It Ain't Huck, Babe

by publius

I've been hearing a lot about a possible McCain-Huckabee ticket. But from McCain's perspective, Huckabee seems like a poor choice. True, McCain has a base problem -- both on the Christian front and on the frothing pundit front. But Huckabee isn't the ideal candidate to fill this gap because the Rushes and Hannitys of the world don't like Huckabee much either. What McCain needs is a candidate that will make both Dobson and Rush happy -- or at least less hostile. Huckabee ain't that guy.

Comments

[Eric Martin]

Right. If he wants to go in that direction, I think someone like Brownback would be the wiser choice. He has the pull of Huck, but with a bit more gravitas.

[Eric Martin]

Oh, and less populism and greater zeal in confronting the Islamofascisfeminazists

[BigHank53]

How about Cheney? I hear he's available, and I'm sure it would reassure the Republican base that's concerned about McCain changing things too much (snort!).

Okay, now I want a drink. That almost sounded reasonable.

[dbomp]

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. He's plenty conservative and popular enough to make Minnesota a toss-up.

[J.W. Hamner]

Seems to me that Republican voters are pretty much saying that they don't give a damn what Rush and Dobson think.

However it's really hard to imagine how that would work out. All the Dem candidate is going to have to say is "Imagine Mike Huckabee as your President", which shouldn't be to hard with a man as old as dirt.

[CaseyL]

Pawlenty? The guy who let the I-35 bridge collapse by ignoring reports that it needed serious repairs, and by vetoing the taxes that would have paid for them?

He'd be absolutely perfect for the GOP ticket.

[Dave S.]

The wingers will vote for the eventual GOP nominee regardless of running mate or even who the nominee is. They make this noise every four years, then fall in line in November.

I mean, you really don't expect to see the phrase "Hillary Republicans," do you?

[Anderson]

I've been thinking Huck might help McCain win, but there's another issue:

Is Huckabee acceptable to McCain as President if anything happens to McCain?

I think McCain's never been enamored of the Bible-thumpers, and he might be a bit creeped out by the thought of the Huckster in the Oval Office.

[Mr Furious]

I was all set to take issue with you, Publius—I looked at Huckabee as a lock. He sews up the South, and the evangelists, but I forgot about Brownback—he might be more palatable to McCain.

Though McCain clearly owes Huckabee for the hand knocking Romney out.

[Gloidstein]

I honestly don't think McCain cares what talk radio thinks about him. One of the reasons they have become increasingly hysterical about him is that they know that he will do everything he can to siphon their influence out of the electorate.

[John Thullen]

"What McCain needs is a candidate that will make both Dobson and Rush happy ....."

Well, if McCain makes those two happy, then all of the vaunted, straight talk f#@$offedness he honed in the tiger cages has worn off.

He will be a captive once again.

If I see a photograph of him leaning into Rush and Dobson for a little Machiavellian hugging, like he did with Bush, then he can kiss Jane Fonda's well-videoed gluteos maximus.

I read the other day that Mayor Bloomberg is on the verge of declaring.

How that goes down with an exhausting Clinton-Obama fight to the finish and a McCain candidacy that won moderates in bluish states, has the endorsement of Brownback, Huckabee, and Guiliani, and didn't seem to do too well in the unreconstructed South will be something to behold.

Dyspepsia all around.

[Harald K]

Not Huckabee, for the reasons you have stated. But not Brownback either, I think. My guess is that Tim Pawlenty is going to be McCain's running mate, based on the odds at intrade + what I've read about him.

[tgirsch]

At the risk of sounding like Gary, "It's Ain't?"

[Anderson]

Nothing like a Veep who inspires the reaction, "Tim who?"

Is Angeline Jolie a Republican?

[Eric Martin]

At the risk of sounding like Gary, "It's Ain't?"

I thought that publius was making some sort of allusion that I didn't get so I didn't Farber his ass. But I would have. I'm not scared of publius.

What? You think you're taller than me punk? I'll see you in Austin. Lurch.

[publius]

fixed - thanks.

and yes, eric, i hope you're in training (i.e., having someone throw pretzels at your face while grilling you on foreign policy)

[publius]

and i am taller than you

[Eric Martin]

Not since my HGH binge...

[Snarki, child of Loki]

Newt? Of course, with Newt the problem is that the crazy keeps bubbling to the surface, and it's impossible to get him to STFU.

Oh wait, that's most of the modern GOP. Never mind.

[tgirsch]

While I have to concede that "Farber his ass" is quite funny, it's not very nice... :)

[liberal japonicus]

I would observe that Republicans always are able to do what they think is necessary to win, presumably because the idea of even a slight tilt to the left fills them with an existential dread. From the Southern strategy thru David Stockman to Swift Boat vets. (Though I guess the notion of a missile gap might have given Republicans the idea, I suppose)

Bearing that in mind, I see Huck getting the VP nod, with the idea that he resign after the inauguration to spend more time with his family, or alternatively for health problems brought on by eating too much fried chicken skin.

