Rod Dreher Explains His Christian Principles

Appearances matter, politically.

Hmmm, let's see...which way are the winds of public opinion blowing today?

With friends like these [picture of Mike Huckabee], religious liberty needs no enemies

Now, let's keep in mind Rod Dreher is a blogger, pundit, memoirist, ::coughanonymouscatholicfifthcolumnistcough:: and, most recently, to help ends meet, a ghost writer, while frenemy of religious liberty Mike Huckabee is a magna cum laude college graduate, Baptist minister, former Governor of Arkansas, and former and current presidential candidate.

So clearly Huckabee's qualifications to speak on religious liberty and politics are not at all on a par with Rod's.

What I’m trying to get you to understand is how the Kim Davis thing looks to many people who don’t live inside your bubble. Appearances matter, politically.

Appearances also matter desperately if one is trying to beat the bushes to drum up support for one's signature Benedict Option, a proposition rooted ultimately in Christian hopelessness and despair about the world we live in.

A county clerk fighting back against a Supreme Court decision, even futilely, a social conservative running for the Presidency unapologetically as a social conservative - these things are like garlic to a vampire with respect to any sort of immediacy needed to drive interest in a book about your last, only Benedict Option.

As long as other Christians are taking a stand, any drehery Benedict Option dhimmitude is always something one can think about mañana.

Well, clearly mañana won't put any Benedict Option book wine and oysters into our ghost writer's belly any time soon, so just as clearly any blade of resistant grass that dares raise its head on the barren plains of Benedict Option despair can dependably count on being immediately Millmaned as thoroughly as possible.

Because, you know, appearances matter, politically.

Mike Huckabee's Petition

I'm not the biggest Huckabee fan out there, but I did sign his Balance, Cut, Save petition. It's short for "Balance the Budget, Cut Taxes, Save American families"—and I'm all for those three simple concepts, none of which the current White House administration appears to possess any kind of grasp.

Kentuckabee

Thought it was interesting that Hucakabee, who's out of the race, beat Ron Paul, who's still running, in the Kentucky GOP primary. Not surprising, though, because Huckabee sounds like Kentucky, plus he's got that whole blue grass preacher mojo thing workin'.

Huckabee Concedes

And is expected to endorse McCain within minutes.

Ramble inspired by Laura's monologue

I was just listening to Laura Ingraham's monologue. Right before she said "I gotta get to Starbucks" she was talking about Huckabee's wins in the South and about how he appeals to people because he speaks their language. His simple sentences like "Let's abolish the IRS" are worth millions of dollars in targeted ads. Then she "but-monkeyed" to point out that a lot of people didn't know about the negative ad that the Huckabee Campaign showed to the press in Iowa when he decided not to air it, thereby simultaneously showing it anyway to some people, getting credit for not showing it and saving a pile of money he doesn't have to spend on ads.

Here's my reaction to that. It was sneaky for sure, but it was Judo move entirely enabled by the opponent. This is why these guys are in politics. If Romney had never run a negative ad against Huckabee, would it have been news for Huck to go negative against him? But the fact is at that point Romney had spent big bucks running scads of "Governor Huckabee is a good guy BUT" ads in Iowa. Romney enabled the story and made what Huck did seem more defensive, less offensive.

It reminds me of something from earlier in the campaign. I remember anti-Giuliani people complaining about how Rudy was trying to "leverage 9/11" for his campaign because, as Mayor, he helped see his city through the horrendous crisis and aftermath. I kept hearing in my head the implied remark "...as if that's a big deal...." I think that's another instance of enablement, this time by the hesitancy of media outlets to show 9/11 images since they evoke undesirable reactions such as righteous anger, so-called "Islamophobia" and voting for Bush. The fact is that sensible Americans think 9/11 is a big deal, that it changed America and that it continues to be a reality worthy of discussion regardless of whether or not they like Rudy G's beliefs on other issues.

Remember Rush Limbaugh's famous "Hey, I am equal time"? Well, that can be applied within many different sectors of the marketplace of ideas. Rush was the Elvis of conservative talk -- he has enormous talent, but he showed up on the scene when there was nothing like him. Monoliths are easy to chop at. That's the danger of representing a narrow point of view. (Side note to Rush Limbaugh: I hate to tell you, Rush, but you succeeded because you were a maverick. Don't become a monolith.)

Where I'm going with this. Here's my beef: I think Mitt Romney would be an OK President. He's convinced me that he would be better than either Democrat. But how is he going to beat either of them? Neither one remotely resembles Shannon O'Brien (whoever that is) and both have bigger warchests than bargain basement Mike. He is an bumbling campaigner, and an inferior politician. Kudos to him for making piles of money, but it seems like needs to get the memo that it doesn't help to level the playing field when you can't play the game. He still doesn't like to mention the war, thank you Rich Lowry, completely omitting references to the war on Jihad in his first victory speech which sounded like it was being delivered by a Progressive Populist with a pinch of Reagan. His recent Santorum robo-calls were really just an anti-McCain sandwich with his name inserted at the top and bottom like two pieces of white bread. He still has not answered the question "Who is Mitt Romney?" Jennifer Rubin pointed out a few days back on her blog on Commentary Mag (which BTW is completely down currently or else I'd link it) that he recently sounded like Dole crying after George I smacked him in NH back in '88. The failure to be gracious in defeat marked the end of the Dole campaign.

