Friday, April 21, 2006
Other Bloggers On Mike Huckabee
Check out this powerful and well-researched and written piece about Mike Huckabee from The Cornell Review at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY):
Gov. Mike Huckabee
President Clinton once ended a speech by saying, “I believe in a place called Hope.” So do I, but not because of Bill or his lovely wife. For while Hope, Arkansas is best known as the birthplace of Bill Clinton – and by extension of everything wrong with American politics – another native son of Hope has the potential to redeem his town’s name.
This is Mike Huckabee, Republican governor of Arkansas. Huckabee is not yet as prominent on the national political scene as, say, a John McCain or a George Allen, nor has he been generating anywhere near their amount of presidential buzz. This, however, is sure to change once in the coming months.
Mike Huckabee served as Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1993-1996, and was the only prominent Republican officeholder in the heavily Democratic state during his term. In 1996, Huckabee became Governor after corrupt Democratic Governor Jim Guy Tucker was found guilty on felony corruption charges stemming from the Whitewater Scandal. Since then, Huckabee, still one of the only significant elected Republicans in Arkansas, has achieved landslide victories in two gubernatorial elections. He is also currently President of the National Governors Association (NGA). Because of Arkansas term limits, though, Huckabee is prohibited from running again for governor – he has nowhere to go but up.
Unlike George Pataki or Rudy Giuliani, Huckabee does not water down conservative ideals to appeal to the largely-Democratic population of his state. Huckabee is strongly socially conservative, and has spoken against gay marriage and in favor of right-to-know legislation for women considering abortion. His tough-but-fair positions on drug-related and juvenile crime have proven effective and popular, and he favors small government and less spending – those traditional conservative values that the current administration seems to have forgotten. He tempers his strong position on the issues with a folksy charisma, and his speaking ability is unparalleled among the Republican presidential hopefuls.
His personal life is also an inspiring story – more than can be said of most Democratic contenders. Huckabee was a Southern Baptist minister and pastor before he got into the political game, which will endear him to people of faith. He was also dangerously overweight for much of his life; however, after developing diabetes he lost over 100 pounds and is now a prominent spokesman for healthy eating and exercise habits, especially for our nation’s children.
Mike Huckabee of Arkansas exhibits all the qualities Republicans should be looking for in a Presidential candidate. Charming, inspiring, and staunchly conservative, the GOP has no finer choice for the 2008 Presidential nomination. Now let’s just hope they realize it.
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Gov. Mike Huckabee
President Clinton once ended a speech by saying, “I believe in a place called Hope.” So do I, but not because of Bill or his lovely wife. For while Hope, Arkansas is best known as the birthplace of Bill Clinton – and by extension of everything wrong with American politics – another native son of Hope has the potential to redeem his town’s name.
This is Mike Huckabee, Republican governor of Arkansas. Huckabee is not yet as prominent on the national political scene as, say, a John McCain or a George Allen, nor has he been generating anywhere near their amount of presidential buzz. This, however, is sure to change once in the coming months.
Mike Huckabee served as Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1993-1996, and was the only prominent Republican officeholder in the heavily Democratic state during his term. In 1996, Huckabee became Governor after corrupt Democratic Governor Jim Guy Tucker was found guilty on felony corruption charges stemming from the Whitewater Scandal. Since then, Huckabee, still one of the only significant elected Republicans in Arkansas, has achieved landslide victories in two gubernatorial elections. He is also currently President of the National Governors Association (NGA). Because of Arkansas term limits, though, Huckabee is prohibited from running again for governor – he has nowhere to go but up.
Unlike George Pataki or Rudy Giuliani, Huckabee does not water down conservative ideals to appeal to the largely-Democratic population of his state. Huckabee is strongly socially conservative, and has spoken against gay marriage and in favor of right-to-know legislation for women considering abortion. His tough-but-fair positions on drug-related and juvenile crime have proven effective and popular, and he favors small government and less spending – those traditional conservative values that the current administration seems to have forgotten. He tempers his strong position on the issues with a folksy charisma, and his speaking ability is unparalleled among the Republican presidential hopefuls.
His personal life is also an inspiring story – more than can be said of most Democratic contenders. Huckabee was a Southern Baptist minister and pastor before he got into the political game, which will endear him to people of faith. He was also dangerously overweight for much of his life; however, after developing diabetes he lost over 100 pounds and is now a prominent spokesman for healthy eating and exercise habits, especially for our nation’s children.
Mike Huckabee of Arkansas exhibits all the qualities Republicans should be looking for in a Presidential candidate. Charming, inspiring, and staunchly conservative, the GOP has no finer choice for the 2008 Presidential nomination. Now let’s just hope they realize it.
