Huckabee because they've worked too hard advocating for conservative issues and values, including faith in the public sphere, to have it mucked up by a passive aggressive, divisive yet wannabe populist. He should take his communication skills and leadership try to run for president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He's the last thing conservatism, republicanism, or evangelicalism needs right now.

Posted by Ninjapirate | December 20, 2007 12:01 PM

This proves my statement that Huck is too stupid to be President.

Posted by Carolina | December 20, 2007 12:11 PM

Rush just read this post on the air. Way to committee suicide Huckabee!

Is he aware of which primary he is running in?

Posted by Steven | December 20, 2007 12:11 PM

I like Rush. I respect Rush. I'm still voting for Huckabee.

Posted by Jack | December 20, 2007 12:14 PM

This is very aggressive reporting, but in this case the reason I have come to read this author is becasue he consistently writes pieces at the bleading edge of this political season. I agree that the sourcing is suspect, but the reporter seems to be placing his credentials, publisher, and reputation to validate this piece, of some importance. Sort of like Novak last month, but it turned out to be a very good indicator of what actually occured.

I would like to see the source revealed. Is this "in between the record"

Posted by ROB | December 20, 2007 12:33 PM

This post is so inane and without serious content that it must have been ghosted by Andrew Sullivan.

Posted by Terry | December 20, 2007 12:37 PM

HUCKABEE SEES HIMSELF AS BABY JESUS - POLITICO
check this out!! Oops - thats creepy.

http://dyn.politico.com/playbook/

CBN's David "Brody File" Brody rode with Gov. Mike Huckabee on his bus from Des Moines to Ames yesterday and got this Biblical shout-out: "Ultimately what I sense is happening - people everywhere will come to me, look me in the eye and say, 'We are claiming Isaiah 54 for you' — that 'the weapons formed against you will not prosper'." And you know I just have to deep down believe that there is just a hunger in this nation for truth. There is a hunger in this nation for authenticity."

(Isaiah 54:17, KJV: "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."

Posted by ROB | December 20, 2007 12:39 PM

That's gonna leave a mark.

Posted by Roninacreage | December 20, 2007 12:40 PM

Who cares who said it?

It doesn't change his Arkansas record or his ignorant, absurd campaign platform, "A vote for me is a vote for God."

If he gets the Republican nomination, I'll vote for Obama. He won't be any worse than what the Huckster would bring us...

Posted by DJ | December 20, 2007 12:41 PM

If Huck listens to people that stupid, then it would be twice as scary to put him in office.

Posted by Smarty | December 20, 2007 12:43 PM

I gotta give my 2 cents. Huckabee's rep. is right. There hasn't been a more funny man on the radio since Red Skelton's radio show. He is very entertaining and really enjoys manipulating the comments others and, though he's not lying, he tells only half the truth concerning most issues. "Perception is Reality" and should be his credo.

Posted by James | December 20, 2007 12:48 PM

LOL. Yet more Republicans eating their own. What a beautiful thing.

Posted by vrk | December 20, 2007 12:50 PM

Rush is lighting Huckabee up again (12:50p EST). He also tore the staffer and Huckster campaign a new one in the opening segments.

LOL...still going.

Posted by Good Lt | December 20, 2007 12:51 PM

vrk,

Many of us don't think that Huck is one of us. We think he is running in the wrong primary.

Posted by Joel | December 20, 2007 1:12 PM

I am a conservative and support Huckabee 100%.

There is a lot of truth to the ally's comments. Too bad for Rush, who looks down on conservatives like myself, I think for myself.

Posted by Samir | December 20, 2007 1:39 PM

Rush is so 1990's - is he still on the radio?

Why would anyone waste their time listening to him? He is such a bore...and only appealls to Rio Lindans....

Posted by Mulitple Choice Mitt | December 20, 2007 1:45 PM

I don't think there really is an actual position that can be called a "Reagan conservative". Reagan ran on tax cuts and delivered massive increases in deficits, which is exactly what Bush ran on and delivered. Reagan represented strength and standing up to enemies. Bush responded to 911 with considerably more force than Reagan did to the Marine barracks bombing. You simply cannot say that Bush is less strong than Reagan. Reagan presented an image of being a deeply religious man, and of holding the same social conservative values as religious conservatives.

The difference between Reagan and Bush is success. One was successful the other was not. A "Reagan conservative" is one who likes conservatism that advances the movement.

Posted by Mike Alexander | December 20, 2007 2:37 PM

What a wonderful Christmas gift to the Left, the sound of the conservative coalition crumbling, crumbling, crumbling. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Now crawl back under your rocks for another 40 yrs.

Posted by JohnMcC | December 20, 2007 2:58 PM

"You simply cannot say that Bush is less strong than Reagan." You can, and I will. Reagan stood up to the Soviets with their 40,000 nukes, while Bush is running scared about a "possible" nuclear program from Iran, a country with the GDP the size of the state of Alabama and almost no military. Bush also got us into an ongoing quagmire, which Reagan did not-- he took the Marines out of Lebanon when he realized how crazy Middle Eastern politics was.

Reagan did not talk about his religion like candidates do today and didn't even attend church that often (although he was religious). He would probably not be elected in today's climate of wanting to elect religious fundamentalists.

