That Huckabee Ad
I do apologize to my readers that this blog has become a running commentary on the Presidential race, but I think we are witnessing one of the most interesting races in a generation. Among the recent topics was this ad by Mike Huckabee:
As a student of political tactics, I’m going to take some time here to respect Huckabee the politician. I don’t know if there’s been a man with more natural political charisma since Bill Clinton. And in many ways, Huckabee is more likable than Clinton. This is precisely, of course, why Huckabee is so dangerous. Like Clinton, he has floated through life on his natural people skills, believing he can talk his way out of any situation (and often succeeding) such that he never is forced into the political inconvenience of standing on any real principle.
Unlike Clinton, who was intelligent enough to adapt to changing political winds, Huckabee is Dubya dumb, not necessarily of particularly low intelligence (Dubya’s 95th percentile SAT scores exceeded Kerry’s, a little known fact; I seriously doubt, however, Huckabee approaches either, the high academic standards of Ouachita Baptist University notwithstanding [average SAT score of about 1085, at about the 60th percentile]) but given to a particular type of self-righteous stubbornness, based not on principle but on himself. Witness Bush’s description of himself as “The Decider” as other such nonsense.
But let me just focus on this political ad in particular. Many were offended, assuming Huck’s intention was to say that he was the only Christian in the race. Even if he intended it, it is true, though, vis-a-vis Romney (Mormon), Giuliani (open adulterer), Thompson (see previous) and McCain (questionable as an Episcopalian, a group whose gay-marrying Scripture-denying theology is infamous). The only other known Christians in the race are Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter, both Baptists.
I am a Ron Paul supporter, but the reaction of some of the Ron Paul people and even Paul himself (who quoted the liberal culture-critiqueing Sinclair Lewis: “When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”) reflect a sort of libertarian blindness to and (among some) sympathy for the 20th-century culture destroyers like Lewis and their penchant for declaring healthy family relationships as repressed petri dishes for fascism. It’s the same Freudian pseudoscience perpetrated by the Frankfurt School in their fraudulently-conducted “Authoritarian Personality” studies: families with strong religious values and strong fathers are inherently defective because of sexual repression which inevitably expresses itself as hostility to the “other”, particularly Jews.
The disproportionately Jewish Frankfurt School researchers read into American Christianity evidence of fascist tendencies. Never mind the fact that if not for American Christians willing to die on their behalf, the pagans of Germany would have had their way with them.
The argument works because it is subtly circular. Neurotic psychoanalysts like Freud, who are obsessed with sex, power relationships and defecation, assume everyone else shares their mental illness. Since we aren’t neurotic and crazy like them, it must be because we’re repressed. Thus the naturally neurotic define normal Western psychology as deformed, while simultaneously defining their neurosis as evidence of normality! (Aside: when one considers the prevalence of deviant sexuality in Hollywood movies, at seemingly random moments in no way adding to the plot, we get a window into this mindset: these people literally think about sex and potty humor all day long.)
The American people are tired of being told that their traditional culture and religion are defective. And they’re particularly tired of the repression of Christmas. In this ad, the real message was not “I am the only Christian” but rather “I am not ashamed to publicly identify myself with your culture despite pressure from the media elites”.
Unfortunately, many libertarians, as Tom Fleming put it, “run gagging to the sink” at any suggestion of religious, cultural or ethnic solidarity. Paul should have been out front with an ad like this, and he missed an opportunity.
I have to give it to Huckabee on this one tactically: he hit the bullseye and the other candidates just got schooled in the art of identity politics.
December 26th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
Not to pick nits, but I think the latest story on McCain is, he’s a Baptist… or maybe he’s Episcopal, but has attnded a Baptist church for some time… Yes, that must be it, so he can appease leither iturgical or evangelical Christians, depending on his audience. (taking a page from Louisiana’s gubernatorial history, no doubt)
As for Paul, I think your analysis borrows too heavily on his libertarian leanings. Dr Paul told either Russert or Schieffer (don’t recall which — my head is still spinning from his appearance on not one but two punditocracy gabfests this weekend) that Faux News caught him cold on that question, and he just said the first thing that came to mind; he did not mean to imply that Huckster or political Christians were nascent fascists.
