…and this is a 
Huckabee is a raving lunatic
Category: Politics
Posted on: January 15, 2008 4:52 PM, by PZ Myers
Here's his latest suggestion: that we we amend the Constitution to be more biblical.
"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution," Huckabee told a Michigan audience on Monday. "But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living god. And that's what we need to do -- to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view."
Whoa.
We have a candidate who openly wants to make the US a religious state, and he's the frontrunner on the Republican side. There are a large number of people who want this demented fuckwit to run the country. And the pundits of the news media are sucking their thumbs and watching; here's what one commentator had to say:
Geist further noted of Huckabee that if "someone without his charm," said that, "he'd be dismissed as a crackpot, but he's Mike Huckabee and he's basically the front-runner."
Popularity excuses all affronts, I guess. Did your mother ever ask you, "If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?"
I'm feeling a bit like I'm watching a whole country merrily running towards that cliff right now.
Email this entry to a friend
View the Technorati Link Cosmos for this entry
Comments
even more fun is that Scarborough refuses to criticize him for this, calling it only "interesting." Can't piss off the fuckwits by acknowledging that they are fuckwits.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 15, 2008 4:54 PM
I've long advocated asking candidates which document they will swear to uphold and defend - the constitution or the bible.
I agree wholeheartedly with Huk that they are not compatible as legal guides. Now I guess we know his answer.
I had always hoped that the media would condemn a politician who openly advocates tearing up the constitution. Now I guess we know the answer to that too.
Scary stuff...
Posted by: dcwp | January 15, 2008 4:55 PM
Oh what a fuckwit. I hope that whomever the Dems have will clean the Reps clocks. Wow, I dunno if I have ever heard any candidate say something like that.
Posted by: firemancarl | January 15, 2008 4:55 PM
Posted by: Brownian, OM | January 15, 2008 4:55 PM
It's nice in a horrible sort of way to have ones worst fears confirmed. Huckabee really is a Christian equivalent of a Taliban.
That there are so many people out there who think a Christian theocracy would be a good idea scares me. If biblical law was implemented I would be under threat of a death sentence because of who I am.
If this fuckwad wins in November Lyne and I are out of here. Hello Malta.
Posted by: Natasha Yar-Routh | January 15, 2008 5:03 PM
Don't laugh. Or shudder. The USA has a recent tradition of voting for the absolute worst candidate possible. Huckabee could well be the next US president.
It would be the end of the US. I suppose in a democracy if everyone votes to destroy it, that is what happens. Every civilization that ever existed fell sooner or later, most of the time from within. At least we get to see one fall up close.
Although I'm not the least bit sure about the we part. If Huckabee is elected, there will be a new immigration problem. Americans will be immigrating en masse to any place that will take them. Canada would be OK but it is too cold. Australia?
Posted by: raven | January 15, 2008 5:05 PM
"some contemporary view"?
Just any old view, Mike? Or Enlightenment liberalism? I feel like I'm channeling raven or something, but jeez, these guys really do want to take us back into the dark ages. Any more regressive, and they'd be pagans, for Pan's sake.
Posted by: CJO | January 15, 2008 5:06 PM
"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living Allah. And that's what we need to do -- to amend the Constitution so it's in Allah's standards rather than try to change Allah's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view."
Say that and the Huckster's supporters will panic.
Posted by: Ray C. | January 15, 2008 5:07 PM
Huckabee scares the crap out of me. He's so far from any understanding of the American ideals of fairness and inclusiveness that he might as well come from another planet.
He seems even more demented than Bush when it comes to religion. That he's even willing to SAY such things out in the open is a scary sign of the severe deterioration of church-state separation in the U.S.
On the other hand ...
If the election goes to the Democrats, and especially if it's an unbalanced victory for them, a clear repudiation of the last 8 years, good ol' Huck may just be the "Dover" of the evangelical Republican movement.
Posted by: Hank Fox | January 15, 2008 5:07 PM
Oh, the irony: How many Christians, Huck-Boy-AR-Dee included, really follow biblical law?
Answer: None.
Posted by: Kseniya | January 15, 2008 5:08 PM
I'm sure anyone who is not a Xian, Jews, Moslems, Hindus, agnostics, atheists, is going to be thrilled with Adolph Huckabee's brilliant idea.
