The dark side of Mike Huckabee

[julialnyc]

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/11/13/huckabee/

snipped...
It all began 16 years ago for Mike and me. Huckabee, in his political debut, was preparing to become the Bible-thumping, abortion-decrying Republican challenger to U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers, the Democratic incumbent. With a playbook straight out of James Dobson, he tried to portray Bumpers as a pornographer for his support of federal grants to the arts.

More important, Huckabee revealed an enduring weakness as glaring as that other Arkansas governor's fondness for women. Huckabee seems to love loot and has a dismissive attitude toward ethics, campaign finance rules and propriety in general. Since that first, failed campaign, the ethical questions have multiplied.

In the 1992 contest with Bumpers, Huckabee used campaign funds to pay himself as his own media consultant. Other payments went to the family babysitter.

In his successful 1994 run for lieutenant governor, he set up a nonprofit curtain known as Action America so he could give speeches for money without having to disclose the names of his benefactors. He failed to report that campaign travel payments were for the use of his own personal plane.


snipped....
Social issues alone should give moderates pause. He championed a law in Arkansas making it harder to get a divorce, the so-called covenant marriage law that has been widely ignored except when he and his wife recommitted in a Valentine's Day publicity stunt held in a 17,000-seat arena.


Huckabee's administration worked hard and unapologetically to prevent gay people from being foster parents. He avidly supported the state amendment that bans gay marriage as well as civil unions and bans any equal treatment under the law -- such as in health insurance coverage -- for same-sex partners. He professed opposition to alcohol and gambling, but he allowed passage of legislation that made it easier for restaurants to obtain private-club mixed-drink permits in dry counties. Over the angry objection of the church lobby, he sped final action on a bill to allow video poker at the state's racetracks, an act followed not long afterward by a $10,000 campaign contribution from the owner of the state's biggest race track, at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs.

[BOSSHOG]

1. And to think, he's the "likeable" gop candidate.

[julialnyc]

2. Right?

I told my father the other night that I hoped that he got the Republican nomination because I think he's easy to beat.... my dad said absolutely not in the tiniest of chances that this guy wins.

[BOSSHOG]

4. However

The gop tactic will be to totally bombard and destroy whomever the dems nominate with little regard to the merits or faults of their candidate. I have every confidence that their is a karl rove in every gop camp. Maybe not as slimy as the original but trained in the party line.

[NewJeffCT]

5. look at his competition

most likeable GOP candidate is only slightly above Nicest Serial Killer.

[julialnyc]

6. Like Bush in 2000

deemed the most likable serial killer (umm, candidate)

[Hellenic_Pagan]

3. I wasnt aware of his light side.

And after reading this, im even less aware of it!

I really hope he doesnt win the nomination - but then none of the repuke choices look any good!

[goddess40]

7. That was my first thought as well

What light side?

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Wow, I'd forgotten some of that stuff from 16 years ago. Thanks to Max for writing that up. The

'Arkansas Times' is about the only paper I touch in Arkansas.

[ColbertWatcher]

9. The problem with these guys is...

...they abuse the notion of "reform".

All Huckabee will have to say is:
"He's a changed man."

Or
"I'm born again."

Or whatever bullshit people will buy.

Remember, like all republicans, Huckabee is a used car salesman.

[bryant69]

10. It's easy to forget, what with Rush Limbaugh and other Conservatives

hating huckabee so much, that he's still a pretty bad guy.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Olney Blue]

11. I've decided to pay myself for advising myself.