Huck’s the real deal for the religious right
Today, the British newspaper The Times ran an article about why Mike Huckabee might be the one the religious right has been looking for.
The evangelicals have become used to wielding significant – if not always decisive – influence on nomination contests since 1980. But, for people who preach so hard against promiscuity, this time around they showed a previously unsuspected disposition for serial-flirting with the candidates.
The first suitor was George Allen, before his career was wrecked when he got caught making an apparently racist remark. Next came Mr Romney, who struggled to prove he had not two-timed them by supporting abortion and gay rights in the past – or deal fully with their fear of his Mormon faith. Fred Thompson also dallied with their affections before he got rejected for being old, lazy and turning up late by not announcing his candidacy until September.
By October, some had given up and were talking about backing an independent. Others were braced for an unholy alliance with Mr Giuliani, who supports abortion and gay rights. But then Mr Huckabee – previously so far behind nobody had really noticed him – arrived with a speech that sent volts through the “Values Voters” summit in Washington.
If Huckabee can avoid any big scandals in the coming month, he might be able to ride the wave of support by the religious right to a presidential nomination. However, a lot can happen in a month and I wouldn’t be surprised if the opposition is waiting until closer to the primaries to issue a few more attacks on him.
