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DEL.ICIO.USPlaying good cop, brimstone cop with the Georgia GOP
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The good cop, bad cop routine has been done too many times to provide anything but laughs on TV.
But in politics, it’s still rare enough to work.
Mike Huckabee, the Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor, came to town over the weekend. It was his first campaign swing through the state.
Huckabee has a reputation as the nicest guy without money in the 2008 campaign — quick with a quip and a smile, inoffensive to a fault. The former Southern Baptist pastor gave a speech to Cobb County Republicans that could have been delivered, with its focus on taxation, fiscal responsibility and patriotism, to any crowd in the country.
Huckabee was the good cop.
The bad cop — better yet, the brimstone cop — was the Iowa chairman of the Huckabee campaign. Bob VanderPlaats is an evangelical politician from the western, more conservative side of Iowa — a former, unsuccessful candidate for governor.
In a booming voice, VanderPlaats spoke directly to the fears of conservative Christians who serve as the scandal-weary foot soldiers of the GOP in Georgia — a base embarrassed by Larry Craig’s restroom habits, out-of-control spending sanctioned by the Bush administration, and corrupting ties to Washington lobbyists.
You’ll never have to apologize for Huckabee, VanderPlaats argued. He told the crowd — think about this one, now — that he would trust Huckabee “with my wife, and I’d trust him with my four boys.”
“We want somebody who hates dishonest gain. No more smoke and mirrors — [candidates who] tell you one thing, do another thing, just to get your vote,” the man from Iowa said.
In the front row was Sadie Fields, chairman of the Georgia Christian Alliance. She was favorably impressed, but made no commitment. She’ll have a private conversation with Huckabee later this month.
With little cash, and with a quickly advancing primary schedule, dissatisfaction within the GOP’s evangelical base is Huckabee’s best shot at rising into the top tier of Republican candidates, now occupied by Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and — as of last week — Fred Thompson.
Thrice-married Giuliani supports abortion rights and civil unions for gays. Romney is Mormon — a high theological hurdle, particularly in the South. Many conservative Christians consider him a late-comer to the cause.
Thompson is still an unknown factor, but already is defending himself from charges that he worked for abortion rights interests as a lobbyist in 1990s. “It’s going to be hard for Fred Thompson to find his niche,” Fields said.
Unlike Huckabee, all three leading GOP candidates have substantial networks laying the groundwork in Georgia. But they only have slivers of public commitment from evangelical voters.
“There is this strong anti-establishment sentiment — almost a skepticism,” said Tim Echols, a Christian political activist who helped U.S. Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) to his seat this summer.
“Huckabee has jumped on that horse and is trying to ride it for all it’s worth,” said Echols, who counts himself a Huckabee supporter.
But Echols doubts Huckabee’s ultimate ability to compete with the high-dollar crowd. And at some point, he said, the GOP base may have to forsake purity for pragmatism.
That’s when the real tussle for evangelical voters would begin. And when it comes to the result, Echols is of a different mind than most.
Rather than reluctantly choosing Giuliani or Thompson, he predicts we’ll see the GOP’s Christian base lining up behind Romney. “The Mormons — say what you will about them — are political allies of the Religious Right,” he said.
He cited two bits of information to back up his theory, both drawn from the internal politics of conservative Christian activists.
James Dobson, founder of the Colorado-based Focus on the Family, is considered by many to be the most influential evangelical in the country. Mormons form a significant portion of his radio audience, Echols said.
Another clout-packing leader, Tony Perkins, is president of the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council. Perkins developed a working relationship with Romney during the fights over gay marriage in Massachusetts. Echols said he was there to see it happen.
“Romney really carried the water for us,” he said.
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Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Jesse Ausec
September 8, 2007 11:51 PM | Link to this
I have to disagree with Mr. Echols. I don’t think Mike had to compete with “high-dollar crowd” of candidates. His IDEAS have brought him from a “nobody” to headlines on FoxNews and CNN, as well as numerous articles and magazine covers across the country. Huck’s only true challenge is getting his NAME recognized among voters. The media has chosen the “top-tier” candidates. But Mike has been making HUGE strides as of late and it is still VERY early. Just imagine how close he will be in a few months! Huckabee 2008!
By Tom Aiken
September 9, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this
Say what you will about Huckabee, but he’s still a Republican — and that kills it for me right there.
By Tom Aiken
September 9, 2007 9:56 AM | Link to this
Say what you will about Huckabee, but he’s still a Republican — and that kills it for me right there.
