GodTube presidential poll

Guess who's winning? Huckabee of course, is there any Christian candidate? Though, Obama and Thompson are tied for second :-) Ron Paul only has 6.5%, I guess the Paulians haven't discovered it yet.

(via)

Huckabee's new Michigan ad

Back to populism again:

I notice that he didn't mention that he raised taxes as well and that he left the state with a surplus (which means the tax payers were over taxed).

Allahpundit thinks it's an implied negative ad against Romney (he's the guy who would lay them off, Huckabee is just a poor schlub just like them).

Move by Michigan Democrats to vote for Huckabee in Republican primary

There's a push by the Democrats, who are limited to Hillary, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel in their primary, to mess with the Republican nomination by voting for Huckabee. This is the same group of Democrats who voted for McCain to upset Gov. Engler who was a Bush supporter:

Lemmons said Tuesday that the push for Republican Mike Huckabee was prompted by the dearth of choices on the Democratic side of the Jan. 15 primary ballot. Lemmons said he himself supports Barack Obama, who chose not to run in Michigan.

And he said Democrats supporting candidates other than those on the Michigan ballot can vote uncommitted. But he likes the idea of recapturing the spirit of 2000, when DOG was formed to torment former Gov. Engler, a staunch backer of George W. Bush.

Huckabee got the nod this time because "the Republican establishment supports Romney and McCain," Lemmons said.

And here's something weird, about 15% of Republicans requested a Democrat absentee ballot:

Grebner said it seems some known Republican voters -- perhaps 15% -- plan to vote Democratic, based on a sampling of 120,000 requests for absentee ballots (out of 220,000) around the state.

Do they intend to bump up Kucinich or embarrass Hillary with a noncommitted vote?

Huckabee proposes a constitutional amendment to end birthright citizenship?

It looks like it according to his "top immigration surrogate"

Mike Huckabee wants to amend the Constitution to prevent children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens from automatically becoming American citizens, according to his top immigration surrogate — a radical step no other major presidential candidate has embraced.

Mr. Huckabee, who won last week's Republican Iowa caucuses, promised Minuteman Project founder James Gilchrist that he would force a test case to the Supreme Court to challenge birthright citizenship, and would push Congress to pass a 28th Amendment to the Constitution to remove any doubt.

[...]

Mr. Huckabee has defended his policies on illegal aliens while he was Arkansas governor. He pressed for illegal aliens to gain college tuition benefits, complained about federal immigration raids in his state and declined to have state police enforce immigration laws, although the state legislature gave him the authority to do so.

Mr. Huckabee now has adopted one of the strictest immigration platforms of any campaign. He has proposed a policy requiring all illegal aliens to return home and apply for immigration through legal channels.

[...]

Members of Congress have never tried to change birthright citizenship by law.

Is anyone going to ask him how he plans to make this happen when he won't have the support of Congress. In fact, he doesn't have the support of the Congress on any of the 4 amendments he's proposing:

1. the Fair Tax requires a constitutional amendment to eliminate the Sixteenth Amendment;
2. a Human Life amendment;
3. an amendment to define marriage;
and now 4. an amendment to end birthright citizenship.

But it doesn't really matter, does it? It's the thought that counts. He's getting credit for supporting the admendments even though they will all be dropped after the election because there's no way Congress will touch any of them.

BTW, I don't have to tell you that this is a pretty significant flip-flop:

Heading into South Carolina, where illegal immigration appears to be the biggest issue among Republicans, Huckabee is going to support a constitutional amendment prohibiting birthright citizenship? Did I not hear him in several debates, including on Sunday, admonishing those of us who've long opposed birthright citizenship, about God's children coming out of the shadows? Is this not the same man who only a few months ago supported McCain-Kennedy?

I guess Huckabee has become the new agent of change in this election, huh?

Update: Huckabee state's that he is not for a constitutional amendment:

Gov. Mike Huckabee has issued the following comment in response to a Washington Times article reporting he would amend the Constitution in connection to children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens:

"I do not support an amendment to the constitution that would prevent children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens from automatically becoming American citizens. I have no intention of supporting a constitutional amendment to deny birthright citizenship."

So, he only supports three amendments, not four.

Excellent new video from Thompson

He's making his case in a pithier manner for those who don't have the attention span to still through a 17 minute video. Go contribute money so he take his message to SC and kick some tushie. He is the only candidate who could appeal to the Reagan coalition. Ed Rollins is determined to destroy it, don't let him do it. Contribute to Thompson's campaign.

