jCircadian.com

I wrote a couple of posts a while back about Fred and his insider problem.  I believed then as I believe now, Fred's links to the Bush/Cheney administration will be effectively capitalized upon by the Democrats.  Whereas I am convinced of Governor Mike Huckabee's ability to win the general election (especially against Hillary), I am still failing to see Fred's electability.  For the past month, he has remained fairly unscathed by media criticism or the lack thereof.  But, now that his halo encircled candidacy looms over the next horizon, you can almost hear the sharpening of knives.  I, for one, am ready for him to quit talking and start running.  I am looking forward to a debate stage with Huckabee, Thompson, Giuliani and Romney (sorry, Ron Paul people…no hate mail, please).

As for the sharpening of knives, we have the following:

US News & World Report's Walsh discusses Fred with Frank Luntz (brillliant guy, btw) and writes about it here.  Here is a portion:

"The key for Thompson is to crack 25 percent," Luntz says. A strategist for a rival campaign says Thompson won't do that.

"Fred is a concept, not a candidate," says the strategist. "He is a vessel for what people want to believe in." Much the same can be said about Obama on the Democratic side. Once the former Tennessee senator's record is picked apart, he will lose support rapidly, the rival strategist says.

Mike Allen, writing for Politico, reports on a DNC fundraising e-mail branding Thompson, "The inside-outsider":

"Remember the Republican culture of corruption?" the letter asks. "The revolving door of Republican politicians moving in and out of top political offices and Washington, D.C., lobbying firms? That's Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson. For years, acting wasn't the 'Law & Order' star's profession — it was a hobby. In the real world, Thompson has made a fortune in a decades-long career as a Washington lobbyist.

Then the AP chimes in with a column titled, "Looking at Thompson's Lobbying Past".  Here is a quote from that article:

"This is no political outsider," said Craig Holman, a lobbyist for government ethics and campaign finance reform with Public Citizen. "He clearly gained a network of contacts in Congress though Howard Baker that he cashed in on and would represent anyone who would pay him."

As for Mike Huckabee's electability and appeal to voters, a recent feature article in New Man magazine lays it out pretty well:

Huckabee has a unique ability to appeal to voters in both the primary and the general election. Among social conservatives there seems to be a preoccupation with the primary election but a lack of proper analysis of whether the candidate can get out of the general election.

Huckabee is not only the best social conservative in the primary but he has the best chance of beating the Democrats in the general. Giuliani and McCain would be very strong general election candidates but lack the principled commitment to our core values.

Democratic strategists and left-wing activists are most concerned about Huckabee for this very reason. They fear that he has the best chance of beating Hillary Clinton in the general election.

In 1998, elected to his first term as governor of Arkansas, Huckabee received 48 percent of the African-American vote, according to a CNN exit poll. In 2002, he received 43 percent of the African American vote, despite the fact that former President Clinton campaigned in Arkansas five times for Huckabee's opponent.

If he can garner a fraction of this percentage on a national scale, he could erode the Democratic base and unify black and white social communities.

Huckabee appeals to minorities because of his balanced view of social issues. He has a compelling vision for health care, education, environment, the arts and racial issues. He also has the ability to propose free market solutions to traditionally liberal social issues.

His creativity, common sense and personal experiences in health, poverty and education are not typically Republican and would resonate with moderates and even liberal voters. 
(Read the entire piece from New Man magazine here)

jcircadian.com

This is recycled from my blog, huckabee.wordpress.com.  I wrote it on June 1st...but, it actually applies more now.  Time is pressing.

As political junkies (I prefer "aficionados", but "junkies" may be more accurate), it is easy for us to forget that Joe Voter has barely even realized that there will be an election next year.  We actively hunt, track and stalk our news and information.  Joe Voter waits for it to graze its way into his front yard (Sometimes, I think Joe Voter may be more sane).  We, most likely, only make up about 2-3% of the voting public.   Therefore, money is vital to deliver the message and create name recognition for that other 97-98% of the public.

Unfortunately, the very same qualities that draw us to Mike Huckabee may be hindering his fundraising.  He is not part of the existing Republican establishment and he is not in the back pocket of corporate America.  Therefore, Grassroots support may make or break this campaign.  The good news is that money will follow money.  So, with momentum, contributions will grow exponentially.

Unless we can talk him into Dancing with the Stars, auditioning for American Idol, dressing in drag, joining a cult (sorry…had to…won't happen again), selling his soul or maybe even starring in "Law and Order", he really needs our help…and by help, I mean Money. 

We are at a pivotal time right now, not only for the Republican Party, but for our country.  We all need to and must do more to ensure the pivot is in the right direction.

The end of the current quarter is only ten days out.  A good report, in numbers of contributors and money donated, is extremely important for the progress of this campaign.  The media is estimating Gov. Huckabee's fundraising this quarter to be around 2 million (400% better than last quarter).  Along with the recent news of a jump in the polls, a surprise report of double that amount would really boost what is already increasing momentum.