Far from looking for brownshirts, though, his later comments on the country’s inexorable slide into the “soft fascism” of corporate statism certainly seems to hold water.
December 27th, 2007 at 3:49 am
Conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly says Huckabee “destroyed the conservative movement in Arkansas, and left the Republican Party in shambles,” Schlafly charges, “Yet some of the same evangelicals who sold us on George W. Bush as a ‘compassionate conservative’ are now trying to sell us on Huckabee.”
Richard Viguerie remarked about Huck, “But while Gov. Huckabee stands strong on some issues like abortion that are important to social conservatives, a careful examination of his record as governor reveals that he is just another wishy-washy Republican who enthusiastically promotes big government.”
The Club for Growth, which Huckabee does not seem to get along with, had this to say about the Huckster: “Governor Huckabee’s record on pro-growth, free-market policies is a mixed bag, with pro-growth positions on trade and tort reform, mixed positions on school choice, political speech, and entitlement reform, and profoundly anti-growth positions on taxes, spending, and government regulation.
His recent refusals to rule out raising taxes if elected President-the cornerstone of a pro-growth platform-perhaps indicate which path he would choose.”
Ann Coulter dubbed Huckabee “the Republican Jimmy Carter,” and no sane conservative wants another Jimmy Carter in the White House.
Anti-Illegal immigration advocates say they fear Mr. Huckabee could repeat President Bush’s track record on immigration, which they say amounted to tough talk but a failure to follow through. Mr. Huckabee’s campaign admitted that they never followed through with signing an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to secure training for state police officers. Without it, they cannot enforce federal immigration law.
Huckster’s illegal-enabling attitude is apparent in a deal to establish a partially taxpayer-financed Mexican consulate office in Little Rock, a scheme involving the lease of building space to the Mexican government for $1 a year. Then there was Huck’s support of drivers’ licenses, government benefits and in-state tuition rates for illegals and his opposition to a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote.
Betsy Hagan, Arkansas director of the conservative Eagle Forum and a key backer of his early runs for office, was once ‘his No. 1 fan.’ She was bitterly disappointed with his record. ‘He was pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise a liberal,’ she says. ‘Just like Bill Clinton he will charm you, but don’t be surprised if he takes a completely different turn in office.’
Jennifer Rubin at the National Review summarized his record on taxes while serving as governor in Arkansas.
By the end of his second term he had raised sales taxes 37 percent, fuel taxes 16 percent, and cigarettes taxes 103 percent, leading to a jump in total tax revenues from $3.9 billion to $6.8 billion. The Cato Institute gave him a failing grade of ‘F’ on its fiscal report card for 2006 and an only marginally better but still embarrassing ‘D’ for his entire term.”
Rush Limbaugh remarked that “The Huckabee campaign is trying to dumb down conservatism in order to get it to conform with his record.”
Rich Lowry, the editor of the National Review, has said it would be political suicide to nominate him.
Conservative UCLA law professor Steve Bainbridge, libertarian Cato Institute scholar Michael Tanner, and libertarian-leaning columnist Deroy Murdock have presented some excellent reasons why anyone who cares about limiting the power of government has every reason to oppose Huckabee’s nomination.
Pat Toomey wrote an op-ed in the National Review exposing Huckabee’s “stunning record of big-government liberalism,” protectionism and support for unions. He explains that “the average Arkansan’s tax burden increased 47 percent” and that “state spending increased by 50 percent.”
Do Republicans and conservatives really want to elect another Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter?