I'll end with this WSJ piece which sums up my thoughts; here's their conclusion:

John McCain's difficulties in selling himself to GOP voters reflect his many liberal lurches over the years -- from taxes to free speech, prescription drugs and global warming cap and trade. Republicans have a pretty good sense of where he might betray them. Yet few doubt that on other issues -- national security, spending -- Mr. McCain will stick to his principles no matter the opinion polls. If Mr. Romney loses to Senator McCain, the cause will be his failure to persuade voters that he has any convictions at all.

UPDATE: The Commentary Magazine site is back up. Here's the Jennifer Rubin post I mentioned.

Huckabee Wins WV

Story.

BTW, I drive a Saturn.

I'm sure I'm late to the punch bowl on these Chuck Noris facts

But they're funny anyway.

I guess this one explains why Mike Huckabee, who is Norris's bud, said he doesn't believe in evolution:

"There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live."

How Huckabee's Plans for Improving America's Health and Cleaning Up the Environment Will Work

Mike Huckabee hasn't made all this stuff public yet, but nonetheless I have figured out the secrets.

1) He's going to make all the illegal immigrants go "home" in 120 days after his inauguration in January 2009.

2) This will mean the lawns and gardens will grow uncontrollably with no one to take care of them, thereby eating up all the excess CO2 out of the atmosphere.

3) Then all the overweight Americans will have to do the gardening, yard work, constuction and maid service thereby getting in shape and losing the extra weight.

This will work for awhile until all the illegals find how to get back into the land of opportunity. After that people will get fat again and the planet will once again be plagued by American's deadly love affair with the infernal combustion engine.

Catholic League to McCain and Huckabee: "Give up the bigot buddies."

Yeah, well, the CL is right. I guess this Hagee guy has the Chick tract narrative on the Church down pat.

When will these guys give up these kooks? I guess Obama's preacher is an Afrocentrist who has said some crazy things on the other side of the wacky pack.

Morris on McCain's Strong & Weak Points

From the NY Post.

His record taps into a latent populism that attracts Republicans, Democrats and Independents. His battle against big tobacco, efforts to address global warming, opposition to torture during interrogations and fight to reform corporate governance and to protect investors and pensioners appeal to voters of all stripes.

There's that word again, populism. But I think there is more than one type of populism. My biggest problem with the populism of Huckabee and other mainstream conservatives is the pitchfork style, "send all them immygrants back" anti-elitism. Lou Dobbs comes to mind, a double-chinned multi-millionaire working for a global news corporation who rails against global capitalists and media elites. Whoever they are.

Ultimately, though, he can likely transcend the nativist vote and appeal to the broad spectrum of Republicans. Polls indicate that nobody really believes it is feasible to deport 11 million people back to their home nations. If we can't do that, they'll linger on our streets and in our fields forever, as illegal tomorrow as they are today, unless we move to meet them halfway.

Duh.

The Pat Buchanans of the world will split their votes between Mitt Romney and Huckabee, so this negative is not likely to prove any more lethal in Michigan, New York or California than it was in New Hampshire.

This is the interesting thing about a primary fight with lots of players. Like we had been discussing in the comments here, you might not be able to beat a strong opponent, but you could beat a whole field of them. You let them tire each other out then come up and deliver the KO. (You have to be awake in order to do that, though, which is why I gave up on Fred Thompson.)

So we might not get the best candidate on all issues when all is said and done, but we'll probably get the one who is the most clever and experienced. And cleverness might come in handy in the "the struggle against radical Islamic extremists", as well as experience.

NPR Makes Fun of the Holy Eucharist and YOU Get To Pay For It

Hey, sinners who read this blog: do some reparation for this sh*t. From the Catholic League:

An official from Public Radio International, the parent organization that carries “Fair Game with Faith Salie,” called to say that the offensive skit has been pulled from its website and an on-air apology has been given.

We are satisfied with this outcome—it effectively ends this issue.

Original News Release from January 9, 2008

JESUS TRASHED IN ANTI-HUCKABEE SKIT;
OFFENSE AIRS ON UTAH NPR STATION

On January 7, an anti-Huckabee skit trashed Jesus on a radio show, “Fair Game with Faith Salie.” It aired on KCPW, Utah’s National Public Radio station. Here is a transcript of the offensive segment:

[Woman’s voice]: And now another Huckabee family recipe leaked by his opponents.

[Male Voice]: Tired of bland unsatisfying Eucharists? Try this Huckabee family favorite. Deep-Fried Body of Christ--boring holy wafers no more. Take one Eucharist. Preferably post transubstantiation. Deep-fry in fat, not vegetable oil, ladies, until crispy. Serve piping hot. Mike likes to top his Christ with whipped cream and sprinkles. But his wife Janet and the boys like theirs with heavy gravy and cream puffs. It goes great with red wine.