I agree that Limbaugh is a joke who just jumps on the latest bandwagon. Huckbee is a tax and spend liberal, though, that's for sure. I don't think Romney's much better. Ron Paul all the way! He's the only one who can beat the Democrats in the general election.

Posted by Libertarian Girl | December 20, 2007 3:29 PM

I have my own vote: Rush doesn't decide for me. So if he doesn't like Huckabee, that doesn't affect me. When the Republicans nominate Huckabee, Rush will be in his corner 100% for him and against Clinton/Obama.

Posted by voter | December 20, 2007 3:30 PM

"Honestly, because Rush doesn’t think for himself. That’s not necessarily a slap because he’s not paid to be a thinker—he’s an entertainer. I can’t remember the last time that he has veered from the talking points from the DC/Manhattan chattering class. If they were praising Huckabee, he would be too."
"Also, I have to think that he’s dying to have Hillary in the White House. Bill Clinton made Rush a megastar. Having another Clinton back in power would make him the Leading Voice of the Opposition once again."

Of course, it could also be because Huckleberry is a Bible-thumping, slick-talking Southern politician who thinks that getting elected entitles him to get rich. Come to think of it, Rush does have experience with this type of officeholder.

What I find interesting is that, like Slick Willie before him, Huck finds a vital character flaw in anyone that doesn't like or support him.

I have a feeling that Rush will be around long after everyone has forgotten the Huckster.

Posted by trentk268 | December 20, 2007 3:59 PM

It seems that Rush, like most of us for that matter, find ourselves in a reactive role. I was just thinking that if George Washington were here today, he'd act. While Hillary and Slick Willie toast their good fortune, the good general would be proactive. He'd go on the offensive, like that long ago Christmas Eve. Oh, I don't mean literally; this isn't the French Revolution. What I mean is, if the pen is mightier than the sword, then the Internet's a pretty good tool. We don't have to cross the Delaware River, or even the Potomac River to launch an information offensive. This Christmas Eve, lets spread the word. Help me distribute this link. In the true spirit of Christmas, I thing the general would give us his blessing: http://theseedsof9-11.com

Posted by Peggy McGilligan | December 20, 2007 4:57 PM

Rush is so 1990's - is he still on the radio?

Posted by Mulitple Choice Mitt

Still on, but with much less clout. His vaunted "22 million" listeners has dwindled down to under 13.5 million on the last Arbitrons... an almost 40% drop.

After the multiple marriages and divorces (and no children), the drugs, the chartered "boy's trips" offshore to do who-knows-what with who-knows-whom, I'm honestly surprised he still has that many Dittodrones brainwashed into tuning in every day...

Posted by David | December 20, 2007 5:14 PM

Rush is a prostitute for the corporations.

Huckabee is for the avarage man. Any questions?

Posted by Oscar | December 20, 2007 5:15 PM

Oscar, you are quickly proving the theory that the not very smart people are supporting the not very smart Huckabee.

Rush Limbaugh has a larger audience of PEOPLE than most other media programs in this country.

Not corportations, millions of VOTERS. Only idiots would piss off the man who has so many devoted listeners.

Only an idiot.

Posted by Carolina | December 20, 2007 5:36 PM

I have been a loyal listener of Rush for over 16 years. I will be voting for Mike Huckabee.
Imagine all of the media frenzy if a supporter of Mrs. Bill Clinton made nasty remarks about Al Franken?----NOT!

Posted by Adirondack Al | December 20, 2007 6:18 PM

I cannot believe how many uninformed idiots are out there nowadays with so much info available. Rush is right about ignorance being the most costly thing in the United Stated today. Most of these hate Rush comments make no sense at all. "chartered "boy's trips" offshore to do who-knows-what with who-knows-whom"? What is that all about?

Posted by Rush#1 | December 20, 2007 6:25 PM

Just listened to Rush this afternoon and heard him mention this blog post and just after I posted Why Rush secretly wants Hillary to be president

Found here

All amusing!!

Posted by Gman Fess | December 20, 2007 7:18 PM

I'm voting for Huck because the Republican party has given me no one else who really wants to be president.
You can't support Rudy because the party stands for life and he doesn't. You can't vote for Romney because believe it or not, Mormans do believe that Jesus and Satan are Spiritual brothers (There are many souces including the book of Morman that will support this belief).
I would rather see a Hillary or Obama before I vote for someone who does not honor the Bible and the Word of God. I have to answer to God one day why I voted for a leader who belongs to a cult or who believes in killing inocent babies. Their is not answer that will justify going against God.
If a Dem wins then the party will realize what type of canidates we need in the future.

Posted by Bonnie | December 20, 2007 8:47 PM

Rush is right on this one for sure. Huck is a nut! If he is the nominee, I will vote dem or indie.

Posted by Paul in Iowa | December 20, 2007 9:13 PM

Anyone who think Rush doesn't think is getting their info from a liberal website--the same sites that first claim he's "full of hate". If you actually listen to his shows--yes they're entertaining, but the entertainment mostly serves to spice up shrewed political analysis. Rush is constantly ahead of the curve on the issues, and routinely makes accurate predictions. That being said, I'm actually not a Rush fan--too much schtick and too many parodies. Hugh Hewitt is much better.

