Arkansas Blog

I dunno Max.
What the Huck said sounds good as a stand-alone sound bite. But, dig this. The other day I worked a claim on a meth lab cleanup of a house here in Chickenopolis. (No...not covered, but I hadda look just the same). The family included 4 kids. Mom & dad are in the pokey. I don't know where the hell the kids are. Now, using the same context as Huck, aren't those kids being punished (by virtue of having their parents taken from them) for the crimes of their parents.
If you don't like the "meth" analogy, I can come up with a bunch more.
So, while Huck might have scored with some of the more liberal REpugnikuns, I don't think his bullshit stands up to scrutiny.
And I admit to being a liberal.

so far the blog/forums of far left and far right seem to agree on one thing...

that Rudy is getting pounded

Bill Bennett's post debate commentary gave the edge to Romney, who was crisp, direct and convincing.

Next time anyone talks to any candidate at fed level ask them why Soc. Security is being called an "entitlement?" Social Security is now a DEBT which the Federal gov owes to the beneficiaries. The question should be "Do you favor repaying the debt owed to Social Security Fund?"

Republican debates are like watching pus ooze from an open wound.

Dem debates are like watching folks pick at a scab.

Romney was a disaster. "crisp, direct and convincing"??? I heard the same comment and couldn't disagree more. His "triangulation" on the water boarding answer, his bumbling on two or three other questions...clearly Bennett is serving an agenda...or he didn't watch the debate in its entirety.

And yes, Huckabee was a rock star. He doesn't sing my tune, but he was the rock star of that debate. Hands down.

McCain was above the fray and also had a strong showing in as much as he could with his quiet, almost passive, approach to the night. He was at his best when he was the McCain of old...sound, reasoned and rational (e.g. his answer on gun ownership was a net wash for him, and he even had a touch of the roll of the eyes which I thought accurately indicated the relative irrelevance of the question...but it was quintessential straight talk McCain from back in the day...didn't even swing at the pitch much less try to knock it out of the park). Really makes me wonder how much he regrets hitching his cart so tightly to the Bush Administration just before its house of cards came tumbling down in early 2007.

Mark my words...Huckabee will be the VP nod for whoever gets the nod and wants to run with the far right conservatives. He will be the nominee's street cred in the bible belt...and it could be enough to win it for the Republicans. But there is a lot of time left.

Oh, and the fact that illegal immigration is the new wedge issue is absurd. When is Anderson (or any other moderator) going to ask what the heck illegal immigration is doing at the top of the debate issues list when the list of what is actually wrong in our country doesn't come anywhere close to the issue of illegal immigration? Ugh.

"I never vote. It only encourages 'em."

---local wag

Interesting take on tonight's debate over at theatlantic.com Go check out andrew sullivan's post about Mr. Huckabee's performance. He calls it Rove's Frankenstein moment.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/11/roves-frankenst.html

What a sad lot. Mormon Mitt is a one man Saturday Night Live skit. When he was giving a pussy answer to waterboarding, why didn't Grandpa McCain say.....that's a pussy answer boy! The whole situation called for that response. Huckabee was relaxed, feeling good...it feels good to be loosey-goosey in yer preacher pants. The immigration line was good and you can take all my tax money to educate Martian kids if you find any....the money we spend to drop one missile on Iraq will send a hay truck full of Mexican kids all the way thru college, so quityerbitchin.

Oh, and might I add that Mormon Mitt's adviser on waterboarding, Cofer Black, quit the government and is now Vice Chairman of Blackwater. Asking Cofer if waterboarding is torture is like asking a pedophile if boy ass is yummy. Another sign Mitt is dumber than dirt.

I think Preacher Con-man is the best of the Republican candidates, cept Ron Paul of course and wasn't it fun to see Ron Paul tell McCain how wrong he is about winning in Iraq and hear McCain boo-ed out when he continued to spin his crap. Even Republicans are starting to get the big picture.

I couldn't agree moredbi. Proudly declaring Cofer black is advising ya is as bad as saying you will hire old Colin Powell if elected.. this folks are not smart.. they are downright insane. It must be the lust for power..even if you really dont know what you want to do with it.

here's some early poll numbers:

Among Republicans in Iowa, 32% believe former Gov. Mike Huckabee won tonight's Republican debate; former Gov. Mitt Romney gets 16%, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani 12%, Sen. John McCain 10%, former Sen. Fred Thompson 7%, Rep. Ron Paul 6%.
Among Republicans in Florida, 44% believe Huckabee won the debate; Giuliani gets 18%, Romney 13%, McCain 10%, Thompson 5%.
All other candidates receive less than five percent each."

"...if boy ass is yummy."
Hysterical.