On a good day, he would automatically make them second class citizens. On a bad day, we don't even want to imagine it.
PS Something tells me the Wiccans wouldn't be too happy either. I believe his bible calls for the death penalty for witches.
Posted by: raven | January 15, 2008 5:10 PM
Yes to what PZ said, except that it is unclear that he is the frontrunner on the Republican side. In Michigan (today) it is believed to be a race between Romney and McCain, while Huckabee is pinning his hopes on South Carolina--but then it seems unlikely that he'd win anything but a few backward states like SC.
I don't think he leads in national polls, either, though I could be wrong about that (I don't follow politics closely).
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: Glen Davidson | January 15, 2008 5:11 PM
did anybody watch the video in the link?
just as scary was the little discussion about "subservience" in marriage they were poking the female commenter with, and she essentially stating that subservience to the husband was the "foundation of marriage"
holly fuck, all of these people are insane.
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 15, 2008 5:13 PM
If huckabee wins, I will buy a hut deep in the mountains and start buying ans stockpiling food and iodine pills.
Posted by: T_U_T | January 15, 2008 5:14 PM
Yes to what PZ said, except that it is unclear that he is the frontrunner on the Republican side.
yeah, he was a brief frontrunner after winning Iowa. that ended in NH, but who knows. It's still very early in this mess.
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 15, 2008 5:15 PM
I think Glen is right. The Huckster made a splash by taking Iowa (big whup) but I think by July he'll be little more than a
funny smell in the back of the refrigeratorbad memory.Posted by: Kseniya | January 15, 2008 5:16 PM
Hey, most of the time I'm feeling like we've covered half the verses of Leviticus anyway. Leviticus 25:44,
Canadians might find this a bit worrisome. Mexico probably won't notice any difference, since we treat their immigrants like slaves for the most part anyway...
Posted by: gg | January 15, 2008 5:16 PM
I am honestly flabbergasted. I don't have any coherent comment to make, except that I didn't expect this grade of congealed lunacy, even in my wildest dreams.
Posted by: Sampo Rassi | January 15, 2008 5:17 PM
There was a time when conservatives were opposed to messing with the Constitution too much.
But these days, if it stops a hippie from burning a flag, two men from loving one another, or wiccans from praying on military bases, Conservatives want to amend the shit out of the Constitution.
Assclowns.
Posted by: Mister DNA | January 15, 2008 5:17 PM
Did anyone hear Gary Hart and Newt Gingrich on NPR today?
Posted by: Kseniya | January 15, 2008 5:19 PM
Incidentally, with such a batshit-insane declaration, who will be willing to be Huck's running mate? Fred Phelps? Rick Santorum? The crazy guy on the street corner going on about the end times?
Posted by: gg | January 15, 2008 5:19 PM
...to change the word of the living god.
The trinitarian one or the unitarian one? Or, maybe one of the other ones? Frankly I'm giddy with anticipation.
Posted by: jimmiraybob | January 15, 2008 5:19 PM
Kseniya, is that the start of a really good joke?
Posted by: Carlie | January 15, 2008 5:20 PM
but then it seems unlikely that he'd win anything but a few backward states like SC.
Well, basically the entire South. Along with Iowa. Add a few states along the way in which the fuckwits control the party apparatus, and you're looking at a nominee.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 15, 2008 5:21 PM
Oops. On Point: Newt Gingrich and Gary Hart.
Posted by: Kseniya | January 15, 2008 5:21 PM
PS He did not say amend the Constitution, he said change the Constitution. I'm thinking by signing statement or recess appointment.
Posted by: jimmiraybob | January 15, 2008 5:22 PM
Carlie, no (but maybe it should be). Actually it was an interesting look into the idea that there are a fair number of Dems and GOPer who are as sick of the neocons and political polarization as I think most of us are. There may be a movement afoot to undo the worst of the Reagan revolution: that is, for traditional conservatives to take back the GOP from the religious right and the neocons.
Posted by: Kseniya | January 15, 2008 5:24 PM
Ravin said: "If Huckabee is elected, there will be a new immigration problem. Americans will be immigrating en masse to any place that will take them. Canada would be OK but it is too cold."