Posted by kyleb | December 20, 2007 11:32 PM

Marc, this really is a silly comment by a Huck insider. What's to be gained by this ? Your "ally" insults an enormously popular talk show host and to what end ? The "ally" is certainly not very sharp and yet, he/she is indicative of the amateurs on Huck's team. Really stupid.

Posted by Texpat | December 20, 2007 11:45 PM

Rush is a prostitute for the corporations.

Huckabee is for the avarage man. Any questions?

Posted by Oscar | December 20, 2007 5:15 PM

Yes. I have a question, Oscar.

By your post, you appear too stupid to breathe on your own. Do people send you emails telling you when to inhale and exhale?

Posted by Mark in Texas | December 20, 2007 11:56 PM

Doen't it say something about the listeners that Limbaugh has by his failure to embrace Huckabee?

His demographics aren't neccessarily right-wing religious zealots. (Not really the demographic he would want...)

His audience, anecdotally in regards to my life, tend to be conservative independents. I know roughly five people that listen, three voted for clinton in 92, one in 96.

The common denominator is they all distrust the media. They don't necessarliy buy into everything he says, but considering positive public opinion of media is less than 20%, I'd say his popularity will continue to grow.

Posted by paul | December 21, 2007 12:02 AM

You can't vote for Romney because believe it or not, Mormans do believe that Jesus and Satan are Spiritual brothers

And this (assuming it's even true) would be markedly different than most Christian beliefs how, exactly? Don't most Christian faiths believe that Lucifer was an Archangel - perhaps even the most powerful of all - who led the rebellion in the War of Heaven, being cast out with a third of the Heavenly Host?

So, anyway, you're going to make your choice for President based on how many angels can dance on the head of pin. You're not doing much to disprove Carolina's theory.

Posted by JMH | December 21, 2007 12:07 AM

You just killed the Huckabee campaign all by yourself you nimrod. You don't attack the leader of the conservative movement and expect to get any support down the road. I have dumped Huckabee like a bad habit.

Posted by tiv | December 21, 2007 12:36 AM

Huck's hubris is going to catch up with him fast. George Bush one day, Rush the next. Dim...bulb.

New book shows Saddam did support al Qaeda and the Taliban:

'Both In One Trench: Saddam's Secret Terror Documents'

http://www.bothinonetrench.com/index2.html

Posted by Ray Robison | December 21, 2007 12:50 AM

I am really tired for one of the pundit-driven talking point that Huckabee is a liberal except for marriage and abortion. He is the only GOP candidate talking comprehensive tax reform and a complete elimination of the income tax. This attack only persuades people who don't analuze the argument to see if it is true or not.

To believe Mitt Romney is a conservative is a hard thing to understand. It's like if Dick Cheney were to register as a Democrat and started to suddenly have different views on the war in Iraq and "global warming" - right in time for the next election. Only a foolish Democrat would buy into his new positions and say "yup. He's one of us. He's a progressive!"

Posted by The Values Voter | December 21, 2007 12:51 AM

"I would rather see a Hillary or Obama before I vote for someone who does not honor the Bible and the Word of God."

This is the reason why "evangelical" is conflated with "stupid" in so many regions of the country. You would honestly- honest to God, as it were- rather vote for a functional atheist than a Mormon, because the atheist was raised under an ostensibly Christian roof.

Not voting for a Mormon because of what Huck Smith or Joseph Jones or someone said about God is only slightly less stupid than not voting for a Catholic because of Mexicans finding images of Mary in their tortillas, and only slightly less clueless than the Muslims holding a grudge over the Moors.

Bottom line: how is the President going to ACT in office? That should be the question you ask, whether your dealbreaker issues are religious, social, or economic.

Posted by hitnrun | December 21, 2007 1:07 AM

OOOPS!

All these people complaining that there's no conservative to vote for other than Huckabee....

Duncan Hunter anyone?
Fred Thompson?

Oh, you'll say that these candidates have no chance. So, where was Huckabee's polling until recently?

Fred08! Oh, and Huckabee's man just ticked off at least 5 MILLION listeners.......

Posted by cargosquid | December 21, 2007 1:39 AM

"How is the President going to ACT in office" is why I cannot vote for Romney. He states his faith is everything to him. So to understand him you must know about the Morman religion, what it stands for and what it believes. If you would take the time to learn these things you would know they are not a Christians but a cult. I cannot trust anyone to lead us honorably who belongs to a cult and who think they can be equal to God. Mormans have good family values but I cannot embrace one to vote for him to be President of the USA. This is also a man who changes his mine to fit the political winds. It must be what happens to politicians from Mass. I also would not support a functional atheist. I've be hearing a lot about Romney and Rudy and I don't understand what is so great about the way they acted in office or the negativity of their campaigns.

Posted by Bonnie | December 21, 2007 2:31 AM

Bonnie --

Have you ever heard of 'Render under Ceasar..."

Would you really not vote for a non-Christian? This is the united States, a temporal government, not a religious entity. We are not electing a pope. I hope.

And what power do you think the President has vis-a-vis pro-life policies other than to appoint Supreme Court Justices? How do you think the nominees of HRC vs Romney would compare?

Posted by marcl | December 21, 2007 3:13 AM

"This is the reason why "evangelical" is conflated with "stupid" in so many regions of the country."