And one more observation...assuming the questions were indicative of what is on the minds of conservatives...what a pitiful commentary on what "matters" to the right (and having supported those on both sides of the aisle, I do not fancy myself a partisan player). There was an overabundant focus on illegal immigration, questions about how many/what kinds of guns candidates own, a mental masturbatory question about whether the candidates believe every single word of the bible. Question about manned mission to Mars (which I actually kind of liked but thought was low on the list of genuine priorities). The requisite Giuliani directed Red Sox vs. Yankees question, and the list goes on.
NOTHING about health care.
NOTHING about wounded veterans.
NOTHING about environmental concerns of any kind.
NOTHING about alternative energy opportunities.
NOTHING about global interdependence and the challenges of a flattening economy.
NOTHING about education disparities.
NOTHING about George W. Bush, America's standing in the world, what is necessary to put us back on track, etc.
How out of touch with reality is this party?

Great grasp Myopin.

As 99% of us realize the Huck they are getting now will not be the Huck they get when and if elected or selected. Recall how often Huckabee-Wellfukme talked about the only difference between Ark state finances and federal finances was that Feds could have deficits and Ark could not. What does that conjure up? If elected/selected think of the nightmare this clown would be with the U.S. budget. Monkey Boy would have nothing on him. Think of the news blackouts that Monkey and Darth pulled. Huckabee-Wellfukme could do the Longest Night of blackouts if he gets the inevitable bad press.

They're getting the "good Mike" now. He's getting softballs as My Opin so rightly noted. When hardball starts the other Mike steps up.

Hmmmmmm. I smell a lot of panic on this blog. But be of good cheer, the election is still a year away (almost). And what's with DBI's frequent and odd sexual references? It's at least juvenile for a grown man, DBI. You used to be better than this, speaking of panic.

Panic?

Really?

No, seriously really??

Republican debate looked like a funeral except with booing.

(I would credit the funeral comment, but forgot where I read it)

I believe odd sexual references are more fun than even sexual references. At my age all sex is odd. I panic about a lot of things, but none are named Huckabee. Skimming off the campaign cash is his goal. No telling how much he's charging his campaign to rent his own shoes from himself.

Skimming off the campaign cash is his goal. No telling how much he's charging his campaign to rent his own shoes from himself.<<<
DBI

I know of one local who sent a YouTube question in regarding Huck paying him self in a former campaign.
The video question ask if he is doing the same with this campaign. Never made it. Softballs.
.

The Huckster did very well (all things--such as softball questions--considered). But I wish someone had followed up on his death penalty/Biblical interpretation. How do you square "Thou shalt not kill" with executing people?

When Huck and the prick Romney were sparring over the children of illegal immigrants and scholarships, Huckabee missed an opportunity. Romney said Huck was for giving illegals help and NOT helping kids here legally, and that the children of illegals should be sent "home". Huck failed to point out that many of these kids were born in the USA. This is their home.

Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee were the only ones making anything close to lucid, relevant comments (flowery as Huck's were).

As for Mojo's funeral reference...Fred sho' looked natural, didn't he?

I don't suppose that Senator Denny Altes is advising Huckabee on immigration policy and outpopulating, but he is just as smart as Jim Medley and Frank Glidewell. Thanks, DBI.

"Huckabee-Wellfukme"--lwood

Even though those two goobers were too close to the truth for comfort, I've been enjoying the hell out of that tune.

As for the debate: To quote hubby 'I'm depressed.' The night before the debate I watched Rove begin The Rewrite by explaining that it was Congress that pushed for war, not Bush. Bush wanted to wait, but Congress insisted it was time for war...yeah, that's how I remember it. Then I watched Geraldo dancing all over Baghdad (allegedly) singing what a glorious success Herr Monkeyboy's Surge is; of course he was only one of many Foxites declaring Iraq a done deal, a total victory and that anyone who doesn't agree hates America and regularly prays (well, us heathens chant) for its downfall. And interspersed throughout the last two days were several MSM moments declaring Huck the Second Coming. (Evidently facts are irrelevant to the presidency...it's jokes/one liners and a 'special' connection to Iowan right wingers or Texas good ole boys that count.) Years ago (SEVEN EXACTLY), I wouldn't have gotten close to depression because of all this political crap. I would've assumed that 'things' would work themselves out...that there was no way in hell that a shallow, arrogant, Constitution-trashing daddy's boy like Dubya would be allowed unchecked on the world and our country. Who knew...heck, I thought the Constitution ruled. So while I'm going to enjoy the country's awakening to the real Huck, I have no faith that our country's immune to his charms or strong enough to prevent another stolen election.

The Republicans should be ashamed of putting forth that lily white male display of ignorance. (Yes, you're ignorant if you're arguing the Earth is only six thousand years old/etc.) In general (one or two exceptions) It's like one big conglomerate of an incestuous bloodline that's long past its prime...and slowly strangling from families/dead theologies wrestling to get to the top of the dung heap. If it wasn't for ALL the money, they'd been off life support years ago. And now, after Monkeyboy's pillaging, they even have more money (I think they've got it all).

Contrast 'them' and their list of topics to the Dems...no contest who's on my side.

Now that it's over I'll never admit publicly that I peaked in occasionally. After a spell it got to a point I couldn't tell what I was more entertaining the family pick-my-nose-feel-good Xmas movie fantasy to pass the time or watching a bunch of disingenuous bush lite's sparring soft ball questions.

If they got the same hard ball questions Hillary got thrown at her they would probably sue CNN for sexual harassment.