[Eric Martin]

tgirsch,

I've said it before, but I'll repeat that I really appreciate what Gary does. First of all, I like to be corrected. I'd rather be wrong only once on most matters. Also, I try to pay attention to detail like Gary does, and I appreciate his eye. Let's put it this way: I actually do a lot of the things Gary does with friends/acquaintances. Further, it's often a thankless task - if not one that draws outright hostility (I would know).

So understand that I don't intend that joke as a dig at Gary.

Just want to make that clear.

[Xeynon]

I agree that it's not going to be Huckabee, for the reasons you mention in addition to the fact that Huckabee doesn't have any appeal beyond the evangelicals and is probably even a bit scary to moderates.

If he's going to choose a failed primary contender, I'd think it would be Thompson. They're friends, Thompson appeals to the entire Republican coalition, and the demands of the Vice Presidency are just about right for his work ethic.

That said, a popular swing state conservative governor sounds about right to me - Pawlenty would be one possibility.

[PaulW]

If we're being serious about this, the only feasible candidates for McCain Veepdom would be any of the Southern GOP governors out there... Barbour or Crist come to mind...

[Gary Farber]

"Barbour or Crist come to mind..."

Although Crist isn't my kind of politician at all -- since I'm a Democrat -- while I haven't followed him remotely closely, I'm not aware of him doing much that truly horrifies me, other than that I'm extremely unimpressed by "Chain Gang Charlie" running on the issue of more chain gangs.

But the mind reels a bit at the idea of that hack Barbour being one heartbeat from the presidency. Why not just dig Warren Harding up, and give the body a few jolts? He's rested, and ready to go.

Not to mention, we'd like to hear again about the coons and watermelons, and his good friends on the very pale Council of Conservative Citizens.

Not to mention I'm sure his tobacco/grocery tax and tobacco policies in general will play wonderfully outside of Mississipi, Virginia, and Kentucky.

Sure, nominate Barbour as Veep candidate. It's really scary.

[Slartibartfast]

To my knowledge, Charlie Crist wasn't known as "chain gang Charlie" until he started campaigning that he was.

[Slartibartfast]

Ah. Before I moved back here, I see. It sounded as if it were all something much more recent.

[Gary Farber]

"To my knowledge, Charlie Crist wasn't known as 'chain gang Charlie' until he started campaigning that he was."

I don't doubt it, but it hardly changes my opinion.

It makes me wonder if there aren't too many theme parks in Florida. PrisonLand! is perhaps a theme for one's state with more sell-through possibilities in Florida than elsewhere -- though Texas seems like it holds good expansion possibilities for PrisonWorld!, but I'm not that big on theme parks, anyway, myself.

[Gary Farber]

As Slart no doubt saw:

[...] In the state Senate, Crist quickly developed a reputation as a law and order candidate by sponsoring a bill that required prisoners to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences as well as a bill to re-establish chain gangs. The latter bill caused editorial writers to dub him "Chain Gang Charlie."

I'm just sad he didn't institute flogging. Why does Crist have a record of coddling criminals?

And has he come out for a wall around Florida, to prevent illegal immigration? Has he?

Why is Charlie Crist for more illegal immigration?

[cleek]

McCain / Lieberman

McCain needs to do something dramatic to compete against the first woman or the first black man - picking a nominally Democratic running mate would be just the thing.

[Brett Bellmore]

"One of the reasons they have become increasingly hysterical about him is that they know that he will do everything he can to siphon their influence out of the electorate"

Well, yeah, and they're right to be somewhat hysterical about this, since McCain's fondness for political speech censorship, stated contempt for the First amendment, and habit of cooperating with Democrats, suggests that "everything he can" will involve trying to legally silence his opponents, probably by bringing back the 'fairness' doctrine.

[Gary Farber]

Lieberman has said he wouldn't do it. Do you think he'll change his mind?

A dramatic choice? Confirm Rush's fears: pick John Kerry.

[cleek]

Lieberman has said he wouldn't do it. Do you think he'll change his mind?

i don't know if he would, but i wouldn't be a bit surprised if he did. they're an obvious pair.

[tgirsch]

Eric:

So understand that I don't intend that joke as a dig at Gary.

To me, it came across more as good-natured ribbing than as a "dig." Hopefully, Gary took it the same way. :)

[tgirsch]

Is it just me, or is publius a lot less active in comments here than he was back in the LF days?

[Anderson]

But the mind reels a bit at the idea of that hack Barbour being one heartbeat from the presidency.