No, this is the reason that "evangelical" is conflated with "stupid" by gullible people who take the comments of a tiny number of nutjobs on the internet as representatives of a movement consisting of millions of people. This is called stereotyping, and it's considered wrong if you do it to blacks or Jews or Mexicans or Muslims, but stereotype evangelicals? Well that's just rational thinking.

Furthermore, I seriously doubt that the person who wrote that comment is even an evangelical. Most likely he's a left-wing troll flying under false colors in order to convince gullible people to adopt negative stereotypes towards evangelicals.

Posted by Doc Rampage | December 21, 2007 3:50 AM

1. He's from Hope, Arkansas.
2. He's clintonesque.
3. He thinks charity is a branch of the government.
4. He flunked geography in school, he could not see any borders...."it's all one world" he still says.
5. Huckabee's Not For Me.

Posted by webloafer | December 21, 2007 3:53 AM

Lets not eat our own here. First lile rush or not. dont care. But saying that name even one national media type the sources every single thing they say. Rush does Go to his site and you can read the entire piece he references. nobodu does that. Fred is the man to go with I would give up my estate to see him and Hillary debate

Posted by iowan | December 21, 2007 7:19 AM

Lets not eat our own here. First lile rush or not. dont care. But saying that, name even one national media type that sources every single thing they say. Rush does. Go to his site and you can read the entire piece he references. nobody does that. Fred is the man to go with. I would give up my estate to see him and Hillary debate

Posted by iowan | December 21, 2007 7:21 AM

Huckabee either has a Democrat in DC as an "ally", or else a profoundly clueless Republican.

Rush is one of the most astute pundits in the country on Republican politics. Anyone who says Rush tows the party line doesn't listen to him more than once a month at best.

I find it risible that those who readily tout endorsements from the likes of Barbara Streisand, are so quick to ascribe Rush's huge audience to his strength as an entertainer. Al Franken is an entertainer - so is Whoopi Goldberg - where is their radio audience?

Limbaugh has wisely not endorsed any candidate, but knowing Rush, I can guess he doesn't heart Huckabee because he is Jimmy Carter in Republican drag.

Posted by franco53 | December 21, 2007 7:25 AM

I personally don't listen to Rush but 20 million people do....He is #1 in talk radio.

That does mean that Huckabee is an idiot because FOX News gets 2.6 million when O'Reilly is on....that is the max for their day.

CBS, NBC, ABC get around 6 million viewers each...CNN gets about 600K and MSNBC 800K during Olbermann.

All of those entities WISH they had 20 million people listening to them. The way to win is not to piss off those who have the ears and the eyes of the public. If the idiot were to win the primary he would NEED Rush to combat the MSM....and he just blew it!

Posted by Jaded | December 21, 2007 7:42 AM

Huck is scary. That he let prison ministry preachers decide who gets pardon and clemency is just plain nuts. He should have asked prosecutors and police officers. Instead, some criminal pretends to worship Jesus, and Huck falls for it hook, line and sinker. He isn't just soft on crime, he is gullible and soft in the brain. With immigration being jammed through by so-called churches, we are going to steamrolled by the bible thumpers hoping to get rich from the illegals because they have alienated their US citizen flocks. I don't want the Catholic Church, the Imans, or the Televangelists telling a president what policy should be. Huck is the only republican who won't get my vote.

Posted by Karen | December 21, 2007 8:20 AM

Very simple explanation as to why Rush, and others are decidedly uncomfortable with the Huck:

Republican Jimmy Carter.

Foreign policy disaster.

Posted by ghost of themistocles | December 21, 2007 8:40 AM

I think we are finally seeing a split between the not-so-sensible evangelical Republicans and the rest of the party.

The bottom line is that many of the so-called evangelical interests are not necessarily conservative interests. That is a good thing to be made clear.

Posted by Mikeb | December 21, 2007 8:51 AM

"You can't vote for Romney because believe it or not, Mormans do believe that Jesus and Satan are Spiritual brothers (There are many souces including the book of Morman that will support this belief)."

"I would rather see a Hillary or Obama before I vote for someone who does not honor the Bible and the Word of God"

"If you would take the time to learn these things you would know they are not a Christians but a cult. I cannot trust anyone to lead us honorably who belongs to a cult and who think they can be equal to God. Mormans have good family values but I cannot embrace one to vote for him to be President of the USA."

Interesting, this describes the Huckabee supporters very well. They are more concerned about being anti-Mormon than voting based on the issues. Yet, they'll listen to Huckabee's superfluous lies. How about them "94 tax cuts"?

UNDEBATABLE FACT:
He “cut taxes 94 times” for a reduction of $378 million dollars, but INCREASED TAXES 21 TIMES RAISING $883 million - NET INCREASE OF $505 million dollars in taxes. This gave Arkansas the 11th highest in the nation state-local tax burden.

Posted by David W | December 21, 2007 8:59 AM

"You can't vote for Romney because believe it or not, Mormans do believe that Jesus and Satan are Spiritual brothers (There are many souces including the book of Morman that will support this belief)."