Dave Barry Reporting From NH: Huckabutt and the Democrat Dinner

If we didn't have Dave Barry reporting on this race, we would be missing insights into the campaign like these. He goes where the MSM refuses to go:

Speaking of warming, the crowd was warmed up by a blues-rock band called Mama Kicks, and when Huckabee surged into the gym he picked up a bass and joined in playing In The Midnight Hour.'' It was a little rough at the start, and Huckabee turned around and bent over to fiddle with the amplifier, so for a few seconds the crowd was basically looking directly at the Huckabutt, which is a view you rarely get of a leading presidential contender, fortunately. But then the band got it together and did decent versions of Twist and Shout and Mustang Sally, rocking the house New-Hampshire style, with people keeping time by rhythmically thrusting signs that said ''HUCKABEE'' and ''MAKE GLOBAL WARMING A PRIORITY'' into the air.

Then Huckabee introduced Chuck Norris, who broke an IRS agent in half with his forehead. No, I'm kidding, although that would have gone over well. Chuck did say he was unhappy with the IRS, as well as the status quo in general. He is for education. Then Huckabee got up and said he was also against the IRS, and in favor of freedom. The crowd was polite, but I think they were more fired up when he was playing bass.

After that I drove through 293 million cubic miles of picturesque snow to Milford, N.H., where 3,000 Democrats had gathered for a big dinner in the New Hampshire Dome, a big inflatable structure with a plastic roof held up by the air emitted by a guy on the podium introducing every New Hampshire Democrat, living or dead, in the history of the world.

[...]

Until you have heard major Democratic contenders, you do not realize how many times it is possible to use the word ''change'' in a single speech. They're in a big fight over who will be the best changer. At one point, Clinton, sounding like a veteran toll-booth attendant, said, ``I've been making change for 35 years.''

Huckabee did not support the surge before Romney

Video proof here.

Vodkapundit is a tad miffed over the result of the Iowa Caucus

To say the least!

The news coming out of Des Moines (literally, French for “tell me about the rabbits, George”) tonight is distressing in the extreme. 32 years ago, your Democratic brethren took one look at Jimmy Carter -- the worst 20th Century President bar Nixon, and the worst ex-President ever -- and declared, “That’s our man!”

Three decades later, and along comes Mike Huckabee. Same moral pretentiousness, same gullibility on foreign affairs, only-slightly-less toothy idiot’s grin. Then you so-called Republicans took a look at Carter’s clone and said, “That’s our man, too!”

(via)

Theocon Identity Politics Didn't Prevail?

Rod Dreher's assessment that Huckabee's appeal was "not just a triumph of theocon identity politics" seems to me a little bit like rewriting history. And though I will concede that Huckabee no doubt received many votes because of his populist appeal and his support of the fair tax he would not have won without the support of the Evangelical vote:

So much for the idea that evangelical Christians are a dispirited and declining force in the Republican party.

Last night they showed up in force -- in stunning force, actually -- in Iowa's caucuses. They were the power that made a winner of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. And they now pose a challenge for Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain -- for every other serious contender, in other words.

Some six in 10 Republican caucus-goers described themselves as born-again or evangelical Christians, entrance polls showed. Almost half of them voted for Mr. Huckabee. Just two in 10 voted for former Massachusetts Gov. Romney. In a very real sense, evangelical voters, as much as Mr. Huckabee, won Iowa's caucuses on the Republican side.

Identity politics won the day for Huckabee, he deliberately targeted Christians with his ads and with his rhetoric. How can anyone miss the blatant appeal in his speech to the value voters?

I think it’s important that the language of Zion is a mother tongue and not a recently acquired second language.

No one can speak the language of Zion without coming to Zion, can they (Hebrews 12:22)?

Will his appeal be broad enough to replicate his success in Iowa? Maybe, since the field is so cluttered and the national security and fiscal conservative voters will probably still split their vote amongst the remaining candidates. But is there really a desire for a populist candidate with no foreign policy experience and a spotty record on taxes and spending in the Republican party? Do our party members no longer care about smaller government and the empowerment of the individual (someone better tell Rush that he’s no longer the voice of the party if the answer to that question is, “yes”)? If that’s the case, then Huckabee may prevail.

But one thing is clear: Huckabee is the Christian candidate and there is no way we can distance ourselves from that. He made it an issue and the Iowa Christians voted for him because of it. He used the name of Christ to get elected. He will have to live with the consequences of that and so will we.

Christians voted for a Christian tonight

Huckabee won because he played identity politics. He asked Christians to vote for him because he was a Christian and they did. And I believe it was a huge mistake. Christianity has been co-opted by the Republicans too much already and this just marries the two more closely together and the two do not mix. I offer exhibit A as proof, the spokesman for Huckabee:

(via)

Here the article they were refer to.

Ed Rollins really makes a fine spokesman for a Christian leader doesn't he?

Huckabee wins???

Sounds like Romney is conceding. Crap! Though it looks like Thompson may be third.

