Saturday, February 16, 2008

McCain Might Only Get Worse; or, The Case for Huckabee to Stay in the Race

Conservatives are not happy with John McCain. That’s become pretty clear. In state after state, they’ve demonstrated that they will not obediently fall in line behind the Arizona senator, even though many establishment conservatives have reconciled themselves to his nomination and endorsed him. For conservatives, the “Straight Talk Express” veers to the middle—and sometimes to the left—of the political spectrum too often to overlook. But here’s one thing I don’t even think most conservatives have realized yet: McCain might only get worse.

Usually, the trend during a general election is that both parties’ candidates drift toward the center of the public policy gamut, trying to widen their appeal as much as possible without losing their identities. Rhetoric softens, platforms become less ideological, and rallies are made to be more expansive and inclusive than hostile and polarizing.

Although such political strategy can seem like insincere pandering, it is generally overlooked and accepted as a necessary component to victory. But there’s a difference this year, and that difference is embodied in John McCain.

What do you have when a moderate conservative jockeys for the yellow-dotted line, rather than the left lane or the right? That’s the question about John McCain to which I want to know the answer. We’ve already seen that he is more than willing to crossover—not just “reach across”—the aisle on a plethora of issues. Will he actually lean more liberal than conservative in the months leading up to November?

What’s more, John McCain is totally indebted to moderates and independents for his success, and he knows it. Wouldn’t one logically suspect that he will pander to his dear middle? Not only that, but one of Barack Obama’s core constituencies is the independent demographic. Thus, if he becomes the democratic nominee, he and McCain will likely engage in a fierce battle over who is more “moderate” and "non-partisan." With Obama holding the massive advantage of not being the most hawkish advocate of the Iraq War known to man, that’d be a losing battle for McCain.

These are the reasons why it is so important that Mike Huckabee remains in the race, and that people continue to vote for him. McCain must be reminded—in a heavy-handed, incessant manner—that he is going nowhere without the conservative base. He must be told that he needs the conservative base fired up about, not just resigned to, him, in order for him to be victorious. He must be warned that, if he drifts toward the middle anymore, he’ll lose the lifeboat of the conservative voting bloc. He must be cautioned that, if he deems it unnecessary to select a staunch conservative as his VP, he will be defeated. But most importantly, he must be reminded that the race for the nomination is not over.

Note: I should add, anything could happen at any time to shake up this race. That is why it is so important for Huckabee to keep running at least until McCain has 1,191 (a majority of) delegates.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Obama Concerned with the Prospects of Protecting BORN Children, Too

For those of you who may be considering voting for Obama as a protest against the Republican party, or just because you like the guy, read this article:

Obama is the Most Pro-Abortion Candidate Ever

Please, research Barack before you fall under his weird trance.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Not Over Yet...

MikeHuckabee.com - I Like Mike!

MikeHuckabee.com - I Like Mike!



Kansas Republican Caucus Results:

Huckabee: 60%
McCain: 24%
Paul: 11%

Romney: 3%

Louisiana Republican Primary Results:

Huckabee: 43%
McCain: 42%
Romney: 7% (No longer running; name was still on ballot)

Paul: 5%

Washington Republican Caucus Results: (87% Reporting)

McCain: 26%
Huckabee: 24% (Difference of 200 votes)
Paul: 21%

Romney: 16%
Uncommitted: 13%


Well, what all the pundits learned yesterday, to their surprise, was that this race is not over yet. Huckabee won resoundingly in Kansas, adding to the list of red, southern states that McCain can't win. Just imagine how big the margin might also have been in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee had Romney and Huckabee not been splitting support. In such a scenario, Huckabee probably would've come out on top in Oklahoma and Missouri, the latter of which McCain carried on the backs of the metropolitan areas. If Thompson hadn't made his last stand a virtual exercise in tearing down Huckabee in South Carolina, Mike would've been victorious there as well .

This is an indisputable trend. McCain regularly does well in cities and states that aren't in step with the core of the Republican party. Yet, when he does enter red territory, he's greeted rudely with defeats everywhere he turns or close victories caused by other circumstances. Especially when the precincts of rural counties report, it looks like McCain is treated more like an outsider than a fellow conservative.

Coupled with that is the fact that some people may be voting for Huckabee as a protest vote (although, clearly, some Romney supporters weren't afraid to still vote for him). Let me tell you: I'll take all of those I can get. You may have to hold your nose to vote for Huckabee, or you may have resigned yourself to a McCain nomination, but, if you can't vote for Huckabee on his own merits, tell McCain with your ballot that you are not going to blindly follow him lockstep through his maverick expeditions into liberal territory. The saying goes that "Republicans fall in line." Well, I'm not that kind of a Republican, and I don't think you are either.

The results in Kansas could have been much more easily marginalized if the results from Louisiana hadn't strengthened them. Huckabee's narrow victory there demonstrated that he's not a one-state post-Romney wonder. However, the jubilation over the Pelican State is tempered, because of weird state party rules. If no candidate receives greater than fifty percent of the vote, then all the state's delegates go to the convention unpledged. It's a nonsensical format, but one thing is positive: McCain does not have those delegates added to his total automatically.

Washington state is an interesting story. The turnout was extremely low for the Evergreen State's caucus on the Republican side, and the state has a primary on the 19th. Yet, for a purple state, Huckabee sure gave McCain a run for his money there. But, I should add, it's not over. Thirteen percent of the precincts have yet to report in Washington; McCain and Huckabee are only separated by 200 votes. The final result could be much closer--or even totally different--even though McCain has been declared the winner. Keep an eye out there.

The battle for Huckabee doesn't get any easier. In fact, since he gained no delegates from Louisiana, the events of yesterday served mostly as a prolonging of and a momentum boost for the campaign. Now, our eyes turn to Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Those aren't exactly Alabama or Georgia, but we'll see what happens. Virginia is winner-take-all, which makes it a virtual must-win for Huckabee, as almost every contest is from here on out. If the District of Columbia went Huckabee's way, it would be a stinging reprimand of McCain and his insider status.

If you live in any of those states, get out and vote! Make your voice be heard!

MikeHuckabee.com - I Like Mike!

MikeHuckabee.com - I Like Mike!

MikeHuckabee.com - I Like Mike!