Mike Huckabee’s bandwagon is the equivalent of a Yugo, it won’t last for long. He has deftly exploited his religious beliefs in a state (Iowa) where evangelicals are a critical constituency. That won’t work in enough other places to carry him forward, New Hampshire included.
He’s got other problems too, big problems, on issues of law and order, and more importantly, national security.
Huckabee went on Imus today to defend his national security credentials. Powerline’s Paul Mirengoff listened and came away, well, rather unimpressed,
When it comes to foreign policy, Huckabee more closely resembles another former governor, Jimmy Carter. It was Carter, not Reagan, who viewed foreign policy as an extension of his own character and personal principles. Carter stood for a foreign policy “as decent as the American people.” Reagan stood for defeating our enemies. When Huckabee frets about how Gitmo is making us appear to foreigners, when he asserts that “we broke Iraq,” and when he says he’s qualified to be commander-in-chief because of his character rather than because of his understanding of our enemies, it’s pretty clear that his foreign policy roots extend nowhere near the fertile soil of Reaganism.
Check out the full post, as they also have an audio link to the interview. For the record, Mirengoff has defended Huckabee’s conservative credentials in the past.
The cherry on top, for me, is this little exchange from the campaign trail yesterday. I agree with Ann Althouse,
Will this doom the Huckabee campaign? It Should.
Kuhn: I don’t know to what extent you have been briefed or been able to take a look at the NIE report that came out yesterday …
Huckabee: I’m sorry?
Kuhn: The NIE report, the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. Have you been briefed or been able to take a look at it —
Huckabee: No.
Kuhn: Have you heard of the finding?
Huckabee: No.
National security is my top issue for the next president. I predict his “moment” will be just that. Enjoy it while it lasts governor. You’re a good and decent man, but not someone I want to see in charge of the free world’s battle against Islamic extremism.