Tag: 2008

Mike Huckabee: The Next Howard Dean??

~ fundyreformed ~ 5 Comments

Does anyone remember all the buzz that surrounded 2004 Democratic candidate for president Howard Dean? His support came mostly from blogs and the internet, and at that time blogs were quite new. His campaign fizzled and he never did win the nomination, but he helped redefine politics as we know it. The web had come of age, and politics had a new venue.

The web gives all the candidates an equal playing ground, for the most part, and that helps Huckabee’s shoestrings campaign immensely. Now Huckabee is no Ron Paul, but he is using the web to generate tons of support and momentum. He said recently, “The internet has been the key to our success, the blogosphere and people going to our website.”

Huckabee has been consistently at the top of campaign website traffic (recent data from Hitwise has his website second among all campaign websites for hits, behind Ron Paul). And he has raised 2 million dollars online in just the past month or so. And his web support is translating into real, on-the-ground support as well.

Blogging is a significant element to web-campaigning. More than simply contacting or emailing people you know, blogging brings people of similar interests together. These interested readers will be more likely to respond positively to posts promoting Huckabee.

Chuck Norris is living proof that blogging has dramatically impacted Huckabee’s campaign. Recently he added his support to Huckabee, and helped create some fascinating and unique campaign ads. Right around the time Chuck gave his support, Huckabee’s campaign started surging forward at an incredible pace. In his own words, Chuck Norris said he started thinking of Huckabee largely because of an email from two teenage bloggers, Alex and Brett Harris of The Rebelution. (This video will show you both a Norris ad, and his discussion of blogs and the web influencing him to support Huckabee.)

And if that was a big development, my own blogging has to be considered as well! I speak facetiously here, but let me illustrate the power of blogging. I read Brian McCrorie’s blog where he promoted Huckabee. Then a month or so later (in April), I came out and started supporting Huckabee. Now over the past several months, I’ve had many tell me they are considering Huckabee because of my blog. And recently Rhett Kelly pointed to my blog as the reason he now supports him. And the chain will go on.

All of this is intended to be a shout out to you bloggers out there. Start blogging about Huckabee!! Do 1 post at least. Add a banner in your sidebar. Get yourself linked from Huckabee’s website (it will bring traffic to your blog.) Jump in and lend a hand. Even if you don’t have spare change, your blogging can really help his campaign.

All along people have said they like Huckabee and his message but don’t think he can win. Now that he is near the top of national polls and all the state polls, what are you waiting for? He has a big chance to win the nomination, and an even better chance of winning the presidency. As Jonathan Alter of Newsweek said a while back, “[Huckabee] may be the only Republican candidate with a decent chance to beat the Democrats next November.”

For those still unfamiliar with Huckabee, I came across a great post co-authored by Justin Taylor. In it he, with Joe Carter of Evangelical Outpost, details the reasons why Huckabee is both the best candidate ideally and pragmatically. He is consistent conservatively and has a real shot at winning the general election. My thoughts on Huckabee can be seen in my Huckabee category here, and especially in this post. Also, you can keep up with the latest on Huckabee by following my Go Huckabee tumble blog.

One final note: today is Mobilize for Mike Day. Mike Huckabee is asking for people to send emails to friends introducing them to himself and his campaign. You can do this via the Huckabee website and that will help keep track of all the emails today. The goal is 100,000 emails to that many different people. This is one more pain-free way to support Mike Huckabee, now while there’s still time for Huck to win the nomination.

So lets work to make Huckabee more than a Howard Dean has been. Let’s band together and propel him to the presidency!

Huckabee 1st in the Nation?! Go Huckabee!

~ fundyreformed ~ 6 Comments

Mike Huckabee is now 1st in national Republican Primary Polls (Rasmussen Reports) [picture above borrowed from Huckabee’s website]! He’s a close second in two other national polls (details here).

I’ve got more to say on Huck, but for now, let me point you to my Huckabee blog: Go Huckabee! I compile links, videos and other posts relating to Huckabee there. You can also see the latest posts on that blog in the sidebar of this one.

Go Huckabee!