"I would rather see a Hillary or Obama before I vote for someone who does not honor the Bible and the Word of God"

"If you would take the time to learn these things you would know they are not a Christians but a cult. I cannot trust anyone to lead us honorably who belongs to a cult and who think they can be equal to God. Mormans have good family values but I cannot embrace one to vote for him to be President of the USA."

Interesting, this describes the Huckabee supporters very well. They are more concerned about being anti-Mormon than voting based on the issues. Yet, they'll listen to Huckabee's superfluous lies. How about them "94 tax cuts"?

UNDEBATABLE FACT:
He “cut taxes 94 times” for a reduction of $378 million dollars, but INCREASED TAXES 21 TIMES RAISING $883 million - NET INCREASE OF $505 million dollars in taxes. This gave Arkansas the 11th highest in the nation state-local tax burden.

disclaimer: Non-mormon, just to let objective readers know.

Posted by David W | December 21, 2007 8:59 AM

"Rush doesn't think for himself."

"He's dying to have Hillary in the White House."

So which is it? The latter implies he's thought for himself.

It's funny when someone smashes their own argument.

Posted by TSO | December 21, 2007 9:21 AM

"Rush doesn’t think for himself"

This just shows how thin-skinned both Huckabee and his supporters really are.

Posted by Chris | December 21, 2007 10:38 AM

Matt in Maine said:

MM> Are you sure this wasn't a Romney ally posing MM> as a Huck ally

Nobody has solved this problem (why was this said?) correctly.

This actually bears out something I said 14 years ago:

Date: 11-11-93 (19:17) Number: 24573 of 25078 (Refer# NONE)
To: ALL
From: SAMMY FINKELMAN
Subj: New Jersey election
Read: (N/A) Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE (Echo)
Conf: POLITICS (39) Read Type: TEXT SCAN (+)

Well, Bill Clinton has just blown his best double agent, Ed Rollins. . .

. . .Or has he?
---
* REDPHONE BBS / NEW YORKS FINEST / (212)924-1138 /
* PostLink(tm) v1.07 REDPHONE (#504) :
>>>

Ed Rollins is now running the Huckabee campaign (since last Friday)

And even before that Huckabee was taking advice from Dick Morris, who I don't think really broke as much with Clinton as tells - and who was workeing for Huckabee at the same time ass he wass working for Clinton.

What all this of this means is that Bill Clinton is by now running the Huckabee campaign by proxy.

In fact you may remember Bill Clinton sort of endorsed him - or promoted him I should say - a while ago a little before his big rise. I don't have the quote but it happened. And maybe somebody else remembers or can find it.

The whole thing is bit reminiscent of the movie "The Great McGinty"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032554/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_McGinty

In that movie the political boss says: "I am the Reform Party". I'm all the parties."

Well, not all of them of course now (although Vladimir Putin seems to be doing this, somewhat cluimsily, in Russia) but some of theopposition is probably being run by Clinton Inc.

I would guess that the purpose of this is to destriy Fred Thomoson and maybe some others (Clinton is probabkly hping for Romney) and if Huckabee gets the nominaiton, have someone who can be managed in such a way so as to lose the campaign and if he doesn't lose, who will be somewhat easy to manipulate in office.

Ed Rollins is the person who sabotaged the Perot campaign in 1992, and even earlier told the head of the Federal Savings and Loan Association [FSLIC] from Ed Gray (served 1983-1987), not to try to get directly in touch with Ronald Reagan about the problems because Don Regan would badmouth him. And instead use Frank Farankoph as a conduit. (It's all in the books about the savings and loan scandal - and Bill Clinton played a bigger role than you think - it wasn't ionly Madison Guaranty. There's was FirstSouth of Pine Bluff for instance - the biggest failure when it happened, in 1986.)

Ed Rollins, also was the one who came out with that astonishing and false statement about what he had done (handing out walking around money to suppress (??!) the black vote) to help Christie
Todd Whitman win the 1993 New Jersey Governor's race (that's what I thought - or hoped! - blew him)

And he was the one who wrote in a book that Phillipine President Ferdinand Marcos had set aside $10 million to give to Ronald Reagan's 1984 campaign, which the Clinton Adminsitration Justice Department proceeding to publicly investigate and then said it was beyond the statute of limitations.

Here's a website taht takes the Rollins (and some otehr accusations) at face value:

http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/lost6.html

And - this is really the killer in more ways than one to me - Ed Rollins was the dean of the faculty of the National Fire Academy during the first two years of the Carter Administration.

Which is a patronage position after all.

So I had a thought in 1993. He would have known what experts to consult, who could be trusted, who would help Clinton devise a method of burning
down the Branch Davidian's compound in Waco; a method where they would be able to deny they did it, and even "prove" they did not.

It is an obscure fact, with the literature in
dispute, but nevertheless a fact, that CS tear gas can, under proper conditions, start a fire.

The big defense against the FBI having started a fire was that it broke out in severakl places at once.

But in fact it is quite logical it should have
started in several places þafterþ the last tear gas injection because the gas would have had to drift near a flame and be in the proper
concentration - not too strong, not too weak, in the air.

The whole subject itself has been obfusticated.

A big point in the official defense was the infrared video. Leaving aside any technical questions, a big question there should be: Why was it even shot?