[Woman’s voice]: Now that is just ridiculous. Everyone knows evangelicals don’t believe in transubstantiation.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue responded as follows:

“We are lodging a complaint with Ed Sweeney, KCPW’s general manager. This kind of programming would be over-the-top on a shock-jock station, never mind a station funded by the taxpayers. We would also like to know who was behind this assault on Jesus. Therefore, we are asking for an investigation. Whoever it was, he or she used presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee and evangelicals as foil, saving the real sucker punch for Roman Catholics. This is despicable on several counts: it is blasphemous and bigoted. But it may also be motivated by a political calculus, making it really dirty if it is.”

This reminds me of two street acts we saw at a fair up in Canada on summer vacation. The magician was good and we gave him money at the end even though he made fun of President Bush. Because who really cares. The juggler was good and made fun of George Bush too, then he made fun of Jesus. I forget what the jokes were. So he didn't get any money. I explained that to my oldest kid, that we don't really care what anyone says about the President, but you don't joke about Jesus and church and stuff. But as he know, anti-Catholicism is an addictive sickness. As Christ himself said, "His mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." (Lk 6:45)

Michael Medved on Distorting Huckabee's Victory

This is from Medved's latest Townhall.com commentary.

Predictably enough, most media commentators have totally misinterpreted the nature of Mike Huckabee's big win in the Iowa GOP caucuses. Conventional wisdom says that he swept to victory based on overwhelming support from Evangelicals, but conventional wisdom is flat-out wrong.

According to the exit polls used by major news networks, a majority of voters who described themselves as "evangelical" or "born again" Christians actually voted against Huckabee--with 54 percent splitting their support among Romney, McCain, Thompson and Ron Paul. Yes, Huckabee's 46 percent of Evangelicals was a strong showing, but it was directly comparable to his 40 percent of women, or 40 percent of all voters under the age of 30, or 41 percent of those earning less than $30,000 a year. His powerful appeal to females, the young and the poor make him a different kind of Republican, who connects with voting blocs the GOP needs to win back. He's hardly the one-dimensional religious candidate that we see in the media caricature.

I think this is important to note this because the media has been so focused on the religious aspect of the Republican candidates, and I don't think it's because these chatterboxes are genuinely interested in distinctions in Christology and moral theology. Instead I would suggest that it's all to make the Republican's look like panderers to the scary Christians in the guts of this country which they like to caricature as mouth-breathing bumpkin brigades. Huckabee is routinely described as a former Baptist minister, but he was in government for 12 years, longer than he was in church ministry! Contrast this with Edwards, a 1-term Senator who is never referred to as a "Former Ambulance Chaser". Mitt Romney is referred to as a Mormon constantly and does anyone care if he doesn't knock on your door during dinner? Meanwhile we're still dying to find out the exact denomination of Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton.

Huckabee and Homeschooling

Yes, I realize that the following video is propaganda, but 'tis the season. The occasion is that my wife told me that there is a homeschooling mom who has been blogging about how Huckabee is unfriendly to the homeschooling cause. He's even got an endorsement from a national homeshooling group and I guess she is furrowing her eyebrows about it, like it's some kind of obvious conspiracy. My guess is that it's another desire for "egg in your beer" on the part of the puristas.

But, speaking of conspiracies, it might also be partially due to an article on World Net Nut Daily which is written in their standard fear mongering fashion. Huckabee received the NEA's endorsement in New Hampshire for the Republican nomination. So what? They endorsed Hillary for the Dems and everyone on the east coast thinks that he's the easiest to beat in the general. Could the NEA be playing politics here? I'd take those odds to Vegas.



And speaking of eggs and beer, I can't think of a better way to ruin a beer than to crack an egg in it. I like mine crisp and clean with no protein. Maybe the saying should be changed to "What do you want, Dewars in your Dos Equis? Stoli in your St. Pauli? Grand Marnier in your Grand Ridge?"

Please feel free to suggest other creative boilermaker combinations in the comments, along with substantial comments about whatever I started talking about here. Oh, yes, Mike Huckabee. Full disclosure: I could be happy vote for that guy, tho' I think he has some nutty, unrealistic ideas about deporting illegals. That's red meat for the wild-eyed fringe, IMO, and he'll convenient toss it in the event that he goes all the way.

The Primaries vs. The Tertiaries

This kind of clear thinking is an example of why I was proud to work on Ken Blackwell's gubernatorial campaign and hope to do so again. Excerpt:

If social conservatives disagree with Mr. Giuliani they should work to beat him in the primaries. Why the allure of the quixotic "third party" rather than a real, principled primary fight? If the issues are life, marriage, and Second Amendment freedoms, and the objective is to win, a good bet seems to be Mike Huckabee. He is right on these issues. And, he has been highlighted by pundits on all sides as the one to watch for a breakthrough.

Emphasis mine. All these people that think the objective is to "send a message" about what you think about the so-called establishment, they should write a letter or make a phone call. Those are the ways that normal people "send a message". You don't send a message by losing except for, maybe, "WE LOST LIKE WE KNEW WE WOULD -- AREN'T WE GREAT?"