By Debbie
September 9, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this
I heard Huckabee speak in Gwinnett yesterday and I have to tell you that he was impressive with his straight talk. The more he gets out in front of people, the more support he will garner.
I am a Thompson supporter and will remain a Thompson supporter, but several Thompson supporter friends of mine are now re-accessing who they will support after they heard Huckabee speak.
I think that voters will vote for the person they think can raise enough money to beat Hillary. I believe that person is Thompson. He is conservative and a straight talker. He is not afraid to skirt difficult issues and problems.
As far as the Christian Conservatives lining up behind Romney, I don’t believe that will happen. I believe the vote will be split between Romney, Thompson, and Huckabee. I have even heard of some Christian Conservatives supporting Rudy because they feel he can beat Rudy.
Christian Conservative leaders might line up behind Romney, but Christian Conservative voters are independent and do not just follow the leader like some Democratic voters do.
Make no mistake, when GOP voters cast their ballot in the Primary, defeating Hillary will be upmost in their minds.
By Debbie
September 9, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this
I meant Rudy can defeat Hillary not Rudy.
By Gary Glenn
September 9, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this
Thompson’s biggest blunder is his refusal to support a Marriage Protection Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that simply defines marriage as being one man and one woman in all 50 states.
By Spence
September 9, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
If Huckabee were to get the nomination his chances of being elected would be about 1%.
I do like Huckabee as a person, but his political views are way too far to the right, and way too religious for mainstream America.
By david
September 9, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this
I admit I’m a Huckabee supporter. After watching every video available and every debate, I believe he has the ideas, passion, likability, and compassion to be our next president. I shudder to think the campaign is all about money. Guiliani cannot energize the social conservative base. Mitt is simply too plastic and has past history problems. McCain has lost the base with immigration. Thompson has never done anything of consequence and is not an excellent off-the-cuff speaker. Mark it down. Mike will win the nomination and win the presidency in a landslide. He can reach the middle class.
By Debbie
September 9, 2007 10:59 AM | Link to this
Thompson is an orginalist. He believes issues like marriage, that are not enumerated in the Constitution, should be left up to the states to decide, not the Federal Government. Isn’t that what the Constitutation states?
By jimbo
September 9, 2007 2:32 PM | Link to this
The sooner the Republican party jetisons the religious fanatics the better.
By Alonzo Quijana
September 9, 2007 2:40 PM | Link to this
I am an independent and disagree with many of Huckabee’s positions. However, I really like his honesty and directness. He isn’t “managed” to death like some of his better funded opponents. He seems to be intelligent, thoughtful and empathetic to the needs, aspirations of middle class and poor people, qualities so lacking in the current leadership. And, in contrast to Fred Thompson you know why he is running
By Craig also
September 9, 2007 10:39 PM | Link to this
You’re correct Debbie. Republicans used to believe in states rights, as enumerated in the Constitution. If Massachusetts and California and Iowa want to allow gay marriage, and Georgia and Wisconsin and Ohio don’t, isn’t that the beauty of our federalist system?
By Josiah
September 9, 2007 11:43 PM | Link to this
I think that Ron Paul offers the best chance to beat the democrats…another pro-war Republican will simply mean a democratic President in 2009.
http://www.covenantnews.com/ronpaul070721.htm
Ron Paul ‘08
By S Shiver
September 10, 2007 12:25 AM | Link to this
Ron Paul is the Mike Gravel of the Republican party. He’s a freak. He has zero chance of winning the nomination.
By Tara
September 10, 2007 12:26 AM | Link to this
A agree with Josiah.
www.ronpaul2008.com
By S Shiver
September 10, 2007 4:03 AM | Link to this
ReTara is wrong. Josiah is wrong. Rue Raul is delusional. Go Fred Go. Go Rudy Go. Go Huckabee Go.
Think nationally kids. Keep your rose-colored eyes on the ball.
By Fred Thompson
September 10, 2007 4:53 AM | Link to this
Disciss Fred Thompson at the BEST Fred Thompson forum on the net!
Fred Thompson Forum
By Debbie
September 10, 2007 7:39 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the link Fred. It is very clear from this parody site who the left wing, whacko, nutcases like yourself are afraid of. They are terrified of a Fred Thompson Presidential campaign.
Left wing nut jobs know that Fred is a danger to the left wingers taking the Whitehouse. You left wing nutcases really show your maturity in this site. Keep it up…
By debbie
September 10, 2007 8:37 AM | Link to this
I believe that Georgia and other states have the right not to recognize marriages from other states if it conflicts with their marriage laws.
