Here We Go Again…
The Rabid Silly People Garner The Press . . .
Two more “Not Romney for Veep” stories appeared yesterday. One from Columbus, Ohio:
“Christians are praying earnestly for the right person,” said Diane Stover, a Parma resident who was a delegate for GOP candidate Mike Huckabee, a favorite of many social conservatives, in the Ohio primary. “McCain wouldn’t have been our person. But we definitely feel like it would be a huge help to John McCain to pick someone we can be confident will represent the value-voter position. I don’t think it helps him (McCain) at all in Ohio if he picks Romney.”
Oh no, there is no code there with that “praying earnestly’ crack! The other story came out of Detroit:
McCain’s vice presidential selection is likely to be a major topic at both meetings. Matney said Huckabee supporters want the former Arkansas governor on the ticket; failing that, she said, many would oppose Romney. While the Michigan native and former Massachusetts governor got significant support from many conservatives during his primary campaign, others say they are suspicious of his relatively recent move to social conservative positions on issues such as abortion and gay marriage.
There is not much new to be said about all this, we have been here and done this way too many times now. But this pair of stories does make one thing ABUNDANTLY apparent. The sincere energy behind the Huckabee movement was anti-Mormon. I mean give me a break with this “If it’s not Huck it sure as heck should not be Romney” stuff. Who do they think they are fooling?
I am, however, heartened by the fact that all of these continue to be local stories only and appear to be the most amateurish of efforts. Simply put, these people are not credible or effective on a national scale. McCain’s people might meet with them out of courtesy, but it would be silly to take them too seriously.
But what really needs to happen is the thing we have beaten to death around here for the last several days. National Evangelical leadership need to make it plain to John McCain and to the press that these people are the fringe and in no way represent the mainstream of Evangelicals. That, frankly, is what I am “praying earnestly” about.
One other thing while I am thinking about it: More even than national Evangelical leadership, Mike Huckabee needs to seriously repudiate, in the strongest possible terms, these people if he has the slightest hope of ever running for election again. But then I think the Huckster has what he wanted all along (his Fox deal) and he no longer cares. So how precisely is this guy the great Evangelical hope?
OK, Now I am confused about Catholics . . .
Pat Buchanan says Obama does not stand a chance with them. But they are “applauding” the DNC on abortion? This is mostly proof that despite the volumes that have been written about religion and politics, particularly this cycle, the press just does not get it.
Lowell’s post-script: I thought overnight about what to say about the latest bleats from the implacable anti-Mormon wing of would-be Evangelical political movers and shakers, and I really am at a loss. John has said most of what I would say.
What does stand out in my mind is how strange it feels to belong to, and believe deeply in, a well-established worldwide church that has taught me all my life to love and serve my fellow man, and at the same time to know that many fellow-citizens of mine would never vote for me or one of my co-religionists because of our church membership.
At bottom it is just so odd, so suprising, so disappointing, and so perplexing.
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CarlH on 13 Aug 2008 at 4:33 pm #
Don’t be holding your breath waiting for the Huckabee renunciation. Here’s the Reverend himself reading from the same prayer book as his “activist” supporters in Ohio and Michigan (but this is to CBS News). John, I am afraid you totally underestimate what Huckabee wants. This seems (at least to me) clearly to be all about making sure that he remains in charge of the “rabid silly people” (I love that epithet, by the way) and that they remain on task about keeping that Wascally Womney out of anything that might give him a leg up on the Miracle Worker in any future Republican politics.
And as for the supposed silence, it was at best a lull as the Huckabee megaphone seems to be turned up to full volume. Here’s CNN announcing his appearance at the “values voters” conference in California at which McCain and Obama will both appear on Saturday. And the taping of a pilot for his Fox show is getting a lot of attention, including this from the New York Post (which is only one of several mentions).
To me the most curious item in today’s Huckabee buzz, is this article at Market Watch touting Huckabee as a better Veep choice than Romney in order to “steal the Democrats’ [!!!] thunder on economic issues.” And “The Question” is explicitly noted here despite the supposed economic emphasis. And speaking of “The Question”, here’s The Christian Post reporting on Huckabee’s activists, and going all the way to the “cult” question. Perhaps The Christian Post is the house organ for “the rabid silly people”? I just wish I had more confidence that RSP wing of Evangelicaldom is as marginal as some keeping trying to reassure me they are.