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Blue Skirt: I ♥ Huckabee

Posted by Alice Lieberman on Jan 3rd, 2008

(NB: By the time you read this, the Iowa caucus will have taken place, and the entire calculus of the races within both parties may have changed. But I’m willing to take the chance, and to give Red the opportunity to respond in light of that occurrence).

I am a freak of nature, a Democrat who actually watched the Republican debates. Why not? I figured I might as well give my anti-depressants something to work with, namely the dread with the long-term lease in the pit of my stomach that appears when I think that there is any possibility that we’ll end up with one of these guys in the White House.

Anyway, one of these debates, I thought, was extremely interesting for the sentiments about immigration it brought out. It began when Mitt Romney (he of questionable moral core) accused Rudy Giuliani (he of no moral core) of creating a “sanctuary city” for undocumented workers as mayor of New York. Rudy, sensing that “your mama” was probably not a good rejoinder, gave it back:

It’s unfortunate, but Mitt generally criticizes people in a situation in which he’s had far the — worst record. For example, in his case, there were six sanctuary cities. He did nothing about them. There was even a sanctuary mansion. At his own home, illegal immigrants were being employed…(APPLAUSE) … not being turned into anybody or by anyone. And then when he deputized the police, he did it two weeks before he was going to leave office, and they never even seemed to catch the illegal immigrants that were working at his mansion. So I would say he had sanctuary mansion, not just sanctuary city.”

At the time of this debate, Congressman Tom Tancredo was still in the race and, thrilled by all the immigrant-bashing on display, exulted “this is great! I’m so happy to hear it! ... all I’ve heard is people trying to out-Tancredo Tancredo!”

Reflecting on all of this later, I could hear footsteps, breaking into a gallop. Turns out it was the sound of our nation’s immigrants, repelled by Republican over-the-top antipathy to undocumented workers (many of whom are THEIR EMPLOYEES) running towards the Democratic party.

That was a month ago, though, a lifetime in politics. I still think that the Republicans, who cannot even get behind DREAM Act legislation (which would allow the children of undocumented workers to attend college, or serve in the US military, and begin a path to citizenship under if certain standards are met) are in big trouble. But I cannot tell you how heartened I was when the American people started paying attention to Mike Huckabee, the evangelical Christian conservative governor of Arkansas. Responding to an attack ad in which Romney tries to paint him as “soft” on “illegal immigration” because he supports affordable college education for the children of undocumented workers, here is what he said:

I was dealing with the failure of the federal government at a state level, just like a lot of citizens have dealt with it individually, and my feeling was, and I still believe this, that you don't punish a child for the crimes a parent commits," Huckabee said. "And that's my position; it hasn't changed."

It’s a beginning. And, for Huckabee, it had the added virtue of giving Republican primary voters a chance to consider the possibility that you can be a conservative and a Republican without getting your xenophobe freak on. From my perspective, what makes it even better is that this guy, whose position on immigration is actually much closer to the Democrats (though not liberal enough, in my view), has no chance of being chosen as the party’s standard bearer. That’s because the party establishment is busily swift-boating him, not because they don’t like his position on immigration, or intelligent design (he believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible), or gay marriage. No, no. They don’t like him because, as governor of Arkansas, he actually thought that government could be a force for good, and that that good should be paid for by wealthy individuals too, through fairer taxation. What a concept!

Here’s the other reason I like Mike Huckabee: when it became clear that the electorate in Iowa was paying more than a little attention to him, puppet-comedian Rush Limbaugh, RNC talking-points in hand, started bashing him within an inch of his life. Now I don’t listen to the show (and will someone please tell me how people can call themselves “dittoheads” with PRIDE? It doesn’t exactly take a genius to allow someone to think for you!), but I’ve heard that Limbaugh saves his worst bile for Democrats, especially liberal ones. Nevertheless, calling him “the Huckster,” here is what Rush had to say:

Huckabee is using his devout Christianity to mask some other things that are distinctively not conservative. He is against free trade. He’s really doesn’t believe in free market ...

Huckabee’s radical candidacy broadly repudiates core Republican policies such as free trade, low taxes, the essential legitimacy of America’s corporate entities and the market system allocating wealth and opportunity.

And how did Huckabee respond to an accusation that, when decoded, boils down to “liberal, pro tax fairness?” This just stunned me: he didn’t deny it, but actually TURNED THE OTHER CHEEK! Like the Good Book tells us to do, but we rarely can. HERE is how Governor Mike responded:

"I love Rush Limbaugh; I've always loved his show," I think he’s been great for the conservative movement.... I don’t have his number. If you have it, Jonathan [Martin, of politico.com], why don’t you give it to me. I’d love to talk to him. Maybe put it on the Web that if he’ll call me, I’d love to visit with him."

Don’t get me wrong here: I am PRAYING that this guy gets the nomination, but not because he’d make a great President. I want him to get the nomination because I know he can be beat! Hell, with both parties throwing boulders at him, he wouldn’t have a chance. That’s my kind of Republican.

But here is a guy, about whom I have deep and serious misgivings (the story circulating about his son and the stray dog is truly sickening, and he seems not to think it was such a big deal). And yet, you gotta admire someone who actually seems to live by a set of principles, stands up for beliefs that are anathema to fellow conservatives, and reaches out instead of retaliating against those who repudiate him (which seems to only make them madder!).

Go Mike! If you can survive the drubbing you’re going to take in New Hampshire, and win in South Carolina, I’ll be throwing out those anti-depressants!