Mike Huckabee’s success at the polls has not, it seems, translated into campaign contributions:
WASHINGTON — Before he won the Iowa Republican caucuses, Mike Huckabee told voters that sending him to victory would forever debunk the conventional wisdom that money could decide a presidential race.
On Tuesday, though, the Huckabee campaign acknowledged that its chronic shortage of money might be catching up to it.
As the Republican front-runners crisscross Florida — the race’s biggest prize yet and a state his campaign once considered essential — Mr. Huckabee is pulling back in the state. He told reporters that he did not plan to advertise in Florida, and his only campaign stops scheduled so far this week were token events at airports. To conserve cash, Ed Rollins, his top consultant, and a few other staff members have agreed to work without pay, and his campaign has stopped arranging transportation for the traveling press.
If there were a prize for votes-per-dollar, Mr. Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, could have easily captured it. He won the Iowa caucuses, finished third in New Hampshire and in Michigan, and narrowly lost in South Carolina after raising less than one-tenth of the money amassed by each of his three leading rivals.
Now Mr. Huckabee’s campaign risks ending up the first casualty of two changes in the 2008 political landscape: a compressed primary schedule that forces candidates to be ready to compete across the country right away and the decline of the public financing system that used to limit what a candidate could spend in the primary season. All of the Republicans and all but one of the Democrats opted to raise and spend private money rather than accept the limitations of the system.
The problem with bypassing Florida, at least for Huckabee, is that he hasn’t actually won a state since Iowa and conceding Florida means conceding the pre-Super Tuesday momentum to other candidates, most likely McCain and Romney. This may well be the beginning of the end of the Huckabee campaign.
January 23rd, 2008 at 3:56 pm
[...] to stay in school. Farah of WorldNetDaily endorses Ron Paul, well he also endorses Thompson and Huckabee, but with luck Huckabee will drop out too. Rush Votes Clobama? What planet are we on? Maybe his new [...]
January 24th, 2008 at 9:07 am
It will be a shame if big money takes the preidency away from Mike Huckabee. Mike has the grass roots support. I want him to talk about the real change for this country that he has committed to. Dismantling the IRS and replacing it with a FAIR TAX for everyone. This is what we want to hear about. Religion and abortion issues are devisive and will be used against him. We know his stand on those issues, so let move on the issue that could get him elected, taxes and the economy.
January 24th, 2008 at 10:15 am
It’s a shame that the almight dollar can buy the presidency. In all fairness, all candidates should be given the same amount of money to get their jobs done. I’m certain there are some fantastic candidates out there…but who has millions to spend when you are taking a chance that you’ll get the nomination. I like Romney, but feel it’s unfair as he can write a check for whatever he wants. Everyone doesn’t have that advantage. I really admire Huckabee and he sure has my vote. I like the fact he’s looking out for my (and your) dollars. I have to work for a living and don’t have extra money…but if I could, I’d volunteer to do whatever just to see him make it to the top!
I also like the fact he’s a christian and former pastor. That means he cares about you and our homeland that so many of our family members and ancestors have given their lives for!
January 24th, 2008 at 11:20 am
If one is not successful with their own finances - do you want them running your finances?
I am pretty tired of Huckabee wanting a free publicity ride and acting like a victim with the “poor me” outspent 20 - 1 even 50 to 1. This business is too hard for the victim role. This is the president of the strongest and most successful nation in the world.
As you do your research prior to your important vote, I urge you to look into a couple of groups that have done their research. Judicial Watch, also The elephant in the room and the straight talk express by Ann Coulter. Also be sure and catch the Photo of the next president at http://www.flickr.com/photos/8996600@N03/2145018366/
January 24th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I, personally, am less concerned with how much campaign money each hopeful has, and more with what they stand for. If you want to see how Huckabee really is check out his website and get facts. Facts that are not edited to seem better for “politician for president” Romney.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Mitt Romney Not Our Pastor-in-Chief Nancy French
There’s a question I’m often asked by my closest friends and casual
acquaintances alike: “How could a committed Christian like you support a
Mormon for president?”
I get that question a lot as co-founder of the Evangelicals for Mitt
organization - especially now that Rev. Al Sharpton has apparently
taken it upon himself to question the validity of Mitt Romney’s faith.
In fact, the news that I’m supporting Romney for president recently
brought one of my Christian friends to tears - she couldn’t understand it.
The mainstream media often seems as incredulous as my friend. They
maintain that Romney has no chance in the Bible Belt, due to the differences
between the Mormon faith and mainstream Christianity. But my emotional friend’s
reaction notwithstanding, the media have it wrong.
Let me explain why. To paraphrase Jerry Falwell, I wouldn’t want Gov.
Romney as my Sunday school teacher, but that’s not the office he’s running
for. The fact is, we’re not electing a Pastor-in-Chief. Voters who care
about traditional values are smart enough to keep that in mind.
In countless conversations with Southern evangelicals, here are the
questions asked most frequently:
Can Evangelicals and Mormons really work together and trust each
other? The fact is that in spite of our theological differences, Christians and
Mormons are already political allies. In fact, if Mormons weren’t
consistently more conservative than their evangelical neighbors, Al Gore
would be America’s president now - instead of his newfound role as the
earth’s “weather psychic.”