Entrance Polling -- Huckabee wins big

For what it's worth (Thompson ties with McCain for third).

Romney to Ed Rollins: "Don't touch the hair"

Pretty funny:

ABC News' Matt Stuart and Teddy Davis Report: Mitt Romney made a tongue-in-cheek plea Thursday for Ed Rollins, the Huckabee campaign chairman who recently said that he wanted to knock Romney's teeth out, to keep his hands off his well-quaffed hair.

"The politics are getting interesting," said Romney. "The polls show it is just neck and neck. Down to a razor wire. Tensions are getting high and comments are being made that are really quite questionable. I saw just yesterday the chairman of Gov. Huckabee's campaign said that he would like to knock my teeth out."

"My only comment on that," he added, "is don't touch the hair."

The former Massachusetts governor made his comments while speaking at Principal Financial Group in Des Moines just a few hours before the Iowa caucuses were set to get underway.

The Blogging Caesar predicts a Huckabee and Obama win in Iowa

I'm a little torn by his prediction. I'm elated that he thinks Thompson will come in third and a little concerned because I don't want Huckabee to win by that much.

He's putting up links to other predictions as well.

Huckabee will be on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson tonight

Way to show support for the striking writers that you say you "support" "unequivocally" and "absolutely."

Related Posts:

Huckabee didn't realize that he will be crossing the picket line
"Huckabee: You Can't Deny This Cross"

Video: Huckabee on Leno

"Huckabee: You Can't Deny This Cross"

The writers were not too pleased with Huckabee crossing the picket line:

On the other coast, about 100 striking writers carrying signs saying "Mike Huckabee: What Would Jesus Do?" and "Huckabee: You Can't Deny This Cross" protested the Republican presidential candidate's decision to cross their union's picket line outside NBC Studios in Burbank even though he expressed "unequivocal" and "absolute" support for the writers' cause earlier in the day. He was the main guest on Leno's first Tonight Show back from strike hiatus after Jay, too, decided to cross the picket line. The pickets have been crowding every entranceway all day, from 8 AM through 6 PM, to ensure they slammed the former Arkansas governor who of all the GOP candidates running for the White House has actively solicited and received union support.

Someone might want to tell Huckabee that supporting the union means not crossing the picket line. Why make the effort to go after a voting block only to throw it away over a very public appearance?

BTW, go see the picture of Huckabee on one of the picket signs here.

Huckabee didn't realize that he will be crossing the picket line

When he goes on "The Tonight Show."

``My understanding is that there was a special arrangement made for the late-night shows, and the writers have made this agreement to let the late night shows to come back on, so I don't anticipate that it's crossing a picket line,'' Huckabee told reporters traveling with him Wednesday from Fort Dodge to Mason City.

``I support the writers, by the way. Unequivocally, absolutely. They're dead right on this one. And they ought to get royalties off the residuals and the long-term contracts.''

``I don't think anybody supports the producers on this one,'' he added. ``Maybe the producers support the producers, but I think everybody in the business and even the general public supports the writers.''

Told he was mistaken and that writers had cleared only Letterman's show, Huckabee protested: ``But my understanding is there's a sort of dispensation given to the late-night shows, is that right?''

Told again that he was wrong, Huckabee murmured, ``Hmmm,'' and, ``Oh,'' before answering another question.

(via)

You're not going to believe this but I don't go looking for these Huckabee stories. I have no interest in bashing him. I really don't think he'll be our next president because I really can't see people thinking he's presidential (I could be wrong because I usually overestimate the wisdom of the electorate :-) But when I see something like this it just makes me laugh and so I have to share it with you guys because it's so funny!

Chuck Norris vs. Huckabee's record

According to Allahpundit, it's a Romney ad:

Huckabee: Nobody is able to keep up with Britney, "Dancing with the Stars," or the NIE

Unbelievable. Um...couldn't his handlers let him know that he should at least fake interest in foreign affairs while he's trying to obtain the job of commender in chief and leader of the free world?

If Romney wants to restart his attacks, Huckabee is giving him another chance with that pesky National Intelligence Estimate. Again confusing the timeline (the NIE was out for a full day and a half before he was asked about it), he told the Quad-City Times' Dan Gearino: "Maybe I should've said, 'Have you read the report?' President Bush didn't read it for four years; I don't know why I should read it in four hours."

Then he digs himself just a little bit deeper: "The point I'm trying to make is that, on the campaign trail, nobody's going to be able, if they've been campaigning as hard as we have been, to keep up with every single thing, from what happened to Britney last night to who won 'Dancing with the Stars.' " (Note to Huck: If the choice is between reading an NIE summary and "US Weekly," choose the NIE, at least so long as you're running for president.)

(via)