Whatever else once can say about Mike Huckabee (and one can say a lot…..evolution….can’t find Pakistan….unclear on the concept of picket crossing)….he’s as verbally fast on the draw as Jay Leno himself was in Wednesday night’s writer-challenged Tonight Show
Huckabee has a “how I got my first guitar” story that rivals that Bruce Springsteen or Brad Paisley for poignancy.
And then he played with the Tonight Show band... Surprisingly well.
What will the appearance do for his numbers in Iowa? Well, the picket crossing issue may hurt him a little, but that matter was very deftly handled by Leno.
I’d say a serious, last-minute boost is coming. This guy is unbelievably appealing on a personal level. He actually gave a pitch for why he likes Barack Obama—a sincere-sounding pitch.
Among of his better lines:
Asked how he lost his weight: “The legislature kept eating my lunch every day.”
Asked about the negative campaigning being done against him:
“If you can’t stand the sight of your own blood, don’t run for anything. Just watch it from the stands…”
Once again, if this guy gets the Repub nomination—-and all the obstacles notwithstanding, the RNC would be fools to count him out—-he could be a formidable opponent—even if he isn’t entirely sure how to find certain South Asian countries.
All the way down to the wire….it’s going to be an interesting 24 hours in primary land.
What the hell are you doing Celeste; you are giving away the “ending” before the Jay Leno show airs here on the west coast. Jay just finished his monologue and Huckabee is coming out next.
Maybe I’ll watch David Letterman, his top list is “Top demands of striking writers”, number ONE is “Producers must immediately remove their heads from their asses”
Yes, Huckabee is surprisingly quick on his feet — asked if he’s good enough to play with the band, he said “No, but I’ll do it anyway.” A little over the top with the poignant stuff though — parents so poor they had to scrape for a year to pay off the $99.00 guitar from Sears…til they all got so sick of him wearing his fingers to the bone playing (i.e., he doesn’t waste resources/taxes, appreciates the value of a penny earned), he became a preacher.
Romney’s most endearing trait: he likes peanut butter and Nutella on toast for breakfast. ME too. (Maybe with banana.)
“Romney’s most endearing trait: he likes peanut butter and Nutella on toast for breakfast.” I think that pretty much nails the entirety of Mitt Romney’s “endearing” quotient.
Huckabee is as much of a social and fiscal conservative as was Clinton. The Republican Party can do better.
Why Democrats pretend to be afraid of Huckabee….
LINK: ESTRICH: Huckabee Is ‘Democrat’s Dream’; ‘Honey, I’m Dancing At Inaugural Ball’…
It reminds me of Brer Rabbit and the briar patch. “You can do anything to us, but pleeeeease don’t nominate Huckabee.” Celeste writes these things and goes to her Laughing Place.
I think Democrats learned in 2000 that lacking command of the issues doesn’t preclude a Republican from earning the nomination or the presidency. If Huckabee doesn’t win the nomination it’ll be his stance on economic issues, not his ignorance, that stops him.
I think there are downsides to a Huckabee candidacy, but not compared to Giuliani, Thompson or Romney. He is the most likely of the Repubs to “connect” and is clearly the single best campaigner among the Repubs – closer to Bill C or Obama. He’d also reactivate the “religious right” at the base, which Dems fear and none of the other candidates can credibly do. Also Susan Estrich is not a very credible political commentator, IMHO. If she really “got” this stuff, historians would be discussing the merits of President Dukakis (whose campaign she managed) vs. President Reagan.
Also, the notion that Clinton was much of a “social conservative” as Huckabee is simply nuts. Blather with ZERO evidence.
And, of course, Clinton was the most fiscally responsible President in recent memory – so if Huckabee is as fiscally conservative as Clinton, the GOP will be doing well for themselves. The only alternative the phonies like Bush – or Reagan – can offer to “tax and spend” is “Don’t tax…and spend.” If the latter is more conservative than Clinton, it would have been news to guys like my grandfather who “knew the value of a dollar” and that “there’s no free lunch.”
I feel sorry (not really) for the pathetic GOP, and their anemic candidates. Flip-floppin’ Romney, abortion-loving Giuliani, Hollywood Thompson, Ron “cut-n-run” Paul, John “homosexual-pandering” McCain, and, of course, Mike Wackabee. Wow, what a sad bunch. Maybe they can dig up what’s left of Reagan’s corpse, for his greatest role yet. Pass the popcorn!
Course he looked good. Jay Leno makes all his political guests look good. The man is, and always will be, a little ass kisser.
Didn’t watch last night but would be interested in Clinton’s appearence on Letterman.
Only GOP candidate I’m afraid of is McCain. He is loved by the media and even “liberals” – see Digby – say they could vote for him.