Does believing “Mormon stuff” make Romney gullible? All religions
require a leap of faith that appears silly to outsiders. If a reporter questioned me
about my religion, he’d raise an eyebrow over my belief that Noah was a
floating zookeeper, that Jesus was the best sommelier in Galilee, and that
he paid taxes with coins from a fish’s mouth.
No one belongs to the Church of the Scientific Method, so religion falls
outside normal reasoning. Gov. Romney’s beliefs certainly require faith -
including his quite miraculous notion that Jesus is his personal
Savior. In my experience, evangelicals loathe religious litmus tests, ever since
Democrats tried to disqualify Christian and Catholic judges because of
their beliefs. And as far as gullible goes, well, don’t forget: Mitt Romney
has two Harvard degrees.
Is America ready for a Mormon president? If someone asked me whether I’d
support a “former alcoholic,” a “divorced Hollywood actor,” or a “Southern
Baptist,” I’d pick the “Baptist” every time. However, when actual
names are associated with the traits, I’d pick the former alcoholic (George W. Bush)
or actor (Ronald Reagan) over the Baptist (Bill Clinton) faster than you
can say “Lewinsky.”
The point is, individual personalities matter. As America learns more
about Gov. Romney, his political triumphs will overshadow his religion. For
example, after brazen judges legalized homosexual “marriage,” he stopped
Massachusetts from becoming “gay Las Vegas” by refusing to marry
out-of-state gay couples.
He also erased a $3 billion dollar debt without raising taxes, and has
forcefully advocated pro-life positions. In other words, the question
isn’t whether we’re ready for a Mormon, but are we ready for this Mormon.
What about Baptist preacher Mike Huckabee? John Mark Reynolds wrote that
“my faith in the holiness standards of Baptists survived Clinton and my
belief in their sanity survived Carter, though that was a closer
call.” But Gov. Huckabee doesn’t deserve to be tainted by the dubious political
legacy of recent Baptist leaders - i. e. Clinton’s moral failure, Carter’s weak
foreign policy, Johnson’s social programs, and Gore’s use of the word
“lock box.” Evangelicals evaluate candidates on their political merits and don’t
vote for the “most Christian” person on the ballot. (Note the Oval Office
absence of Alan Keyes.)
Doesn’t theology matter? Of course it matters! If a candidate belonged to
the “Church of Killing Canadians,” to use an absurd illustration, voters
would rightly ask whether he planned on invading Canada and stealing their
moose. Some theologies do lead to flawed political decisions . But
Mormonism and Evangelical Christianity have common moral and, therefore,
political values.
In fact, the only difference between a Mormon and a Presbyterian at a
cocktail party is the Mormon isn’t getting a chardonnay refill. Perhaps
someone less scandalous than Ward Cleaver is just what a Mark Foley/Ted
Haggard fatigued nation needs.
How many “first ladies” will Mitt bring to the White House? The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gave up polygamy in 1890. In fact, the
polygamists and their bun-wearing wives on Dateline are as realistic a
portrayal of Mormons as mountain-dwelling snake handlers are of
evangelicalism. Romney’s been married to the same woman for 38 years -
while Rudy Giuliani walked down the aisle three times, John McCain twice,
and Newt Gingrich three times. As Kate O’Beirne recently noted, the only
GOP frontrunner with one wife is the Mormon.
Are you really a Christian? Please: I’ve eaten countless unidentifiable
casseroles at potlucks and I’ve sung “Just As I Am” 73 million times. I
just so happen to support Mitt Romney for President - in spite of our
theological differences. I happen to think it’s more “Christian” to give
the man a fair shake, than to pave the way for candidates without a
commitment to social issues.
I’m apparently not alone - donors in Tennessee gave more money to Romney
than any other candidate. Plus, he beat all current GOP candidates in
straw polls in Memphis, Washington, D. C., and even Greenville, S. C. He’s also
garnered endorsements by prominent evangelicals like Jay Sekulow, Mark
DeMoss, and Hugh Hewitt.
Most importantly, though, the mere mention of his name makes the ACLU,
Planned Parenthood, and the mainstream media break out into hives.
That, of course, is enough to make any evangelical put aside theological
differences, and take notice.
Nancy French is co-founder of http://www. EvangelicalsforMitt. org and the
author of “Red State of Mind: How a Catfish Queen Reject Became a Liberty Belle”
January 28th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Just one thing you left out…..Romney is a member of the CFR. Google it to find out for yourself. Don’t close your eyes to the truth to make yourself feel better. I am a devout Christian who wants to encourage you not to be spoonfed by the media or your preacher.
The CFR (Council on Foreign Relations) has an agenda to open the borders (NAFTA), make you get a National i.d. card by 2010, secretly working with other countries to bring about a New World Order. If you do not believe me, read, read, read. Phyllis Schlaffly is a Christian lady who has known this for years. Many Christian leaders do not know about the CFR so they cannot guide others in the right direction.
All of the candidates running for president are members of the CFR except for 2 of them. Huckabee is choosing the president of the CFR (Haas) as his top advisor if elected.
Ron Paul is the only one who has nothing to do with it. Ron is not a whacko….it is just that the media presents him that way because he will not promote the agenda of the CFR. By the way, Bush is a member also….go figure.
ronpaul2008.com See what ron really believes yourself and you may change your mind.
Angela