Huckabee, Palin, Romney the "top tier" - image freedomslighthouse.net
Mike Huckabee, former 2008 Presidential candidate who took Iowa on a shoestring, former 2-1/2 term Governor of Arkansas, yes, ordained Baptist Minister, appears to have received a bit of positive press this past week, whether it be from Conservative or Mainstream outlets, as well as, shockingly liberal leaning outlets that are, for all intents and purposes, shopping around for the GOP candidate that they can “live with”, should President Obama go the way of Jimmy Carter and be truly unelectable. (Refer to Gallup State Poll on Obama’s popularity released earlier in the week.) There is no question that the 2012 GOP field, should it emerge as the “projected top tier candidates” of multiple polling organizations suggest, would be one of the most energetic and engaging group of contenders, which televised debates, would be the ultimate in “reality” television for political junkies (and the media who is eyeing those who, in a universe of probabilities, will be the 45th President of the United States.
Huckabee, who is on tour for his new book (reminiscent of 2007 and a similar book tour), has been doing he circuit, from appearance on talk radio, to Fox News, to the Colbert Report, Huckabee goes where not many GOP candidates would: to the right, down the center, and to the left.
Appearing on a segment of Laura Ingram’s talk radio show (clip below), Huckabee suggests that MSNBC personality, Chris Matthews, should seek help and get some meds (paraphrased), he talks about border security and how the US might emulate Israel, as he speaks to the real threat of open borders, terrorism. It is not that Laura Ingram is a heavy hitting conservative like Rush Limbaugh (more on that later), but she does have a right of right leaning tone, for the most part and does not mince words. She gave Huckabee a showcase, one which did not include a lecture (something she is prone to do).
The Gallup released a national Republican Poll Here where Huckabee, Palin and Romney appear in the top “tier” of potential candidates in a national Republican and Republican Leaning schematic. Huckabee tops the group with a slight 2 point difference, out of 17 possible (two of which have announced their intent not to run), candidates. Huckabee is followed by Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin, both tied, however, when one looks at the marginal’s, and where Huckabee is currently leading among “groups”, one sees the 2012 potential more clearly: He scores higher on Republicans, than Republican Leaning Independents (again Romney and Palin tie), He scores highest among Conservatives, and surprisingly Palin scores higher among those who consider themselves Liberal to Moderate. Huckabee scores equally with men, but higher with women, and takes the “youth” vote (18-49), but lags in the boomer group (that goes to Romney). The geographic: Huckabee scores well above the top 3 in the South and the Midwest, while Palin and Romney tie in the East, and Romney stands alone in the West. Huckabee owns the larger block of Real Estate at this point. The Gallup headline: “Huckabee, Palin, Romney Tie for Lead in GOP '12 Preferences”, is statistically correct, given the margin of error (plus or minus 3), until one start to look at the marginal’s and individual questions.
The Washington Post, doing a Case For and Case Against, study of candidates, gave Huckabee a shot at the Case For: which included: He’s a Great Communicator, a “known Commodity, he exhibited Early State Strength, (the past for the future theory), and finally, The Man is a True Believer; the post understanding that there is a Christian base to the Republican Party that can make or break a candidate or, for that matter, a President. The Case Against, not yet published, will most likely rehash 2008, and those “issues” raised, but clearly not forgotten, from parolees, to being seen as “too liberal”, Huckabee has a record of having actually governed for 10-1/2 hears, during which, he did his job. That brings up issues.
New York Magazine’s article “Why is Mike Huckabee So Damn Nice to President Obama?” list instances where the Govenor has been pleasant to President Obama, and his wife, Michelle. The author then goes on to ponder if Huckabee is being nice because is not running, or because he is running. It is a clearly conflicted article. Huckabee does not act like other candidates, because he is different from the usual, he leaves personal attacks off the table (for the most part), but argues on policy. Someone who is level headed and appears to think about a situation, then act, not react.
These particular pieces, out of the 2,343 recent articles via “Google News” this morning when one queried simply “Mike Huckabee”, are an extremely small cross sampling, and frankly, there are too darn many news articles on that man. From his book tour stops in Iowa and South Carolina, to his stand on Islam, to Union Busting, etc., etc.
The book may have been the proverbial “bell weather” as to Mike Huckabee's intentions to run, however, Huckabee's PAC, may be gearing up for more: A “money bomb” asking for donations of $20.12, is on the site here . If one feels that Huckabee needs a clear signal to run, spending the $20.12 may help him consider making an announcement before June 2011.
Should the thought of Sarah Palin, (given recent conversations with cherished New York State of Mind friends, who are now experiencing what can only be termed “Palin Derangement Syndrome” -) give one nightmares, there’s another reason to visit Mike’s PAC and send that $20.12 message.
Adding fuel to that Fear:
Speaking of Palin, the most powerful name in Conservative Talk, one Rush Limbaugh, did a piece comparing President Obama’s treatment by the media, and then proposed: If President Palin, did this: or that (full transcript here at rushlimbaugh.com. It is interesting to speculate whether or not El Rushbo has somehow endorsed Palin, and or, more to the point, if his rather large conservative following thought he did. To be fair, this blog does not listen to Rush Limbaugh, or most talk radio (with the exception of Howie Carr, (Boston Talk), during a 15 to 20 minute commute), therefore, this may not have been the norm - he may have done segment similar with Mike Huckabee or Mitt Romney, in which case, it was missed.
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