I am very strongly opposed to gay marriage but believe in states rights. I would never live in a state that allowed gay marriage.
By Will Jones
September 10, 2007 10:26 AM | Link to this
Illegal immigrant-promoting Huckabee take your Bible to your own closet and pray for edification and integrity.
America’s Motto is “Annuit Coeptis,” and Divine Providence has revealed to all eyes willing to see the plethora of evidence which points to perverts Bush’s and Cheney’s culpability for 9-11 (Viz. “molten pools of steel” under the WTC from steel columns and beams’ being cut up by preplaced explosives; Mineta testimony of Cheney’s stand-down order; Griffin, PhD’s “The New Pearl Harbor, et al).
So too are we all informed that Bush, like Larry Craig, is a homosexual hypocrite (Viz. James Guckert/Jeff Gannon).
Any who would pretend to lead Our Nation, no matter their faction or affiliation, unwilling to confront and broadcast the truth so demonstrated and revealed, serves a false and treasonous spirit and cannot but serve, or shield, the treasonous faction led by Bush, his JFK-killing father and Hitler-financing grandfather, Nixon (hired by Knight of Malta and Rockefeller-front Prescott Bush, who like 41 could not correctly recall his whereabouts upon hearing of JFK’s assassination, which sent 58,000 of us to die for the pope in Vietnam), and the Rockefeller/Fed/papal Fifth Column identified by Our Nation’s Founder, Thomas Jefferson, as “the real Anti-Christ.”
Any unwilling or unable to serve Gd (“of Nature, “Creator Gd”), cannot properly serve The Constitution or The People. Treason must garner its just deserts…executed by The People.
By s shiver
September 10, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this
Whatever, Will. Go Fred Go!!
By Will Jones
September 10, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this
Fred Thompson: another “tough-talking” draft-dodging Chickenhawk.
By S Shiver
September 10, 2007 8:24 PM | Link to this
Hillary is a socialist. Her husband is the first elected rapist to serve in the Whitehouse. Barack “Barry” Obama is a straw man for Hillary to knock down. If she can overcome him and beat Obama, then, well she, who has never an managed anything, will look like she is a strong leader— full of vigor, you see. Go Fred go. He scares the mess out of you libs. If he is just tough talk, then you should have nothing to worry about. Peace.
By Jesse
September 11, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this
Mr. Aiken,
people like YOU are the reason this country is divided! “but he’s still a Republican — and that kills it for me right there”. Give me a break! It’s about making this country a better place, not left or right politics. What do you mean by he’s a Republican? Do you mean he is a God-fearing man with morals, a conscious, and believes in supporting our troops while keeping our country safe from illegals? Wow, great point..
By Jesse
September 11, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this
Mr. Aiken,
people like YOU are the reason this country is divided! “but he’s still a Republican — and that kills it for me right there”. Give me a break! It’s about making this country a better place, not left or right politics. What do you mean by he’s a Republican? Do you mean he is a God-fearing man with morals, a conscious, and believes in supporting our troops while keeping our country safe from illegals? Wow, great point..
By Jesse
September 11, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this
Mr. Aiken,
people like YOU are the reason this country is divided! “but he’s still a Republican — and that kills it for me right there”. Give me a break! It’s about making this country a better place, not left or right politics. What do you mean by he’s a Republican? Do you mean he is a God-fearing man with morals, a conscious, and believes in supporting our troops while keeping our country safe from illegals? Wow, great point..
By Will Jones
September 11, 2007 2:22 PM | Link to this
The GOP is the party of draft-dodging closet-queens…and their willing dupes…in service to fascist plutocracy, racism, perversion and treason.
Those Dems unwilling to even allude to the truths the vast majoriy of The People accept - Bush, in fact, did 9-11 to send us to false war (as his father killed Kennedy to keep us in Vietnam) - are no better than those who ally themselves with the very faction that committed those, and other, treasons, known by America’s Founder as “the real Anti-Christ.”
By Maruku
September 11, 2007 8:50 PM | Link to this
I don’t trust Rudy based on the fact that he was the mayor during 9/11 which was staged by Bush, I just hope and pray to the goddess that Hillary loses the primary, i will not vote for her
By Ian
September 11, 2007 11:09 PM | Link to this
Fred, Fred, where’s your cred? Will you let me keep my bread? FairTax, Yes! ‘er FairTax, No! Just another politico. Hope for tax reform, I see, Will be voting HUCKABEE!