Special New Year’s Day Edition: Is The Mike Huckabee Ad Fiasco Really About Christian Discipleship?
Is history repeating itself?
I’ve been reflecting on the fiasco over Mike Huckabee’s television ad, which he said he was not going to run because he wanted to be above such things, but which he then went ahead and screened for a roomful of snickering reporters. The Fox News video is here.
At first I didn’t think there is an Article VI angle to this story, but Huckabee himself provided one. On New Year’s Eve I watched Wolf Blitzer’s live interview with Huckabee about the pulled-but-still-screened ad. As that portion of the interview ended, Huckabee offered this explanation about why he chose not to air the ad:
[F]rankly for me it just came down to that if a man gained the whole world and loses his own soul, what does it profit him? And that’s what I had to decide. It doesn’t profit you a lot. The presidency is important, but being able to put your head on the pillow at night saying I ran an honorable, decent race, that’s even more important.
“If a man gained the whole world and loses his own soul, what does it profit him?” For those who don’t know, that’s from Matthew 16:26. Huckabee used it not only in the Blitzer interview, but at least one other time yesterday.
All those who are familiar at all with the New Testament, and especially church-going Christians, have heard that verse many times. It goes to the deepest questions about commitment to God, and asks Christians of all stripes what they are willing to sacrifice for their discipleship. Religious people (yes, including Mormons) really get this stuff; we hear it, think about it, and talk about it all the time.
I have to hand it to Huckabee: The man does know how to speak to his folks. Here, he is explaining why he did not respond to what he considered “dishonest” attacks from Mitt Romney: Because he didn’t want to stoop to that level. And he quotes Scripture as justification for his decision. (By the way, did you know Mike Huckabee is a “Christian leader” whose faith “defines him” and who would never make an issue of his chief opponent’s faith?)
Some pundits think Huckabee’s press conference was such a disaster that it is the equivalent of Howard Dean’s scream in Iowa 2004. Here’s Mike Allen’s take:
The national political press corps, which has been wishy-washy and all over the map all cycle had a harmonic convergence yesterday on a single point: Huckabee lost it at his news conference yesterday. “It” being both his stature and, perhaps, the first nominating contest. As pointed out by a colleague, as Huckabee falls back from the number above (which history suggests is more likely than not), the pundits and stories are going to blame it on what Slate’s John Dickerson immediately called “Huckabee’s Nutty Flip-Flop.”
Reporters are wondering aloud if it was “his Howard Dean moment.”
Others are not so sure. For example, Jonathan Martin notes the ad isn’t getting much attention on local Iowa television and newspapers. (But don’t those folks watch cable TV and use the Internet for political news?) If he’s right, this episode may be more important in other primary states later. But that’s too political a subject for this blog; we shall see.
By the way, CNN’s Dana Bash called it “probably the most bizarre press conference I’ve ever been to.” Here’s her video report. You decide if she’s right.
Posted in Political Strategy, Religious Bigotry | 2 Comments » | 
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JLFuller on 06 Jan 2008 at 1:12 pm #
Lowell knows, as do I, that our behavior, public and private, often affects perceptions of our church and its work. We also know that the work as parents is more important than anything we do as individuals – i.e. no other success can compensate for failure in the home. Romney’s message has consistently been that. It is about the family and institutions that protect and promote them. Add successful governance to the equation and you have the complete package. That is the America we need – a safe place to raise our kids and provide for the succeeding generations. We strive to leave a legacy of success and an improved road map to continue the work – nations exist to support and defend families.
What has apparently happened is Mitt’s message has been dulled by his inability to successfully navigate the school yard bullies who look to the presidency as a completion of personal ambition. He is ill equipped for that battle. He fights back the only way he knows. But intellectual jousts and battles of ideas do not win out when it comes to the ways of the world. We still love the guy who can slap the daylights out of the other guy and make him cry like a girl. To much of America it is hard to relate to the uber technocrat especially when he embodies everything your parents wanted you to be. There is no other candidate in either party who has achieved the things Mitt Romney has and that intimidates the hell out them. They automatically hate the guy who achieved by forty what they couldn’t. So they fight back the only way they know. In fact they gang up on him. The intellectually average rely on fear and ridicule as a tools. This is especially true with Huckabee and McCain. This behavior plays to baser instincts of survival. In a world where we should be discussing ideas we are faced with force and, for now, verbal violence. But we all know that people who use violence will rely on it again and again because it is successful. But it is a pedestrian value.
So it appears nothing has changed. McCain will likely succeed on the Republican side. If elected, he will continue the militancy we have seen and become accustomed to. Arrogance will supersede judgment and fear will trump tolerance and understanding. The big stick will be carried in front as a banner instead of behind his back and our opponents still will look upon us as enemies. In the end, if a Democrat is elected, which seems very likely, we will still be in the same boat but following the lead of a liberal congress and the conservative agenda will be subordinated again. We will be less safe and more worried about families and world we leave to them.
dmiller on 07 Jan 2008 at 12:32 am #
I think Mitt is trying to navigate the schoolyard bullies. Yes, we know he has far more intellectual horsepower than the other candidates and it is frustrating to see and hear Huckabee pander to the evangelicals with his soothing words ringing with the spirit. But digging deeper, its empty. Mitt is fighting back as he should and he is making his message clear on the issues. A couple of things, in my opinion, that the Romney campaign should consider.
Fight back and get bloodied by it. Romney needs to move a bit away from that polished look he has. He is making jokes about his hair now, but he needs to lessen its glimmer. The characature in the 1/5-6/08 WSJ (Front page), that school yard, scrappy battle look would be okay and could serve him.
Drop the gorgeous family for a while…at least until he’s won the nomination; then be very judicious in how often he brings them out. A large, gorgeous, happy, healthy family is something so out of the realm for so many Americans today that it doesnt sell well and creates jealousy. Truth…even among Republicans there is alot of dysfunction in famiies — they arent that large and they arent that well-adjusted today…this just fuels the “phony” image. (And gives SNL and political opponents a whole lot of material to work with…dont give it to them). And he needs to be judicious about mentioning them all the time. Be like us. Be real. Be from the heart. Be ready to throw back a punch like any self-respecting man would do.
Drop the modest smile during discussions, debates; unclasp the hands and look directly at us; stand directly facing us. Be our brick wall of strength. Be our tribal chief and make us feel safe.
He shouldnt be afraid to claim his Christian faith and one day soon he is going to be able to say, “I love my God but I do not parade my faith in front of every American to win their praise. My God knows of my faith and that brings great confort to me personally. What the American people will know and know well will be results of my service on behalf of our nation.”
Romney has the intellectual grasp, the energy and I think he is capturing the street sense…he understands what he needs to do. The mere fact that he is being ganged up on speaks volumns about the threat he is presenting to the other candidates.