I will vote Dem before I vote Huck.

I am joining the ranks of other conservative bloggers in announcing that if Huck is the Republican nominee for President then I will vote for a Democrat before I vote for Huck.
Ace of Spades
Not that what one blogger thinks matters that much, but if Huckabee gets the nomination, I'm voting Democratic. It's not just an idle threat; I just won't vote for him and in fact won't even vote third party or stay home. I'll vote for the Democratic candidate, even Hillary. I won't be a party to selling out everything the party is supposed to stand for to a liberal ideology. If we're going to have eight years of liberal rule, I'd rather the Democratic Party be governing, so at least they can take the blame. (my bold)
Dan Riehl:
That Presidential "R" in 2008 will stand for nothing I believe in. The guy is slick but doesn't even look competent. And if Republican primary voters are that stupid, they deserve to lose next Fall. To pass over McCain, Thompson, Romney and Giuliani ONLY because someone's slick and a Jesus Freak, which makes him your average televangelist - forget it.
American Pundit:
Between his lack of knowledge on the NIE, his supporting of tuition funding for illegal aliens, his tax policies, his stance on Gitmo, his stupidity regarding AIDS patients, his pardoning people just ’cause, his ignorance on U.S.-Cuban relations and his flip-flop on the trade embargo, I just can’t bring myself to support him.
Born Again Redneck:
I would rather see Hillary be blamed for not vetoing Congress' tax increases, for screwing up in Iraq, for introducing socialized medicine and for expanding entitlements to the point of creating a womb to tomb welfare state. Huckabee will do all that and maybe even worse and the GOP will be blamed for the economic catastrophe that will result and the increase in terrorism.
Conservative Belle:
I liked Mike Huckabee, but after examining his record more closely and listening to him, I've decided he is the WRONG man to lead our nation. Why? Because I believe there are other Republican candidates who seek God's wisdom daily but are just not overt and in your face about it. Because I believe there are other candidates who believe that Americans are capable of being responsible for their own lives and do not need the federal government to intervene on our behalf (i.e., Nanny State). Because I believe there are other candidates who don't just speak rhetoric about homeland security but have substantial plans and the ability and will to implement them. Because I believe there are other candidates who don't just pay ignorant lip service to foreign policy issues but have a real understanding of the threats to the West and the ability to communicate properly exactly how America intends to act upon those threats. Because I believe there are other candidates who have a reasonable grasp on the economic issues, including the massive entitlement program spending problem and the ability to use a veto pen. And because Mike Huckabee has absolutely ZERO foreign policy experience in a time that our nation needs it most. (my bold)
Rick Moran:
I believe him (Huck) to be a shady operator who, as Levin points out, uses religion as a club against his opponents while setting himself up to be a “superior Christian” to the other candidates. The mindless enthusiasm for this “populist” only shows that the religious right is not ready or worthy to lead any party that purports to represent a polyglot collection of neocons, Main Street, Traditional, and economic conservatives.
I know that many social cons do not support Huckabee and are supporting other candidates who also espouse socially conservative positions. I have no problem with that whatsoever. Those other candidates are not using their religion as a wedge issue in order to maximize their support among one faction or another in the conservative movement. Huckabee, on the other hand, sees his only chance at success in breaking the party and the movement by throwing his weight around as a “Christian leader” while feeding the resentment and paranoia of some evangelicals who think opposition to his candidacy is the result of his religion.

As one of Ace's commenter's said,"the presidency is not an internship."

I heart Huckabee. NOT!!


In lieu of constantly posting on Mike Huckabee's populism, ethics violations, or questionable commutations. There is also room for his illegal immigration policy ( or lack thereof), his Foreign Affairs article gaffs and misquotes,and his choice of Ed "I would like to punch Romney's teeth out" Rollins for a campaign manager despite his lack of experience running campaigns). I do not mind him accusing the Bush administration of having a ,"bunker mentality", it is the fact that he attributed a quote in the article to Sun Tzu when it obviously came from Michael Corleone in the Godfather that really bothers me.

What started as a short post on Huckabee has snowballed and I will need several posts to mesh it out. I will post this letter from a political evangelical in Arkansas to Hugh Hewitt regarding his feelings towards his former Governor. David Thompson lists the following detailed reasons why he and other conservatives cannot support Huckabee:

1. Governor Huckabee did lasting damage to the Republican Party and conservative movement in Arkansas.
2. Governor Huckabee's non-stop clemencies continually hindered the work of criminal prosecutors and miffed Republicans
3. Governor Huckabee's pattern was to ignore immigration laws, often in the name of Christianity.
4. Governor Huckabee was no friend to fiscal conservatives in Arkansas.
5. Huckabee left a long trail of ethics questions while Governor of Arkansas
6. Huckabee's education record shows him to be an advocate of the "status quo.
7. Huckabee has very little support for his Presidential bid here in Arkansas.

Each point is backed up with examples and links to newspaper articles. I recommend all conservatives considering voting for Huckabee read this to see what they are really getting in Huckabee: Bill Clinton-lite,or worse, Jimmy Carter.

The Top 100 Most Influential Conservatives & Liberals in the U.S.

As rated by the The Telegraph of U.K. The list is interesting but is 2008 Presidential candidate heavy. Four of the of top 20 conservatives are Presidential candidates. On this side of the pond, a lot of folks would find it difficult to find 4 candidates that fit their definition of a conservatives in the entire Republican field. The paper also equates party loyalty with either a conservative or liberal philosophy. The top 20 on the liberal side are not pols or experts but interest group organizers, or wives of Presidential candidates. The top 20 Conservatives are mainly 1st round draft picks for the next Republican administration. The paper adopted this formula; anything right of centre = Conservative; left of centre = Liberal. Makes you question where the centre is. The selection process includes this caveat;

When in doubt, we have leant towards those
likely to be most influential in the future rather than those whose careers and
impact lies in the past. But some historical figures cast such a long shadow
that it would have been perverse to have excluded them.

Feel free to list your top 5 most influential (living and nonliving)
conservatives.