I have heard that Vancouver, BC is very beautiful and has a mild climate. From where I stand, it gets more attractive everyday. Is it too late to apply for Canadian citizenship?
Posted by: Tony Popple | January 15, 2008 5:27 PM
Lets not forget that Huckabee actually did not finish his religious education. This is a bit like a doctor who dropped out giving you a prescription.
Posted by: thadd | January 15, 2008 5:27 PM
Canadians might find this a bit worrisome.
Oh, I don't know about that. Ever try to start a slave truck that's been parked outside in -30°C weather without a block heater?
Besides, after a few more 'successes' in Syria and Iran like the one in Iraq, and you won't have enough troops to capture a moose, let alone any of us fat poutine-eaters.
Posted by: Brownian, OM | January 15, 2008 5:28 PM
I'm surprised by some of the comments at the linked article, to the effect of (and one literally saying) "he just lost the election". Don't kid yourselves... this is something that a large portion of Americans would want.
And then, as always, there are a few comments saying that they hope he wins the nomination so that the Republicans will lose big in the general election. Aside from the problem that they might not, let me say this: I've never voted Republican, and I never expect to. But I'm an American, and the Republican Party is part of America. They aren't going away, as much as we might wish it. Even with severe electoral defeats, they'll hang around with probably a third or more of national offices. What they do, and what they believe, will continue to shape this country for the forseeable future. So, I want it to be the best party that it can be; i.e., to reflect the best values of its members, not the worst. To that end, I hope that McCain wins the nomination. Even though he's even more of a hawk than Bush.
Posted by: Nemo | January 15, 2008 5:31 PM
Plus, MacGyver was filmed there.
Posted by: Brownian, OM | January 15, 2008 5:31 PM
Keep in mind that slaves can only be taken from "the pagan nations that are around you." I'm getting tired of washing the dishes for my dad and my brothers. What's the nearest pagan nation to the USA? Cuba?
I hear Vancouver is lovely. I've been to Nova Scotia - that's nice, too, and relatively temperate for its latitude. (No?)
Posted by: Kseniya | January 15, 2008 5:32 PM
I'm hoping, as Hank Fox suggested, that this is the last hurrah for the evangelicals as a serious political force. I'm sure Huckabee isn't going to get the nomination. He represents the last push by the evangelical base to assert their dominance of the Republican party, and the Republican party is going to smack him/them down. The noise coming from the Republicans indicates they have finally realized their pandering to the evangelicals has come back to bite them on the ass, and they need to purge the party of the evangelical influence if they want to remain viable in general elections.
So maybe this is the crest of the evangelical wave. I sure hope so. Any red-blooded American has to feel his blood chill when he hears something like this. I hope we are finally adjusting course and turning away from this madness. Such contempt for the traditions, institutions and values that made this country great would surely lead us to destruction.
Posted by: Max Udargo | January 15, 2008 5:33 PM
I'm interested to see how the wider public will react to this. An optimistic view: This will be the turning point after which Huckabee will go down in flames.
Posted by: miller | January 15, 2008 5:33 PM
Brownian wrote: "Besides, after a few more 'successes' in Syria and Iran like the one in Iraq, and you won't have enough troops to capture a moose, let alone any of us fat poutine-eaters."
I don't know, we could no doubt fire up the public and get a draft going by pointing to Canada's obvious development of 'weapons of moose destruction'. Ow, I regret writing that.
Anyway, considering Huckabee is probably more ignorant about geography than even Bush, any invasion of Canada would no doubt begin with a beachhead on southern China.
Posted by: gg | January 15, 2008 5:34 PM
Posted by: Stanton | January 15, 2008 5:34 PM
OMFG! now that is really screwed up! good thing Democrats will certainly win this election.
~C
Posted by: ~C4Chaos | January 15, 2008 5:36 PM
I hear Vancouver is lovely
Gorgeous! I was there for my aunts' wedding. It was so weird to be able to breathe the air in August without any work, like "where's the humidity?"
Posted by: MAJeff | January 15, 2008 5:37 PM
Huckabee very well could be elected and he probably does command a solid 35% of the electorate. We need to clearly elucidate the dangers of a religious state- since the obvious examples, Iran, Saudi Arabia seem not to resonate with the American public.
The following humor (needed as the idea of Huckabee is soooo depressing) was posted on the previous Huckabee 'headline.' Forgive me for resurrecting it here- there were typos to correct- with apologies to Lewis Carroll.
Twas twilight in the Libertane,
Did Guil and Ronpol entertain?
Ole Mittney ware the kerrygloves
and the rathe confederland.
Beware the Huckabee my son!
Jocularis clothe de sack.
Beware the bulljob baird and shun
the framenourius Baptertak.
Wit verbol glossat serpentand
long time educarine foe he sought
Yet slumbered he by benjamine tree
Possessed as though in thought.
Phyletics not he understood,
The Huckabee with eyes aflame,
come waffling Arkansanin wood
and beheeing the inane.
Gesticulating out in view
the verbol glossat serpentak.
Probosc-elphant was he ahead,
churmed Galloping the politic.
Quo vadis M the Huckabee?
To me, to me, my churlish boy.
Perfid the fog beswept away,
stood he before the Hillary.
Matinal was the Libertine,
Did Guil, and Ronpol to the Fred.
Mittney wore the kerrygloves,
(Barrok and Edwards narywed)
And the Jan wrethe Clintontine.
Posted by: mothra | January 15, 2008 5:39 PM
Oh come on. Canada is not that cold everywhere.
Last week temperatures here in Toronto were 16C. In the summer, we get the same smog as everyone in New York (actually a lot of it is *from* New York) and temperatures in the 30's.
Besides, our dollar is worth it at the moment. I'll supply the peameal bacon. Brownian can bring the poutine.
Posted by: The Flying Trilobite | January 15, 2008 5:40 PM
And The New Pornographers are from there. (So is Kristin Kreuk, guys. Heh.)
Vancouver. It's All That!
Posted by: Kseniya | January 15, 2008 5:43 PM
@Ksenyia "What's the nearest pagan nation to the USA? Cuba?"
What about California? :>
Posted by: Helblindi | January 15, 2008 5:43 PM
Posted by: Foggg | January 15, 2008 5:46 PM
If any of you ever make it to Edmonton, I've got a couple of couches and a futon for guests to crash on.
There are some mountains a few hours away on which some intrepid individuals while away the winter months engaged in an activity called 'skiing', though for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would voluntarily go outside at any point from late September through mid-April.
Posted by: Brownian, OM | January 15, 2008 5:46 PM
The noise coming from the Republicans indicates they have finally realized their pandering to the evangelicals has come back to bite them on the ass, and they need to purge the party of the evangelical influence if they want to remain viable in general elections.
evidence, please.
seriously, if you have some links showing the movers and shakers in the GoP have begun to abandon the religious right as a voting block tool, I'd love to see it.
hell, didn't McCain recently even change his own religion from episcopalian to baptist?
would give at least some hope for the future, even though I don't see myself voting rethuglican in the next decade at least.
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 15, 2008 5:49 PM
To amend the Constitution requires the vote of 290 Representatives and 67 Senators, plus the approval of 37 State legislatures. Huckabee, if elected, has no formal standing to even introduce an amendment, much less vote on it. All that's needed to keep any amendment from happening is the strength of character of 145 Representatives OR 34 Senators OR 13 State legislatures.
I'm not too worried.
Posted by: blaisepascal | January 15, 2008 5:50 PM
First thought: AAAAAAAAAH!
Second thought: Ok, at least there's not a chance in hell he's gonna get elected now.
Third thought: Bush. Twice.
Well, fuck.
And even if the US might not have a lot of troops left, there's still nukes and shit. If it weren't for that, I doubt I would particularly care if the american people decided to vote itself back into the middle ages. The intelligent ones would surely end up in Canada or over here and the rest of the world would be better off... But, as I said. US is a terribly powerful nation and the idea of someone even nuttier than Dubya at the wheel... *shudder*
Posted by: Felicia Gilljam | January 15, 2008 5:50 PM
Democrats outnumbered Republicans 2 to 1 in the Iowa caucuses.
