Paul Mirengoff makes the case that Governor Huckabee is not a serious choice for those concerned with national security.
My main objection to Huckabee — the reason why he’s my fifth choice out of five — is that I lack confidence in his ability to fight terrorism. It’s not just that he lacks experience in this realm, though that’s certainly the case. The real problem is that he’s too moralistic (which is not the same thing as moral). My first clue came when he said during an early debate that we need to remain in Iraq because “we broke it.” Not because we need to defeat al Qaeda; not because we need to limit Iranian influence or avoid a devastating defeat at the hands of terrorists; but because we injured this formerly peaceful state. Huckabee’s exaltation of moralism (in this case dubious) over policy calculation was difficult to miss.
Now we learn (but are surprised) that Huckabee opposes waterboarding and would close the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Huckabee reached this conclusion after meeting with a group of retired generals (the usual suspects, I assume) who are lobbying candidates to oppose Bush administration interrogation and detention policies.
I suspect that Huckabee required little lobbying. Waterboarding and long-term detention aren’t very “Christian”; they merely keep terrorists out of action and, in special circumstances enable us to find out where we’re going to be attacked next and/or where we can find those who are planning the next attacks. But if Huckabee actually did reach his position based on the views of a handful of generals, and without consulting the people actually charged with protecting this country from terrorists, then he’s even less qualified to be president than I suspect.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
He can still make jokes with his ahh…shucks personalality, while we are getting blown up cant he?
December 4th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
The Iraq answer seems to me like a fairly reasonable dodge – he didn’t want to make an answer that would attract partisan attacks, so he instead made a statement that all sides can understand. The waterboarding is a complete 180, but he said it came after meeting with generals, so it could be hard to go after him on it.
Anyway, I have bigger (and more provable) problems with Huckabee.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Did you write the “Left Behind” remark to be sarcastic regarding Tim LaHaye’s endorsement?
December 4th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
So what you’re saying is that Huckabee is a pre-tribulationist?
Just kidding, Gary
December 4th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
I didn’t catch that one, UA. HA!
December 4th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Let’s see…Reagan=no foreign policy experience=guy who ended cold war…Bush 43 had no foreign
policy experience…Clinton had none…Jimmy Carter had none…oh and they were all Governors…hmmm…let me think…
December 4th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
#3: Yes. I gave in to my worst impulses.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
it is kinda funny – see, I do have a sense of humor!
December 4th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Excellent eschatological reference, DaveG! BTW, there is significantly less of Mike Huckabee’s left behind since he went on his diet.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
I don’t think Huck did a 180 on water boarding. As I recall in an early debate, he effectively deferred to the expertise of John McCain (who would make an excellent VP for Huck, BTW).
December 4th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
BTW, as a faithful Catholic, I am a-millenialist, and I loathe what Tim LaHaye has done.
But I still support my pre-millenialist candidate!
December 4th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
MWS – do you think JMac would consider being VP?
December 4th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
I agree, Huck and McCain!
December 4th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
#6 bad defense. It’s not inexperience that is the problem it’s his horrible positions on foreign policy issues.
December 4th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
JMac is too damn old and ornery to be VP. And the press would always seek him out on foreign policy issues.
December 4th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
One of the reasons that I’m a big Rudy fan is that he has laid out detailed proposals on what America’s role is in the world. Out of the three so-called legs of the GOP (economic social and defense cons) I’m the latter and I think Rudy has the most to offer
December 4th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Huckabee’s objection to Guantanamo is because Guantanamo has become a symbol NOT that he objects to detaining people:
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=837
Also I recommend this speech if you want to see where Huckabee stands on the gwot and foreign policy in general:
http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_events/task,view/id,1388/
December 4th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
With Huck’s record and positions coming out, it just shows how little anybody cared about him before.
December 4th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
not many people took him seriously until now
December 4th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
UA,
I’ve got to agree with Feltcher on McCain as veep. But he’d make a good one.
December 4th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
MWS, you have a soft spot for McCain too?
I’m also an amillenialist (but not a Catholic) those doom sayers LaHaye and (Fat preacher who’s name escapes me on TV) really annoy me.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:10 am
This was a great post! The real problem with Huckabee is his policy positions. The most important issues to me are a tie for #1 with the war against terrorism and the economy and third immigration. On all three of theses issues Huckabee is terrible. In fact, on pretty much all issues except for the social issues Huckabee is terrible. McCain and Giuliani rival him on being the worst on immigration but is the worst in the field on fiscal and defense issues.
I have been trying to find a word to describe what it is that frustrates me with Huckabee and being too moralistic is what I have been looking for. We need a a Roosevelt style no nonsense type. The only thing I like about Giuliani is that he is perceived as a hard core tough guy. This is why I am excited about Mitt Romney he is the best on the issues and he doesn’t mess around he means business.
Here is an example of what I am talking about with huckabee and what we can expect from him for being to merciful and soft…
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/12/mom-carol-sue-w.html
December 5th, 2007 at 12:22 am
EGS,
Yes. Of the viable 5, McCain is my second choice, and I could actually get excited about him. It is a big drop to third (Thompson) and by the time we get to four (Romney) we are in the abyss, but I’d still take him over the Dems. Heck if Romney were somehow facing Edwards in the fall, I’d even put a yard sign up. But that leaves only one Republican candidate for whom I will never vote, even if Huckabee (as has been speculated) were his running mate.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:10 am
#21 — Clark Washington — Huckabee will indeed be soft and merciful to our enemies and harsh and legalistic to us Americans. For example, some a few of the Huck’s ten commandments:
Thou shalt not eat fatty foods.
Thou shalt not smoke.
Thou shalt exercise regularly (like me).
If you’re obese, thou shalt shed lots of weight (like me).
And so on and so forth.
But then again, God is causing him to surge … so who are we to argue with God?
December 5th, 2007 at 1:11 am
Oh, and P.S. There is talk of Duncan Hunter running for Governor of our State – California.
I would be so excited to campaign for Duncan. And this would be a great experience for him to run for president again – next time with a Governorship and more name recognition.
Romney 2008!
Hunter 2016!
December 5th, 2007 at 1:33 am
So is everyone arguing that Huck is not sufficiently bloodthirsty to be President. Does he take Christ’s message too seriously?
December 5th, 2007 at 1:39 am
At the risk of going against Time’s blog of the year (as if Time is worth anything more than toilet paper), here’s What I Like About Mike.
And ,for the record, Paul Mirengoff is an idiot.
December 5th, 2007 at 2:16 am
[...] tips: Race 4 2008 and Balloon [...]
December 5th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Beth,
Hunter running for gov. in what year? As much as I like him, I think it would take a miracle for a real conservative to win in the “land of fruits and nuts.”
December 5th, 2007 at 8:42 am
#23, Beth,
This should be a point where Huckabee has Mormon appeal! They don’t like smoking either!
Anyone, Huckabee could set a good example, but there’s really not much more he could do as president, so why the hubbubb? Are you against healthy living?
December 5th, 2007 at 8:43 am
“Anyway,” not “Anyone,”
December 5th, 2007 at 9:45 am
[...] question. His sense of justice and righteousness can not be assailed. But his ambition to govern by the beatitudes would leave the nation more vulnerable than it has been since the late [...]
December 5th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
[...] question. His sense of justice and righteousness can not be assailed. But his ambition to govern by the beatitudes would leave the nation more vulnerable than it has been since the late [...]