To Donate Now, go here !

A New Mason Dixon poll released from Iowa:

On the Republican side, Romney 25% Undecided at 21%  Thompson at 17%, Giuliani at 15%, Huckabee at 7%, and McCain and Brownback at 6% each.

Thanks to One Mom for posting this email:

Dear HSLDA members:

HSLDA's PAC Committee has taken the historic step of making an early
endorsement in the 2008 race for president.

We believe that Mike Huckabee, Governor of Arkansas, should be elected
the next President of the United States. Mike is a principled conservative, a friend of homeschooling, a man of character, and a man with a mature faith in Jesus Christ. 

Mike Huckabee, as governor, was the first to appoint a homeschooler to the Arkansas State Board of Education, and to our knowledge the first to do so in any state. He is adamantly opposed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and is committed to stopping the erosion of parental rights. He is pro-life. He supports traditional marriage. He believes that the Internal Revenue Service should be abolished and replaced with the Fair Tax--a move that we strongly
support because it would greatly benefit homeschooling families. He believes and is willing to say that Islamic extremism needs to be understood as a theologically driven threat. He believes that America must be strong, but should never be perceived as a bully. He believes that our borders must be secured not only from illegal immigration but from the growing trend among  American judges of "illegally importing" international law into our American judicial systems.

There are a few other candidates in the race who are properly described as principled conservatives. None of the media's "frontrunners" would qualify for this designation. But we believe that Mike Huckabee is by far the best communicator in the race--he is able to articulate his conservative principles in an incredibly winsome and articulate manner.  Moreover, among the principled conservatives,
Huckabee is the only one who has been a governor. And we have not elected members of either the Senate or the House--and certainly not a mayor--as President of the United States in nearly a half century. 

We believe that Mike Huckabee may be the only candidate in the race who could defeat Hillary Clinton in 2008.

Because of her past support for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we believe that it is absolutely essential to find a candidate who can beat her. If she is elected president, both homeschooling and parental rights would be in serious jeopardy.

To date, based on early polls, we are told that Rudy Giuliani is the front-runner for the GOP nomination. It is our judgment that Giuliani cannot possibly beat Hillary Clinton. Since 1976, no person running for president as a moderate Republican has ever won the election. (Not everyone running as a conservative proved to be a true conservative, but we are analyzing elections.) Ford and Dole--both moderates-- lost in 1976 and 1996. Reagan, a clear conservative, won landslides in 1980 and 1984. George H.W. Bush portrayed himself as a Reagan man in 1988 and won. But as president he violated his famous "read my lips-- no new taxes" pledge, and was defeated in 1992 when it had become clear to America that he was a moderate. George W. Bush ran as a conservative and was elected in 2000 and 2004. 

Moderate Republicans simply cannot win the presidency. If the nation wants a Democrat, they choose the real thing. This is particularly true on the abortion issue. Giuliani supports Roe vs. Wade and will never win the support of the crucial block of social conservatives. Hillary Clinton will be elected president if Giuliani is the candidate. We think this is true of any of the other front-runners--none of whom comes close to being labeled a truly principled conservative. Do not believe the early polls. History is a far better means of analysis. No moderate Republican can be elected president.

We have taken this historic step of an early endorsement because the process of electing our president is based on a radically different timetable in this election. The vast majority of the primaries will be earlier than ever before. If we do not act now, all conservatives will be driven from the race by lack of funding and we will be left with only unacceptable choices.

Thus, we urge our members to do four things:


1. Support Mike Huckabee in your state's presidential primary (or other nomination process).

2. Please pray for him on a regular basis.

3. Please consider volunteering for his campaign. You can view his website at http://www.explorehuckabee.com/.

4. Please make a donation TODAY to his campaign at https://www.explorehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contribute.Home.

Do not think that your gift is insignificant because you cannot give thousands of dollars. A campaign like Huckabee's will only work when thousands of friends network together giving, $25, $50, $100, or even just $10 each. Frankly, a campaign that receives $25 from 10,000 people is far stronger than a campaign that receives $10,000 from 25 people. 

Grassroots conservatives often complain about the big-dollar types who try to control the process. The only solution is for a whole bunch of small-dollar people to stand together and give together. And the left has learned to drive millions of people to websites and to fund large campaigns based on grassroots supporters who contact their friends and urge them to get involved.

It is far safer for an organization like ours to sit silently on the sidelines for a long time. But, it is our judgment that we must get behind a conservative candidate who will provide a viable option to Hillary. Moreover, many of us have waited a long time for a presidential candidate who is a truly qualified and articulate man who
shares our values down to his core. Mike Huckabee entered politics for the same reason that most of us began homeschooling. He wants a future that is grounded upon timeless values.

We think that the time is now. Please support Mike Huckabee.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President

Michael P. Farris
HSLDA Chairman & General Counsel

Some Great Huckabee blogs to check out: