Thursday, August 16, 2007

the iowa "bounce" for huckabee

www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21970

This is an interesting column about Mike Huckabee and his post-Iowa euphoria. I have no idea if he will be able to parlay this mini-jolt of momentum into something bigger and longer-lasting, but it will be fun to watch. America needs him!

Although I do like Huckabee, I can't help but disagree with him--strongly--on part of his strategy. From the column:

Asked several questions about competitors -- even Democrats such as Obama -- Huckabee said repeatedly that he’d like to give them a break. Is that naïve? Not for a guy who has managed to survive and thrive as a Republican in Arkansas.

But can that same man defeat his heavyweight primary opponents and then be tough enough to go 15 rounds with Hillary Clinton?

I told Gov. Huckabee that having grown up in Mayor Giuliani’s city rather than Huckabee’s state (and like many journalists) I expected to see some blood on the canvas before this was over.

He chuckled at that. “You always want the other guy to draw first blood,” he said. “I won’t put the other guy’s blood on the canvas first.” Can Huckabee allow the Clinton war machine to choose the time and place of battle, to draw first blood? Can any Republican? Given the temperament of the Republican leaders, we will probably find out.

I disagree. That's the strategy that almost cost Pres. Bush the 2004 election. Gov. Huckabee must be willing to confidently--with a smile on his face--illustrate the profound differences between his vision for America and the Democrat vision. He must be specific by naming names and connecting those names to quotes that illustrate the differences. For instance, Huckabee has to call out Hillary Clinton on her socialist beliefs. He must use actual quotes from her, and show America how different he is from a socialist New York senator. Huckabee must be willing to take the gloves off and show the American people why it is so dangerous to elect a Democrat to the presidency, and then he must offer specifics as to how his ideas are superior.

That kind of discussion will put "blood on the canvas." That's OK. We can't be afraid to go after the enemy and to showcase the inferiority of their ideals.

Huckabee can't be president if he's unwilling to do that.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home

Free Counter
Counters