This scares me:
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, buoyed by strong support from Christian conservatives, has surged past three of his better-known presidential rivals and is now challenging former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for the lead in the Iowa Republican caucuses, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Huckabee has tripled his support in Iowa since late July, eclipsing former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, former senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.) and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.). Huckabee now runs nearly evenly with Romney, the longtime Iowa front-runner.
Huckabee's rise from dark horse to contender in Iowa is one more unexpected twist in a race that has remained fluid throughout the year and adds another unpredictable element to the competition for the GOP nomination. His support in Iowa appears stronger and more enthusiastic than that of his rivals.
Follow me below the fold...
Our focus so far has been on what we've seen as the Big Three in the Republican Party: Giuliani, Romney and McCain (okay, make that Big Two And A Half).
Mike Huckabee seems like a really nice guy -- and that's what scares the crap out of me. He's the consummate politician -- he's not saying anything that's going to get him into serious trouble. And the average American voter is a sucker for the "nice guy" -- that's how we got stuck with George W. Bush for the past 6+ years.
But unlike Bush and his puppetmasters --Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, and others -- I think Huckabee is a true believer...meaning that if he gets in office, and especially if we don't have a Congress with the cojones to deliver true checks and balances, we're in for an increase in what could be seen as theocratic rule. Expect increased restrictions on women's rights to choose, including some of the most common contraceptive measures. Look for restrictions on what can be taught in public schools that get Federal funding. Bank on increased funding for "faith-based" projects, as well as cuts in the social safety net expecting charities to pick up the slack. And of course, we'll likely see more demonization of those who follow a path other than the Judeo-Christian one -- especially the "Islamofascists".
We need to take a break from trashing the Democratic candidates and start focusing on potential Republican opponents. Huckabee's been flying under the political pundits' radar -- but from posts that some folks in Arkansas have made, it looks like there's some dirt on this guy. We know that folks in the mainstream media read Daily Kos -- I'm positive that Keith Olbermann or someone on his crack staff lurks here (waves at Keith if he's reading). If we start seriously getting the truth about Huckabee out now, we might be able to prevent a repeat of 2000, when America voted for the guy they wanted to have a beer with and not the person who can best lead America out of the mess it's in.
Photoshop pros, to your monitors -- start preparing the "I (Don't Heart) Huckabee" movie poster parodies. Arkansans, dig back in the newspaper archives and find the dirt that's there, and get it out in front of everyone. Kossacks, take a break from bashing Clinton or Obama or Edwards and start focusing on what we're going to be up against after the primaries. Regardless of who makes the acceptance speech in Denver, he or she is going to be far better than Mike Huckabee or anyone on the Republican side of the ledger. Or, come January 20, 2009, we're going to wake up and wonder what the hell happened...