I think you might have missed that he said NOMINEE.
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 15, 2008 5:51 PM
This is off-topic, but I just wasted an hour watching it, so I thought you might want to. I emailed to PZ.
It's about a non-scientist, orthodox Jew at the Discovery Institute talking on Darwin.
Is Darwin Kosher?
http://fora.tv/2007/07/26/Is_Darwinism_Kosher
Posted by: healthphysicist | January 15, 2008 5:53 PM
She's wrong. It's latex.
Posted by: Moses | January 15, 2008 5:55 PM
Here's why I refuse to live in the South: If Huckabee is the nominee, he'll carry the South. I could not stand to live with that many nitwits (or Demented Fwits, if you prefer).
The good news here, though, is that he may not be the nominee. Well, actually, I'm not sure that's good news, because I think McCain has a much better chance of beating the Democrats than Huckabee does. I don't think McCain is anywhere near the idiot that Huckabee is.
But I'll still vote for Edwards, Obama or Clinton before I vote for McCain. Paul eliminated himself, so I'd never vote for him.
Something I've been wondering about, though... It's 100% clear we won't be out of Iraq within 2 years. I think it's a little unfair for the Democrats to have this crap piled on their laps. The Republicans got us into this, they should get us out of it. Any Democrat will be faced with ugly, uglier or ugliest options; why should they? I wonder if Obama would be re-elected in 2012.
I'm almost thinking that the idiots who filled our houses with garbage should be forced to take the garbage out. Perhaps McCain wouldn't be so bad, if there were 55+ Democrat Senators and about 65% Democrat Congressmembers.
Posted by: MikeM | January 15, 2008 5:55 PM
Fantastic, this sounds like the government from the Hand Maiden's Tale. Better apply for my Canadian citizenship right now.
Posted by: Sarah | January 15, 2008 5:55 PM
Third thought: Bush. Twice.
Well, fuck.
Exactly. And when people say, "don't you trust your fellow citizens?" I point them to that fact and say, "FUCK NO!"
Posted by: MAJeff | January 15, 2008 5:55 PM
With every day that passes, any sense of patriotism or pride in my country that I've had diminishes a bit more.
Posted by: Alex | January 15, 2008 5:56 PM
Geesh. I really need to ingest caffeine before reading your politically-oriented posts. I got all the way to "fuckwit" before realizing that this is PZ and not Phil Plait. *headdesk*
On topic. If Huckabee (or anyone of his ilk) wins the presidency, I think I may be very glad that my history mentor is moving back to Canada after this semester, as I'd be able to beg the use of his couch while I looked for a job up there.
Posted by: Seamyst | January 15, 2008 5:56 PM
Actually, if huckabee is elected, emigrating to Canada would be one of the most stupid ideas ( except staying in the us ), because during the nuclear winter it could be too cold to grow any food there, and where you would go then ? Back to radioactive ruins of former US of A ? ( which are most probably still infested with surviving fundie crusaders )
Posted by: T_U_T | January 15, 2008 5:56 PM
Probably Russia from the west, Iceland from the east. Maybe Britain, if one doesn't "believe" in Great Circle routes.
Posted by: Ed Darrell | January 15, 2008 5:56 PM
What's the nearest pagan nation to the USA? Cuba?
Considering we have socialized medicine (brought to us by a Baptist minister!), hardly anyone goes to church, and (according to my MIL in LA) your commentators refer to us as "secular Canada", I'd say we qualify.
And if one of our politicos spouted shit like that, his candidacy would immediately spout smoke and flame, and enter a death spiral (just look what happened to John Tory). He might still be electable in his own riding (if it was somewhere like Abbotsford BC, or some rural Alberta backwater), but nationally he would have a permanent case of leprosy.
Posted by: Eamon Knight | January 15, 2008 5:57 PM
"And that's what we need to do -- to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view."
Yeah. Fuck 2,000 years of progress.
Hey Huck, your god's standards SUCK.
Posted by: Rey Fox | January 15, 2008 5:59 PM
I'm hoping you're wrong that we are heading for that cliff PZ, because I just voted for him tonight in the Michigan Primary.
I have been an atheist since I was 12 and a Democrat since I could vote and I think a demented theocrat like Huckabee is the greatest gift the Republicans could EVER give us. IF he wins then this country is truly in it's decline and it will be the sign I need to leave it behind, but I trust that MOST Americans aren't his kind of crazy. They all skate pretty close to the line but he is WAY beyond the 'Danger, thin ice' signs and pumping those crazy legs...
Posted by: Eric Paulsen | January 15, 2008 6:04 PM
or some rural Alberta backwater
Giggle! Remember when we thought Doris (née Stockwell) Day would be a serious addition to national politics?
Yeah, life's a real laugh-riot when you live in Texas North.
Posted by: Brownian, OM | January 15, 2008 6:08 PM
Damn. I should have moved to new zealand four years ago when I had the chance. My finances would have doubled due to the exchange rate alone. And I'd be protected from the even bigger drop in the dollar to come, when there's a mass exodus from this country as the brighter folks finally give up. And after president Huckabee, they will. Guaranteed.
Posted by: jeff | January 15, 2008 6:08 PM
Actually, if huckabee is elected, emigrating to Canada would be one of the most stupid ideas ( except staying in the us ), because during the nuclear winter it could be too cold to grow any food there, and where you would go then ?
actually, that would then reverse the global warming trend, the bering strait would freeze over again, and we could use the land bridge like our ancestors did, only in reverse.
there are actually some nice spots to hang in Vietnam these days, or you could migrate southward to some nice tropical island somewheres.
lots of jobs in China if you want to work for the world's largest economy instead.
Posted by: Ichthyic | January 15, 2008 6:10 PM
lots of jobs in China if you want to work for the world's largest economy instead.
Sorry, but not willing to: 1) learn a new language; 2) move; 3) get arrested; 4) find employment in prison camp.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 15, 2008 6:14 PM
So even the religious nutter candidates agree that prayer doesn't actually work then?
Posted by: Al | January 15, 2008 6:18 PM
First off: moving to Canada. I did it a while ago (before Bush was handed his second election), and I have not regretted it since. Vancouver is indeed a spectacularly good place. I have since moved to Halifax, and it too is worth the move. Neither place is particularly cold. Although it is significantly farther north than New England, Halifax is much warmer, and Vancouver rarely sees any snow (although it rains pretty much all winter). Meanwhile, religion simply is not an issue here, and nobody really cares what your personal outlook on life is (unless it threatens their own); beyond that, most people are actually worried about global warming (and, moreso than in the US, its effects can actually be noticed here). Unfortunately, changing one's legal status is neither cheap nor quick. Permanent residence, I am told, takes $2000 and three to four years; citizenship is another $3000, and cannot be applied for until several years after permanent residence has been obtained. (I have been told different things from different people, and the official story seems to vary, but this has been the most consistently given one.)
Second, Huckabee's viability: My father has a Ph.D. in physics from a good university, used to teach cosmology and evolution at Unitarian Sunday school, and stopped only because when we moved, we stopped going to church altogether. My mother left the church when a teenager after realising how stupid and petty her parents' religion (Lutheran, if anyone cares) was. She has given money to Greenpeace and run recycling drives. They live in New England and listens to NPR. And yet, they both voted for Bush. Twice. They seem excited about Huckabee. I have absolutely no idea what is so wrong with them, but if Bush and Huckabee can appeal to otherwise sane people like my parents, I hesitate to rule anyone out of viability for a successful presidential candidacy. Except, of course, an atheist.
Posted by: Opisthokont | January 15, 2008 6:19 PM
There's too much pollution in our constitution
As any good Christian can see;
Compare with the Bible, and anyone's liable
To note that the two don't agree.
And so, if we tell 'em it's just ink and vellum,
Not sacred like God's Holy Word
The people might buy it, and let someone try it
Although it seems wholly absurd!
A nip and a tuck 'd be just fine for Huckabee--
Really, I don't like the odds--
He already said it; he's ready to edit,
And substitute Man's law with God's.
This ludicrous scheming (I wish I were dreaming)
Must surely be nearing its end;
Voters, open your eyes, and say your goodbyes
To the Huckster's invisible friend!
(wow. Sitting here writing this, I see CNN just showed a commercial for "The God Delusion". Tagline: "Imagine no religion."
Timely.)
Posted by: Cuttlefish, OM | January 15, 2008 6:20 PM
Great Britain is a pagan nation?
o_O
Russia is full of Xians and other Abrahamics, too. Though I suppose if I crossed over at the Bering Strait, I could well meet (and, of course, enslave) a few worshippers of the raven-god Quikil before I ran into a Christian.
I mentioned Cuba as a joke, but hey.
How about Japan? The Japanese have always made good slaves. *cough*
Posted by: Kseniya | January 15, 2008 6:24 PM
Don't worry people. Hucksterabee is simply a decoy, a lightning rod, so everyone can say, "gee, at least Bush isn't THAT much of an idiot..."; like when Britney Spears makes Tom Cruise look reasonable. (can you say "false dichotomy", boys and girls?...)
Actually, Romney is just as as the Huckster. McCain seems to be the only reasonable choice on the GOP side but that doesn't mean Hucksterbee wouldn't win here in Texas.
Posted by: Jsn | January 15, 2008 6:28 PM
McCain seems to be the only reasonable choice on the GOP side
Which is sad, in and of itself.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 15, 2008 6:30 PM
An atheist answers the 'how can it be's?
With evidence he feels, hears, and sees.
And the facts do convey,
That it's true what they say,
A Cuttlefish is worth a thousand Jamies.
Posted by: Brownian, OM | January 15, 2008 6:33 PM
Jeff at # 63 For a long time I have considered moving to
New Zealand if I were to leave our great country. A very
beautiful country and not too religion stricken from what
I read. Far enough away from the major world problems, and
the first country in the world to give women the vote. That
last item should be an inducement to those of a equality
stance. I would love to own Stewart Island.
Posted by: holbach | January 15, 2008 6:35 PM
Ohhhh, oh nooo. . . shudders of fear just ran through me. Heck, they're still running through me.
I don't think this man will win, but it's frankly terrifying to me -- absolutely terrifying -- to think that he says this and may still win states.
I'd probably move to Japan, or if that was infeasible, Australia.
Maybe if he does get elected, we can move and claim asylum as refugees.
Posted by: CrypticLife | January 15, 2008 6:35 PM
my approach has been to learn Dutch (which fell behind the dissertation) in order to get back to my roots, and stay...but they'll be under water before I actually finish my dissertation and learn the language.
Posted by: MAJeff | January 15, 2008 6:38 PM
The only silver lining is that Hucky is not FNC's candidate of choice. They hate him almost as much as they do Ron Paul. But, if Huckabee manages to pull off getting the nomination, guaranteed they'll forget all they ever said about him, and he'll never challenge them on it because he'll have an extra propaganda network. He'll have TBN, Fox, all the right-wing religious radio stations nationwide, and a large subsection of churches to play with.
This guy is bad news all around...not that another elephant would necessarily be any better. McCain would run the war smarter than anyone on that side...beyond the fact that his keeping us there would inherently be running this failed war further to that end. Any positive sense of Huckabee I got when I saw him on Maher's show is gone. He'll turn this place into Pakistan and enjoy it.
Posted by: BlueIndependent | January 15, 2008 6:40 PM
Cuttlefish- excellent! McCaine- horrendous. Have posters here forgotten McCain's pandering for votes and speaking of 'teaching the controversy'?
Posted by: mothra | January 15, 2008 6:41 PM
Four words for the Huckster about Biblifying the Constitution:
Over. My. Dead. Body.
Jeff Sessions (Moron - Alabama), during the recent FISA reauthorization discussion, expressed surprise that other Senators valued the Constitution more than the safety of the nation. It's pretty clear that much of the Republican party doesn't value the Constitution much if at all, but I think Huck just took the fucking cake. At least he's given me something else to blog about - I needed a new kick in the pants.
Posted by: The Mad Patriot | January 15, 2008 6:49 PM
Well, I guess you can all start saying goodbye to your polycotton blends and your prawn cocktails. Say, I wonder if huckster was ever involved in any of those huge GOP seafood fundraiser dinners? Maybe we first thing you should do is make sure he gets stoned after the constitutional amendment (along with the adulterers Giuliani and Gingrich, whose next? All the closeted gays in the GOP should be worried too).
Leviticus Chapters 11, 19: "Any creature in the water that does not have both fins and scales is detestable to you."
"...neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together"
Posted by: AlanWCan | January 15, 2008 6:51 PM
Well, I am already fluent in Mandarin, and used to live in Taiwan. I have a number of contacts in Northeastern China as well.
I REALLY hope Huck doesnae win, cos I don't really want to have to sell everything, including my house, and run.
But if he actually becomes president-- Damn.
Posted by: Rav Winston | January 15, 2008 6:52 PM
If by "frontrunner" you mean "leading the national polls", that used to be Giuliani and is now McCain. If by "frontrunner" you mean "has the most delegates", I believe that used to be Huckabee but is now Romney. If by "frontrunner" you mean "most likely to pick up momentum by winning more elections before the big one", that could be Giuliani in Nevada or Florida (although his lead is narrowing in both), Huckabee in South Carolina, or Romney or McCain in Michigan. At this point, it's safe to say Paul and Thompson aren't going to win the nomination, but I wouldn't bet the retirement fund on or against any other Republican candidate.
Posted by: roystgnr | January 15, 2008 6:54 PM
Hey, we have our nutcases up here in Canada, too. There is the "Christian Heritage Party" for starts. In Alberta there are a few creationist "Museums" (all very small scale) and other creationist outfits. We even have a prosperity gospel-spewing TV network, "The Miracle Channel". Oh well, they don't have the political clout the fuckwits down south have, but they are pretty jealous of it. Some of the Christian Right thing Canada's God given destiny lies in doing whatever the US Republican party wants, since God would vote them. All pretty annoying.
Anyway, we manage to get along and have had a bit of fun with the "teach the controversy" bozos who tried to get elected to the school board here in Lethbridge (a wee bit north of Montana).
Posted by: Jim | January 15, 2008 7:06 PM
evidence, please. - ichthyic
Republican noise machines like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have attacked Huckabee relentlessly. On Daily Kos it was noted that the official Republican Party website didn't even discuss or display the Iowa caucus results in the days after the vote (http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/4/1121/25827/989/430237).
Here's an article by Rich Lowry in the National Review Online : http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NjJiZDBjZWFiNmFmY2M1NDg2ZjM1Y2YwZjdjNzliMDg=
in which he says, "[N]ominating a Southern Baptist pastor running on his religiosity would be rather overdoing it. Social conservatism has to be part of the Republican message, but it can't be the message in its entirety."
Here's one even more to the point, an article on NRO that quotes Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra at length concerning his fears about Huckabee: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MzdhMjEyOWU0Yzc1NTA3Y2NiYWJjYTIzOTAwY2NhYjM=
"'We can't become the Evangelical Christian party,' says Hoekstra. 'We've got a broad spectrum of religious faiths' in the GOP; to promote one over the others would be detrimental for the party."
The National Review has been unrelentingly hostile to Huckabee, when they're not assiduously avoiding mentioning his name. The same with the Wall Street Journal.
Posted by: Max Udargo | January 15, 2008 7:17 PM
Just curious. Has any of the fundy sites picked this up yet? I'm wondering what their reactions are.
Posted by: Mercurious | January 15, 2008 7:30 PM
"have heard that Vancouver, BC is very beautiful and has a mild climate. From where I stand, it gets more attractive everyday."
NO NO It's freezing cold with snow up to your pupik! Roaming bands of starving polar bears roam the streets! Everyone lives in igloos!
We got out of Dodge (California) in February 2004. Will be citizens soon. Never going back! BWAAAAAAAh!!
Posted by: CanadaGoose | January 15, 2008 7:30 PM
Can anyone post a link to the MSNBC Video referred to?
I would love to see it and be able to show others.
Posted by: raddoc | January 15, 2008 7:39 PM
@MAJeff: "my approach has been to learn Dutch (which fell behind the dissertation)"
Amen. I did my postdoctoral work in Amsterdam, and am keeping the lines of communication open, so to speak! I'll be perfectly happy to go back to a postdoctoral position if Huckabee gets in power.
Posted by: gg |