McCain is definitely THE man among GOPers. Why so many “base” Republicans hate him is a deep mystery to me.
Because in 2000 he sounded sane – like an old fashioned Ike Republican. He was leery of tax cuts and positively hostile to the Falwell/Robertson crowd. That was not where the party was and is – they’re greedy you-know-whats.
It’s funny that everytime a liberal is revealed for making any comment that goes against left-wing doctrine, that the left-wingers call that person not credible, foolish, etc. Don’t ever go against the Democratic program or they’ll kick you out of the herd. There should be a sign at the front door to the Democratic Headquarters that says “Give up your individuality to enter” and a sign at the back door that says “Told you so.”
Woody, you’re a silly, silly man.
Save your insults for liberals who wander off the reservation.
Amazing comment from Woody. Has he seen the Stepford candidates that the GOP is running? Any reasonably sane party would be rallying behind John McCain as the only practical candidate. But they’re going with Romney as the anti-Huckabee after ditching Guiliani. Lemmings!
rlc, you’re saying that the GOP acts as lemmings for one candidate because they don’t act as lemmings for McCain. What you’re actually seeing is people doing what they want rather than what the party tells them to do, aka acting as individuals.
Well they sure weren’t lemmings in Iowa. But sane? As a committed Democrat I want to be the first in congratulating Mike Huckabee on his tather decisive win in the Hawkeye State Tonight. I guess an empty suit like Romney is no longer annointable and that is progress. Now lets see New Hampshire!
Best comment of the night comes from Mark Green of AIR AMERICA Radio. When a colleague noted that Huckabee won in part because he was a personable fellow, quick on his feet and well spoken and a bass player and then noted that he grew up in Hope Arkansas, Green asked what they put in the water there!
Mothers, want your kid to be President? Move to Hope!
Iowa caucuses…
YES !
Harold has the best comment yet.
“Mothers, want your kid to be President? Move to Hope!”
Yeah, the audacity of Hope !
What a country Reg! A few hundred votes (and that is what we’re talking about) and a uclose race becomes an Obama blowout! I also want to give Tweety (Chris Matthews) the “Bob Kerrey” award for his blather today extolling “Barack Hussain Obama” as the son of Kenya and of an Islamic father doing so well. Somebody put this guy out of his misery!
The Dems couldn’t beat Bush the last two elections, so what makes them think that they can beat someone better?
And an honorable mention to Bill Bennet for noting that no one got killed over here during the Obama victory.
(guess its the mother’s influence)
“Edwards third among union voters” (HuffPo)
Interesting….
Keep telling yourself that Woody! I’m really going to enjoy your pain in the comming year. BTW the Dems out Caucused the Repubs 2 – 1. Tell you anything?
rlc – would you be carping about a “few hundred votes” if Edwards was 5-6 points ahead ?
Anyway, despite our differences on the candidates (and the truth is we’d bore everyone to death if we hadn’t disagreed on Something), the bottom line for me isn’t an Obama win but Hillary coming in third. I’d trade an Obama win for an Edwards win if the outcome was a guarantee of InvetaBillary claiming the support of less than a third of the good (Dem) folks of Iowa given all the time and money she’s spent there.
I love the Iowa caucuses, strange as they may be. My wife thinks they suck, but she grew up in Berkeley, so what can you expect. (Actually, she loves Des Moines where she travels periodically for work.)
The Dems couldn’t beat Bush the last two elections, so what makes them think that they can beat someone better?
They beat him in 2000. It took the Supreme Court to give it to Bush.
Hey – rlc. Wait until the voters of America learn that Romney’s real name is “Willard”, McCain’s middle name is “Sydney” and the Huckster’s is “Dale.” That’ll auger at least as bad or worse than “Hussein.”
The Dem turnout for the Iowa caucuses, including the influx of “new” caucusers is the real inspirational, winning story of the night.
Randy, you’re in denial re. the 2000 election.
rlc, the number who attended each party’s caucus reflects interest in a hotly contested Democratic contest rather than who will win in the general election. Heck, if I had been a Republican in Iowa, I would have switched for the night and participated with the Democrats, just to vote for O’bama against Rodham-Clinton, and I bet that a lot of Republicans did just that.
Randy, you’re in denial re. the 2000 election.
Bush had an assist to win in the Supreme Court. He didn’t beat Gore. he had friends in high places.
There’s my proof.
Woody 236,000 people went to the Dem caucaus. 110,00 to the GOP. But congrats on Huckabee!
There’s my proof.
En sus sueños.
Your site is also very interesting, very calming effect just reading it. Will spend more time with certain areas. Well done and good luck with your work.