Dukakis Redux
Kim Strassel at WSJ on Huckabee:
As pigs in pokes go, the Democratic Party bought itself a big one in 1988. Michael Dukakis was relatively unknown, but he was also the last man standing. Only too late did his party, along with the rest of the country, realize Mr. Dukakis was a typecast liberal — a furlougher of felons, and a guy who looked mighty awkward in a tank.
This is what happens when a party takes a flyer, and it could be Republicans’ turn with Mike Huckabee. The former Baptist minister and governor of Arkansas is surging in Iowa, and is tied with Rudy Giuliani in national polls. He’s selling his party on a simple message: He’s not those other guys, with their flip-flops and different faiths, and dicey social positions. As to what Mr. Huckabee is — that’s as unknown to most voters as the Almighty himself.
Mr. Huckabee is starting to get a look-see by the press, though whether the nation will have time to absorb the findings before the primaries is just as unknown. The small amount that has been unearthed so far ought to have primary voters nervous. It isn’t just that Mr. Huckabee is far from a traditional conservative; he’s a potential ethical time bomb.
Given the dearth of traditional conservatives among this year’s crop of potential ethical time bombs, that’s pretty damning.
Some will also argue Mr. Huckabee is no more ethically challenged than Mr. Giuliani, who is getting pounded with questions about Judith Nathan’s security detail and Giuliani Partner clients. The difference is that Hizzoner is a celebrity whose past bones were long ago picked clean by the media crows. Even the Nathan flap is an extension of news that made the rounds five years ago.
The obscure governor from Arkansas is, in contrast, a deep sea for media diving. Most recent have been stories about his pardons and commutations, as well as the news that R.J. Reynolds contributed to Action America. Mr. Huckabee — who now wants a national smoking ban in public places — responded that he never knew he accepted tobacco money, which has inspired a former adviser to claim Mr. Huckabee is being “less than truthful.” What’s next?
The GOP is still reeling from its financial scandals, which helped Democrats tag the party with a “culture of corruption” in last year’s congressional races. A Huckabee nomination would also neutralize one of the biggest weapons against nominee Hillary Clinton — her own ethically tortured past. If the subject came up at all, it would be a race to the Arkansas bottom. A matchup with Barack Obama could be worse, since the “politics of hope” senator has so far avoided scandal and could bludgeon Mr. Huckabee on his past.
Here are some interesting numbers:
Democrats know it. Here’s an interesting statistic: Since the beginning of 2007, the Democratic National Committee has released 102 direct attacks on Mitt Romney. Rudy Giuliani has warranted 78; John McCain 68; Fred Thompson 21. Mike Huckabee? Four. The most recent of these landed back in March. GOP voters may not have examined Mr. Huckabee’s record, but the left has — and they love what they see.
So far, GOP voters do, too. Most appear attracted to Mr. Huckabee’s image as a “sincere” and “genuine” guy. The former governor may be both of those, but he’s also got a past. Voters are going to want to look before they leap.
Huckabee pretty much hasn’t been on the radar screen most of that time, though Strassel’s suggestion that a Huckabee surge is a Democratic dream works.
Riehl is stacking up Huckabee, Clinton, Romney posts.
Topics: pols
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:07 am on Saturday, December 22, 2007
4 Responses to “Dukakis Redux”
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December 22nd, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Meh! Huckabee is not only another Dukakis, he’s also another Jimmy Carter, a sort of super megaclown. I doubt that he’ll win the nomination as easily as Dukakis did, though. It’s possible, of course, but not certain, even if the Dhimmicrats are using clumsy propaganda.
December 22nd, 2007 at 5:59 pm
They put into words the unease that I have been feeling. His surge coming this close to the start of the primaries is dangerous - I also see him as another Jimmah Carter - a good hearted dufus with no business running the US, and no foreign policy chops at all. But with very little scrutiny of him, and only the soft soap that is being peddled, we might just end up with him as the Republican nominee - then I will know what the Dems felt like with Dukakis, Gore & Kerry as nominees.
December 22nd, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Seriously, Hillary is less scary than Huckabee.
December 23rd, 2007 at 3:54 am
There is a battle for the soul of the Republican party. I’ve had a difficult enough time with Bush’s liberal leanings. Huckabee will kill any chance for a small government conservative to remain a Republican.