That's getting into many more things and there are many more things that need to be explained for this to make sense to people (such as why would Clinton do this? A. To protect J William Buford head of the BATF in Little Rock who had shot 3 of his own men on Feb 28, 1993. And his connection to Buford - that's another long story involving the murder of Alice McArthur, among other things)

If Ed Rollins was not involved, it seems hard to understand how he could have allowed himself to say what he did about Christie Todd Whitman and the 1984 Republican campaign

Posted by Sammy Finkelman | December 21, 2007 10:56 AM

Hey, MC Mitt! We Rio Lindans know how to spell "appeals", moronskavitch.

Posted by RioLindaRick | December 21, 2007 11:04 AM

Makes perfect sense, Sammy. Clinton's somehow able to campaign for Hillary, run his own foundation, and run Huckabee's campaign (which urges voters to "Give Hope a Second Chance," referring to their common birthplace). Kudos on tying it to Waco, too!

That's all sarcasm, in case it doesn't come through over the Nets...

Posted by Graham Davis | December 21, 2007 11:39 AM

The amazing thing here is how many of the commenters "think for them self." Obviously, nobody but you does. Give yourself a pat on the back and have a cookie. Then try some of the Cuervo cookies and stop taking yourself so seriously!

Posted by rrm | December 21, 2007 11:50 AM

I pray repeatedly that Huckabee will not get the Republican nomination.

But God tends to let humans make their own mistakes -- that free will thing, again -- and I fear Huckabee has a good shot.

The result will be disastrous: A for-certain Democratic presidential win, as the GOP once again stays home in droves (as they did during the last Congressional election).

If Huckabee were both an evangelical Christian AND a conservative or libertarian, I'd be all for him. If his campaign message weren't targeted to whip up economically moderate/populist fundamentalists at the expense of all other parts of the Reagan coalition, I'd be all for him.

Instead, he *is* an economic populist, more full than Bush himself of the big-government "compassionate" conservatism that caused G.W.Bush to make all of *his* biggest domestic-policy blunders. We cannot afford a fresh deluge of entitlements, nor a fresh helping of regulation which, while putatively intended to reign in big business, is actually written almost exclusively by...big business.

Huckabee is also just as ignorant of foreign policy as G.W.Bush was, but without the good sense to surround himself with sober-minded experts. And in a post-9/11 world, too. That won't cut it, any more.

His tone of campaigning does not merely alienates far too many GOP voters. I am a committed Christian; an evangelical; my doctrinal opinions are described by some as "fundamentalist"; but...importantly...my tone of conversation never is. I wish the same thing could be said of Huckabee's campaign. He seems determined to avoid ingratiating himself to anyone who isn't exactly like him.

He speaks to evangelical churches all day long: I understand that, it's a comfortable crowd for an evangelical. But to hold the Reagan coalition together, one has to be able to articulate to people who aren't exactly like oneself why they should support you. Has he spoken before one Catholic congregation? Can he say what there is to like about him, from their perspective? One Jewish congregation? Can he say what they should hope for in his candidacy? Could he articulate why gay Republicans should support him? (Yes, I think gay sex is a sin, but so is gossip; if the GOP can stand the votes of gossiping church ladies, they shouldn't turn their nose up at the votes of the sexually confused.) Has he clarified why libertarians should vote for him? Why agnostics, atheists, Hindus, and Buddhists should?

In short, the loss of all of the above, plus Wall Street, will guarantee a Democrat win in the '08 election.

And that's before we get to Huck's temper, Huck's past brushes with corruption (hey, I know, it's Arkansas). That's before we factor in the ability of the Mainstream Media to include Huck in their usual "narrative" of Southern Evangelicals as ignorant bigots. When the MSM adopts a "narrative" they hold on to it despite all contrary evidence -- not that Huck provides much -- and when it's Huck against Hillary, or Huck against Obama, you know exactly what'll happen.

Instead of the happy narrative of "dark horse shakes up the GOP nomination race" -- which biased the MSM to give Huck favorable coverage until now, since they SO love a "horse race" -- there will be the narrative of "old-school Baptist who thinks women should submit against the fresh egalitarian hope of the first female president!" ...or, conversely, "white male southerner whose grandfather probably owned slaves against the young, African American, dynamic, idealistic beacon of hope for all minorities!"

You know it'll happen. And it'll be sufficient to grant the Democrats an additional 3-5% vote swing from media bias alone.

Please, folks, don't give this gift to the DNC; you can see how they're already salivating.

Posted by R.C. | December 21, 2007 12:06 PM

I forgot to add in my previous post:

I am all for the FairTax. If more of the country were already clamoring for it, and already knew how false were the various criticisms against it, I'd probably want Huckabee to win on the hope that perhaps we could enact it.

But, no dice: The time is not yet ripe. Most folks aren't yet pleading to their congressmen for the FairTax (except in Georgia); most have never heard of it. Which means that, even if Huck got elected, the FairTax would have no chance of passage. None.

And I'm not going to vote for a guy, no matter how much I agree with him theologically, who alienates/scares my friends and neighbors and votes for big economic spending and intrusiveness, just because he supports (but will be utterly unable to implement) the FairTax.

Posted by R.C. | December 21, 2007 12:12 PM

Maybe the reason is very simple.

*************************
December 14, 2007
Mitt Romney's Venture Capital Firm to Buy Clear Channel
Posted by Chris Brunner at December 14, 2007 10:25 AM http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/017694.html

What would it cost to buy the support of just about every nationally syndicated neocon talk show host in America? About $19.5 billion, which is what Mitt Romney's private equity firm, Bain Capital, and Thomas H. Lee Partners have agreed to pay in a leveraged buyout agreement with Clear Channel Communications, the largest radio station owner in the country. This is part of a negotiation that has been pending for over a year.

Clear Channel owns more than 1,100 full-power AM, FM, and shortwave radio stations, twelve radio channels on XM Satellite Radio, and more than 30 television stations in the United States. Premiere Radio Networks, which is the largest syndication company in the United States, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clear Channel and is home to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and many others. Sean Hannity recently signed a large multi-market contract with Clear Channel, as well.

It should be noted that Mitt Romney, while no longer the CEO, remains a silent partner of Bain Capital.
****************************

CNN's Money Magazine (12/10/07) notes: "About 43 percent of the Romney portfolio is tied up in private equity investments through Bain Capital Management."

*******************
Perhaps the answer to this question is not complicated. Would you critique your boss who was running for President?

Posted by Donna | December 21, 2007 12:28 PM

Huckabee is a dead ringer for the gormless 24 president, Charles Logan.

Posted by Watching From Above | December 21, 2007 12:45 PM

Well, you've got to admit, if Huckabee's ally did come up with the term "the DC/Manhattan chattering class" to describe who gives Rush his talking points, it's a little more subtle way of saying "The Jews" than leftist blogs and writers employ by spouting the term "neocons" every time they want to get the code word out to their core base.

Posted by John | December 21, 2007 12:51 PM

This Huckabee ally is obviously intellectually weak if he thinks Rush doesn't think for himself. Rush has been fired a few times in his life, enough said.

Posted by Hogs | December 21, 2007 1:26 PM

Huckabee will do nothing at all to challenge the WELFARE/WARFARE state. All of you know it.
I am an ordained Baptist Minister from South Georgia. You can't get any deeper in the Bible Belt than I am. And I would never vote for my fellow minister Huckabee. Why? Because he is part of the problem: He believes in using the power of Gov't to 'change' our lives through Gov't programs. Huckabee seems to be the essence of a Compassionate Bureaucrat: bless everyone with the taxpayers money. Huck is almost as scary as Clinton/Bush. I see little difference.

Ron Paul is the only Constitutional Conservative.

Posted by tom baptist | December 21, 2007 1:30 PM

Long time rush listener. Before rush said anything I knew huckabee was a phoney. I am an independent thinker. I believe fred thompson is the true conservative. Romney is second choice. But I will vote for whoever is the republican nominee. Do not vote for 3rd party. It may be mike bloomberg and he is a big time liberal. He will take votes away from the republican nominee. If he decides to run he will annouce it in march.

Posted by cindy | December 21, 2007 1:32 PM

I am reconsidering Huckabee now . . . Although I have donated to his campaign I have also doubted his conservative credentials and if he attacks Rush and Bush in this matter in the same week he definitely is not a true conservative. Sorry Huckster - I'm changing back to . . . someone (I don't know who though).

Posted by A Lendel | December 21, 2007 1:38 PM

To John:

Leftists are not the ones who use the term 'NEOCON' It is the true, constitutional conservatives that believe we have been 'neoconned' by the Bush/Cheney/Wolfowitz crowd. These pathetic Leninists have hijacked American foreign policy, covered it with a veneer of patriotism (i.e. nationalism) and a smattering of social conservatism (not much though) and called it conservatism. What a joke. They are nothing more than welfare/warfare statists, just like Huckabee.

Posted by hman | December 21, 2007 1:43 PM

Yes, Huckabee as a candidate is interesting, but lets do this the other way around.

Lets run Romney for the Democrat party, and Thompson for the Republicans.

If we have to have either two liberals, or two conservatives and can't seem to manage one of each; can we force two conservatives this time?

But, lucky us, we're going to have Hillary for the Democrats, and Huckabee (who's record is more liberal than Hillary) for the Republicans.

Unless you believe that he raised taxes, increased spending, and made the government bigger in Arkansas for over a decade in preparation for a small government fiscally responsible Presidency.

If you believe that, why not vote for Hillary, she's probably saying the "right thing for the week" as well. How come you'll believe Huckabee has changed all of his major positions just in time for the election after promoting none of them in the past, and working against most of them?

I really don't understand Huckabee supporters. Seriously, if you're that gullible, send me an e-mail; I have some investment opportunities for you.

Who will I vote for? Jack Daniels... and I'll have some assistance from him on voting day too.

Posted by Gekkobear | December 21, 2007 2:02 PM

If Huckabee gets the nomination after mounting a campaign that hangs it hat on, hey I am your same religon, forget the fact that I don't have any substance and/or vision for the country and that when you look at my record it's swiss cheese and I have never accomplised a damn thing...

Romney has gone out of his way to include members of all faiths, especially Born agains and Non dem... And basically said, I know we are not the same on theology, but we have the same values. Let's work together.

Chew on this, the Southwest/Mountain West is to Baptists as the South. Huckabee will not win , Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming... I am not saying that LDS people make all the population there, but a huge chunk.. And I will personally lead a capaign against Huckabee...

NOT because he is a different faith then me, because I respect everyone faith but because you has tried as gracefully as possible to attack Romney's religon. All the while Romney has tried to unite.

Posted by Scott from AZ | December 21, 2007 2:04 PM

You'd think Ambinder would be able to spot someone so incredibly full of s**t.

The 'DC/Manhattan chattering class'??????

Either Ambinder is not qualified to discuss media and politics or else this is deliberate flame bait......no wait, that disqualifies him too.

What a mindless article.

Posted by harkin | December 21, 2007 2:40 PM

Colossal mistake, it's a classic "how to lose a campaign in 10 hrs"
Wonder who the brain child called "prominent DC-based Huckabee ally" is? and why would anyone quote such a feckless idiot? the only question is who is the most dense?
1.Marc Ambinjder
2.Marc Ambinder's contact
3.Marc Ambinder's employer

Neither one of the above is qualified to shine Rush's shoes let alone write an article or run a country.

Posted by betterred | December 21, 2007 3:15 PM

So, let me get this straight. Conservative Republicans shouldn't vote for Huckabee because he's been married three times, had an affair while in office, hired a crook to run his police force and thinks gay marriage and abortions are O.K.- Oh yeah, and he flip flops on the immigration yard service thing. You guys are right what was I thinking, this guy can't possibly be a conservative. I mean if he's stupid enough to spend millons of his own dollars just to beat up on some broke ass from Arkinthaw that doen't know a lot about those Mormoms than dads in Utah..I aint votin for'em either. Last time I checked, being a compulsive liar, commiting adultry and condoning abortion and homosexuality were not considered conservative credentials. This country needs conservative VALUES more than ANYTHING else right now. You WILL NEVER have a perfect candidate. There are checks and balances to ensure the President does what "The People" wants. Bush wanted the border erased. Did it happen? We have lost the worlds respect because leaders have turned our capitol into an Animal House sitcom. If Americans really did care about our "IMAGE" in the world they would elect leaders with the values that this country truly represents.

Posted by Rick | December 21, 2007 3:20 PM

Rush is a big phoney who is only concerned about his pockets. Mitt Romney is nothing but a businessman. He only cares about how much money he can stuff his pockets with from his unholy alliance with our major enemy, China. And Rush has no respect for Christians, he thinks we all are backwards, barefoot, with mud between our toes. He talks about "indentity politics", well that's exactly what he does, he identifies with what Mitt has in his pockets, money.
My message to Rush is that the love of money is the root of all evil. Mitt will say anything to become the next president of the United States, just like the Islamics say, by any means necessary as does the Clintons, of whom Mitt reminds me. He is just a front for some communist, Illuminatist agenda. Mitt is only fit to be president of Utah as Hillary is only fit to be president of Hollywood.
As for Huckabee's past stance on illegal immigration, the illegals are just future soldiers for WWIII, which is sure to come. China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are not building their armies for nothing. Mitt seems to be blind to the fact they are building their armies, and weapons. That's why we can't trust him, he is blinded by dollar signs. I say give the illegals amnesty and suit them up. Those who will fight can stay, those who refuse to fight can go back to their native countries. Being able to call themselves American will cost them heavily, just like it cost our ancestors. American citizenship is not free, and it's not cheap. There is a reason why President Bush isn't so quick to build walls along our borders, we need the man power, thanks to legal abortion, which Mitt supported, that is, until he stuttered.
Forget about Rush, he is just a spindoctor, just like the liberals he hates so much at CNN, The New York Times, etc. The Democrats have their elistist, and the Republicans have theirs, Rush is one of them, what's the difference. And we should all listen to them, because only they know what's good for us. Right.
Vote your intuition, which is God given. Of course, Mitt and Rush wouldn't anything about that, would they.
You know, we should all stop listening to WABC and Fox, because all their talking heads are pushing Romney, I wonder why, not.

VOTE HUCKABEE!!!

Posted by truthbetold | December 21, 2007 3:42 PM

Clear Channel owns more than 1,100 full-power AM, FM, and shortwave radio stations, twelve radio channels on XM Satellite Radio, and more than 30 television stations in the United States. Premiere Radio Networks, which is the largest syndication company in the United States, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clear Channel and is home to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and many others. Sean Hannity recently signed a large multi-market contract with Clear Channel, as well.

It should be noted that Mitt Romney, while no longer the CEO, remains a silent partner of Bain Capital.
****************************

CNN's Money Magazine (12/10/07) notes: "About 43 percent of the Romney portfolio is tied up in private equity investments through Bain Capital Management."

*******************
Perhaps the answer to this question is not complicated. Would you critique your boss who was running for President?

Thank you.

Posted by truthbetold | December 21, 2007 4:38 PM

Wow. I was leaning towards Mitt already but now I have made up my mind. Now that Huckabee's people are attacking Rush I'm sure I will be Caucusing for Romney. In fact I am going to go to Mitt's website now and donate.

Huckabee is a Huckster, a RINO (Republican in Name Only) who expects me to support him just because I'm a Christian. How offensive.

He is so done here in Iowa!

Posted by Dave | December 21, 2007 4:51 PM

A Huckabee Ally On El Rushbo

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