Before I go, one more link. Be sure to read my assessment of why Huckabee can win the General Election.

Why Mike Huckabee Can Win the General Election

~ fundyreformed ~ 17 Comments

Update: For a post which lays out the reasons why Huckabee is a genuine conservative and can appeal to all 3 conservative factions, check out this post from Evangelical Outpost (Joe Carter, with Matt Anderson and Justin Taylor).
Momentum is Mike Huckabee‘s friend right about now. He’s been riding it for quite some time.

Huckabee scored big in yesterday’s Iowa Straw Poll by finishing solidly in 2nd place, with 18% of the vote. Romney spent literally millions more than Huckabee, and won first place with only 31% of the vote, even though the two other big name, top tier candidates didn’t participate.

With characteristic charm, Huckabee remarked, “For us to finish second, for all intents and purposes, we won the Iowa straw poll. This is David and Goliath and one smooth stone.” (source, David Chalian of ABCNews.com). Huckabee may not be over exaggerating either.

Chris Cillizza on his Washington Post political blog “The Fix”, suggested that Huckabee may well be the biggest winner from the straw poll. And “The Blue State”, a progressive blog without bias, predicts “Mike Huckabee is about to receive a huge bounce in the polls after finishing second…“. Blue State went on to discuss how Huckabee can position himself as “the leading conservative alternative to the frontrunners“. After highlighting evidence which may suggest hundreds of voters actually changed their minds to vote for Huckabee, Noam Scheiber of The New Republic‘s political blog “The Plank”, went on to describe how, “The political press is absolutely head over heels for Huckabee.”

So with all the buzz surrounding Mike Huckabee and his bid for the Republican nomination, now might be a good time to raise the question: “Can Huckabee win the general election?” I suggest he can, for the following reasons.

  • With a Republican party lagging in morale and political viability, the best chance Republicans have for winning must be a united front. They would need a candidate who appeals both to their base and to middle-of-the-roaders. Huckabee is that man. Conservatives have nothing to fear, and moderates will warm to Huckabee’s optimistic emphasis on vertical politics.
  • Who can say what it takes to win on the big stage, but a healthy dose of charisma, charm, and a quick witted humor never hurt anyone. Huckabee has that and more. He has consistently over achieved in the debates, and displays a presidential tone.
  • Huckabee is not connected to Washington. And he’s a governor — a governor’s governor, really. With 10 1/2 years of executive experience to leverage, Huckabee will convince the public that America needs a proven leader.
  • Since Huckabee isn’t a Washington insider, he isn’t in Bush’s back pocket. He’s been loathe to openly criticize the sitting president, but one can tell he has some significant differences and disappointments with Bush. Republicans and Democrats alike will need to be assured that Huckabee doesn’t represent more of the same.
  • Huckabee is also one of the few Republican candidates with a full-orbed political plan for change. He emphasizes vertical politics and the importance of actually governing and getting things done (see this video clip of Huckabee on this very point).
  • What’s more he is extremely believable and likable. The media love him. He has a great story of losing 100 pounds, and he would also have an underdog turned contender storyline going into the general election.
  • And Huckabee is not a cookie-cutter Republican. Sure he is solidly pro life, but he emphasizes the need to support life from the womb to the grave and everyplace in between. He also is calling for Republicans to take the lead in the stewardship of our environment, and the fighting of corporate greed. He even advocates an emphasis on art & music education in public schools. As for his faith, he stresses that it will influence him to “do what’s right” in office.
  • Early media reports have tried to paint Huckabee as a member of the radical right, with him being an ordained Southern Baptist preacher and all. They’ve made much of his personal belief in God’s creation, over and against evolution. Yet Huckabee’s record will prove them wrong. He won election twice in a solidly democratic Arkansas, and worked with Democrats to get things done.
  • He has a clear across-the-aisle appeal. Huckabee, his bass guitar, and his quick wit proved enough to win applause and more in a must-see interview with Jon Stewart of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show”.
  • To sum it all up, Huckabee is the only conservative who can genuinely appeal to his party’s base as well as reach out to independents and moderates. It’s like Huckabee says, although he’s a conservative, he’s not mad at everybody!

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