To Huck for using the religious crutch (used when one hasn't a clue), I can only repeat Samuel Butler who said "The Bible may be the truth, but it is not the whole truth and nothing but the truth". Huck this country needs a leader not just another SFB's good at quoting scripture and much of nothing else.

Lordy what's senior citizens now that television entertainment has gone to the dog's and that's 24/7 entertainment for nursing home residents -- now that scary.

has MH ever been reported to have uttered an expletive in anger?

if so, perhaps even if not, i suggest that his reported "thin-skin" (pardon the pun)
makes him the most likely candidate for this year's "Macaca" moment.

I'm not sure if Henny Youngman is still with us but it looks like we have a new "King of the One-Liners" in our former governor. The writers for the late night talk shows must be doing some part-time work for Mike's campaign during their strike. For their sake, I just hope their checks are good.

Huckabee did "well," eh? This, from The Weekly Standard.

"So, a good night for for the lowest denominator, a bad night for the GOP. America got to see a vaguely threatening parade of gun fetishists, flat worlders, Mars Explorers, Confederate flag lovers and zombie-eyed-Bible-wavers as well as various one issue activists hammering their pet causes. The media will probably award a win to Mike Huckabee, the easy listening music candidate at home in any crowd, fluent in simpleton speak and the one man on the stage tonight who led the audience to roaring cheers by boasting that he had a special qualification to be president that none of the second-raters on the stage could match: A degree in Bible Studies from Ouachita Baptist University of Arkadelphia, Arkansas."

ARK. BLOG: What can I tell you? I'm just a stooge for Huck.

I was going to let DeathByInches' comment slide until Casimer Pulaski also noted the revealing "oddity" of DBI's remarks. It just seemed OT for this thread. Then I realized it wasn't. It goes to the heart of the Republican party's pandering and Huckabee's campaign of "religious" bigotry.

DBI's comment, ". . . is like asking a pedophile if boy ass is yummy," is, to put it charitably, factually ignorant. According to both national and state statistics on child sexual abuse (Department of Human Services, Child Services Division), 95% of sexual abuse of children is heterosexual men abusing girls. That's right. 5% of pedophiles are homosexual.

Yet DBI's first mental image and rhetorical linkage of "pedophile" is with "boy ass." Whether or not his simile is psychosexually revelatory of DBI's personal sexual preoccupations, it is factually bigoted since it demonizes the tiny percentage of homosexuals who are pedophiles while ignoring the vast percentage of pedophiles who are heterosexual.

Off-topic? Not. The right-wing religious base of the Republican party regularly demonizes homosexuals based on similarly factless assertions, including the tired old cannard forming the basis for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which has proved so costly to our military. By now, after so many years of welcoming homosexuals into their military services without incident, so many other countries have proved the "warnings" against equal rights to serve one's country to be faith-based lies rather than fact-based truth.

Which brings us back to Huckabee's faith-based campaign and his appalling anti-homosexual track record in Arkansas (in which, of course, he is not alone among Republican contenders for President).

One Arkansan (President Clinton) tried to end the ban on same-sex men and women serving their country and was immediately burned at the stake by then-Senator Robert Dole . . . resulting in the childish and hypocritical "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" "compromise.

So, nah, DeathByInches. Too many fact-based readers are fans of the Arkansas Times blog to let seemingly innocuous (yet actually hate-filled, ignorant, fear-mongering, not to mention lazily fact-free) comments like yours get a free pass here.

And thanks, Casimer Pulaski, for first pointing it out.

Let freedom ring.

The thing that hits me right in the eyeballs is seeing eight well suited, scrubbed up, every
hair in place, white males on stage....where is the GOP big tent????
I wish someone, anyone would talk about the abuse/murder of our children.
How many more "Baby Grace's" do we have to read/hear about before we recognize that we
have a problem in this country?? I personally know two famalies who lost babies to daughters
live in boyfriends and served on a jury for a little 3 yr old who was locked in a tin shed in
July till he died from the heat.
I do not understand these young mothers who leave the most precious thing on earth in the
'care' of boyfriends.
If we don't care for these little ones what else matters??

"...I do not understand these young mothers who leave the most precious thing on earth in the
'care' of boyfriends."--jazzy

Yeah, ditto, jazzy. I've lived long enough and seen enough to believe that the parents of young children (ESPECIALLY women) should take a hiatus from live-in dating until the young ens are old enough to fend for themselves or squeal loud enough the community will hear. After all, the time is short for children to be so needy, so vulnerable...then we have the rest of our lives for other activities.

Robertogee, I will accept your criticism for the greater good your message serves. It is true that statistics prove that the majority of pedophiles are heterosexual. I regret that I accidentally added to the myth our Republican Christers love to promote. It never entered my mind that I was giving a backhand slap to the homosexual community.

My desire was to expose Mormon MItt for what he is and what he's doing....cavorting with officials of the US taxpayer funded, murderous mercenary group Blackwater while refusing to answer a straight question on torturing human beings.

Thank you for pointing out my error lest haters think I'm on their side.