No, no, no! Take my governor - please! [drum beat]

Alas, I think Haley has been too busy spending $$$ on corporate welfare while slashing Medicaid to the bone ... there are some good attack ads for the Dems there, if only anyone in the Democratic Party understood the concept of "attack."

[Gary Farber]

"Is it just me, or is publius a lot less active in comments here than he was back in the LF days?"

Not having read Publius until reading Publius here, I have no idea, but I truly wish Publius would be interactive here, more than the maybe two or three comments of maybe two dozen words, per Publius post only, with the only appearances on other threads usually being even briefer, if at all.

It's the only way we have to get to know each other, and learn each other's quirks and language, and sore points and commonalities. Making a post, and otherwise being almost invisible, isn't remotely the same.

Of course, a blog is a sparetime, hobby thing, for most folks, including Publius, so obviously there's no obligation, and I'm sure Publius has a vast number of far more serious tasks to draw attention, so it's perfectly understandable, if regrettable. I would think publius would have a lot to add as a commenter.

And I have to say that I'd hope to have fewer baffling interactions, where publius says seven mysterious words to me, and I'm left scratching my head, with no further response ever made back to any queries.

[yoyo]

heh, leiberman would make the base go apoplectic. And im not sure 'all warmongering, all the time' is really a great strategy

And pawlenty hasn't gotten elected with over 46% either time. i don't think theres much argument that he could put MN in to play.

[Hartmut]

Do I remember correctly that there was some talk about Jeb Bush being interested?

[Xeynon]

Do I remember correctly that there was some talk about Jeb Bush being interested?

Whether he's interested or not, he's got no shot because of his surname. It's a shame, too, because he's actually the competent one among George H.W. Bush's offspring.

[liberal japonicus]

I believe that Publius is in his first year in at a university (though I don't know if it is first year teaching, or if he taught earlier and took a break) and I can say from experience that the first year in a position like that is very time consuming. I'm amazed that he has time to post, much less participate in the comments, but after the first year, when one starts to figure out the administrivia and such, more time opens up. At least that has been the case both times for me.

[Jesurgislac]

Xeynon: It's a shame, too, because he's actually the competent one among George H.W. Bush's offspring.

I agree Jeb Bush is very competent at what he does. I disagree that it's a "shame" the competent dishonest Bush boy didn't get a shot at running the US as he ran Florida.

[Johnson's Dog]

Colin Powell. He actually enhances the ticket, rather than acting as a drag.

[Xeynon]

Colin Powell. He actually enhances the ticket, rather than acting as a drag.

I agree that he'd be a great pick, but do you think he wants the job?

[judson]

Karen Hughes...that's right, Karen Hughes

[Eric Martin]

Is it just me, or is publius a lot less active in comments here than he was back in the LF days?

That's what happens when our heroes become famous. No time left for slumming around in the comments with the hoi polloi. It's all about the big marquee for the P-Man.

And Gary is right.

[Gary Farber]

"I agree that he'd be a great pick, but do you think he wants the job?"

Colin Powell-1999 would have been a great political pick, and would have won a lot of Democratic votes.

If you think more than one out of twenty of those former Democratic votes would today go to the toady who brought us the lies of WMD, and the deaths of thousands of American soliders for those lies, who was nothing but the most dishonorable kind of coward in refusing to stand up for his country and for the Army in the face of a President, Defense Secretary, and National Security Advisor who have done more to damage the Army and country than any since President Buchanan and his Cabinet, I'd like what you're smoking.

The man should have the proper shame to never show his face in public again.

Political nominee! Jeebus! Why not go wholehog, and nominate Rumsfeld?

Eric, I'm afraid the check this month will be a little week, but next week, man.

[Gary Farber]

"a little late," that is.

[Eric Martin]

Ha!

Self-Farberization.

[Gary Farber]

My palms are hairy, cuz I do it to myself so much.

(As I've mentioned before, "farbering" and "farbered" used to be synonymous with "googling," for some years in rec.arts.sf.* hierarchies [mostly .sf.fandom] on Usenet, since I was hammering people with cites back when all we had was Alta Vista and gopher.)

[tgirsch]

Gary:

Ah, but language, as you well know, is fluid, and the meanings of words can tend to change over time. Often, they can come to mean quite the opposite of their original meaning (cf., Nimrod).

[tgirsch]

Oh, and if you haven't, I do suggest that you peruse the old Legal Fiction archives. There's a lot of good stuff in there.

[publius]

ha - i've enjoyed this. the real reason is kids. a lot of the time i used to spend at work reading papers/blogs (when i should have been billing hours) is now devoted to sesame street and bottle feeding.

by the way, you all should watch that steve benen video if you haven't. that guy truly is a machine. the amount he reads a day is very impressive.

[tgirsch]

I keep forgetting that the publiuses went forth and multiplied. This throws a wrench in my Master Plan to drag publius to a Nats game on my next trip to DC...