Huckabee speaks... about Obama

``Don't underestimate the extraordinary, substantive moment that Barack Obama's nomination represents in our country.'' Mike Huckabee

David Seaton's News Links
Many long time News Links readers will remember my interest in the former governor of Arkansas, the "give Hope another chance" man, the right Reverend Mike Huckabee

I have to confess that of all the candidates I have seen this year, the one whose natural talent impresses me most is Mike Huckabee.

I find him by far the smartest, all round politician of the lot. A southern populist without being racist, a social conservative with more nuances than a Japanese trying to say no.

After the color of Obama's skin, I find Huckabee's ways the most original political cross dressing in contemporary US politics.

Here is this from Bloomberg.

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee warned members of his party that any attempt to undermine presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama by ``demonizing'' him would backfire.

``The Republicans will make a fundamental, if not fatal mistake, if they seek to win the election by demonizing Barrack Obama,'' Huckabee told reporters in Tokyo. ``Don't underestimate the extraordinary, substantive moment that Barack Obama's nomination represents in our country.''

How many Republicans do you know, beginning with Karl Rove, who could say that, or even think that?

Republicans certainly don't feel very comfortable with Huckabee, because he is a populist. And it was Huckabee that took the wind out of Romney, who was by far the favorite of the GOP establishment.

Huckabee is a master politician, he knocked Mitt Romney, who spent millions out the race, and did it on a shoestring.

He probably won't be McCain's choice for veep, at this point I think that Mayor Bloomberg (and his money) are what McCain needs most.

For some Michael Huckabee is a joke.

Many disqualify Huckabee for serious consideration because he doesn't believe in evolution.

As to evolution, if the Democrats want to win southern white people or even a lot of evangelical black people, they had better not put evolution at the center of their program, More than religious, this is a cultural thing. Poor people never have liked Darwinism very much... think about it. What does "survival of the fittest" hold for them? What is their role in "the devil take the hindmost"? Jesus offers a far better deal.

Religion and populism go hand in hand. "Religion is the opium of the people" in the same sense that "opium is the opium of the cancer patient". At issue is pain, if you propose no real cure for the disease, why begrudge the palliative drug?

Don't, repeat don't, write Mike Huckabee off, if the economic crisis deepens and widens, he is going to make his presence heavily felt. DS