Mitt Romney is the best conservative candidate to defeat the Huckster.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:50 am
Paul was technically correct (as Huckabee’s call for doubling military spending as a % of GDP would be a significant step towards fascism) but emotionally incorrect in his response. The latter is more important in politics.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Denny, Romney is only slightly better than Huckabee on immigration:
http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez08_gop1.html
December 27th, 2007 at 9:47 am
If “Dubya” hit 95% on his SAT scores……………………..He cheated.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Bush is a very good actor; he’s not really dumb. He was a Dallas moderate in Texas, not a conservative. Even the ranch in Crawford is a publicity stunt, bought immediately after he won the Presidency to insulate him from his Connecticut Yankee background.
The funny thing is that because Bush is a Yankee, the character he plays on TV is a caricature of Texans, the Hollywood image of the stupid backwoods hick. I’ve never met any real Texan as ignorant and stupid-seeming as Bush’s television character.
More on his IQ here:
http://www.vdare.com/Sailer/kerry_iq_lower.htm
The article also talks about how Bush got schooled in his first Congressional race, when an old Texas Dixiecrat defeated him by making fun of his Ivy League blueblood background and his father’s participation in globalist organizations that triggered all the wrong associations in West Texas. Like George Wallace, Dubya was determined to not get out-rednecked again.
The unfortunate thing is that caricatures, with their exaggerated emotions, play well on TV. One of the first things taught in acting is that emotions and expressions must be exaggerated on stage for the audience to pick up on them. Whereas the caricature might be offensive or unbelievable in person, it works on TV.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Wow! An analysis of a cheesy political add turns into a brilliant, whithering commentary on Sinclair and Freaud. I’d hug Tom’s neck if he were here.
Huckabee is slick and a great communicater. I’m gonna watch Paul’s appearances last weekend on You Tube. Sounds like he didn’t do too well but I’ll watch “the tape” to decide for myself.
I’m guessing you guys won’t be attending the Huckabee for President meeting at Pablano’s tonight;)
December 27th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Tom, you got the whole thing exactly right again. From your analysis of Freudian “psychology” to the pride Christians share in traditional family values. And please excuse me if I go one step further in being politically incorrect. It seems to me that those, such as Freud, who obviously have not experienced the Light of Christ upon the human mind — draw all sorts of silly and incongruent conclusions.
The Born Again experience is not just man-made wishful thinking. It is real. It is effective. It is life changing. A complete (and unexpected) renewal of the Mind. So please indulge me during this Christmas season, but that is why we must Love God with our Whole Mind, Body and Soul. That is the First Commandment, is it not?
All Things Wise and Wonderful — is our God.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
December 29th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Tom your comments are always very enlightening to say the least, but I feel even you give too much credit to American Christians.
I certainly do not speak for American Christians, but I do know what the Lord said about real loyalty to Him.
Many Christians are as caught up in the same trappings of the world that are a daily diet for those who never ever mention the name of Christ.
Many Christians are as materialistic as “non-Christians” and will not sacrifice anything that interferes with their pursuit of comfort. They turn their eyes away from blatant immorality and corruption and slink away knowing they are as much a part of the problem as are those who wouldn’t be caught dead in a church.
They talk family values then involve themselves in the same garbage the rest of our secular society devours.
You commend Hucakabee I guess, for his cleverness in using the cross background to declare his connection with our traditional Christian culture.
Forgive me if I seem judgmental but I don’t buy that for one minute..
Huckabee was shamefully appealing for votes from those same evangelicals who have been lap-dogs to the likes of Pat Robertson, and superficially support a display of the Cross and our “Christian culture” as long as it doesn’t require them to actually confront our secular society openly.
Where was Huckabee when Bill O’reilly asked him if he believed Jews and other non Christians would all go to hell if they didn’t believe in Jesus?
He said he believed Jesus was the way for him, but if others can find another way then that is up to them.
Some how that seemed less than satisfactory to me. But then I am not running for anything and I am not afraid of losing a vote if I am too bold for my Lord