The Debatable Land

Taxi drivers prepare to flood America. Or, further evidence for Huckabee's buffoonery.

Via Andrew, here's Huckabee on Benazir Bhutto's murder:

"We ought to have an immediate, very clear monitoring of our borders and particularly to make sure if there's any unusual activity of Pakistanis coming into the country. We just need to be very, very thorough in looking at every aspect of our own security internally because, again, we live in a very, very dangerous time," Huckabee said during a news conference Thursday night in West Des Moines.

Over Christmas lunch a friend warned me not to be quite so dismissive of Huckabee. He's not just a hick I was told. And perhaps he isn't: this answer cannily ties security (whatever that is) to immigration after all, shoring up Huckabee's weakness on that front. Personally I find the suggestion that you have to choose between security and immigrants to be pretty distasteful but then again I'm an elitist, east-coast inhabiting foreigner. So I would, wouldn't I?

Huckabee: total loon

David Corn reads a book Mike Huckabee wrote in 1998 so you don't have to:

It is now difficult to keep track of the vast array of publicly endorsed and institutionally supported aberrations—from homosexuality and pedophilia to sadomasochism and necrophilia.

It saddens me, I guess, that I missed the public - and institutional! - endorsement of necrophilia.

Better than a chaffinch, I suppose

Mike Huckabee might not be ready for prime time. Here he is on national security:

During the Cold War, we had hawks and doves, but this new war requires us to be a phoenix, rising reborn to meet each new challenge and seize each new opportunity.

Really, governor? Yes, really:

When the sun rose on September 11, we were the only superpower in the world; when the sun set that day, we were still the only superpower, but how different the world looked. During the Cold War, you were a hawk or a dove, but this new world requires us to be a phoenix, to rise from the ashes of the twin towers with a whole new game plan for this very different enemy. Being a phoenix means constantly reinventing ourselves, dying to [sic] mistakes and miscalculations, changing tactics and strategies, rising reborn to meet each new challenge and seize each new opportunity.

But why not see if the US and its allies can do this without the bit about dying over and over again?

[Hat-tip: The Plank]

A Sign of Things to Come?

I'm not quite sure why this hasn't received more attention, but didn't Mike Huckabee just propose an alliance with Rudy Giuliani to take down Mitt Romney? Seems like it to me. Let's go to the Youtube Debate transcript:

I am Joseph. I am from Dallas, Texas, and how you answer this question will tell us everything we need to know about you. Do you believe every word of this book [the King James version of the Bible]? Specifically, this book that I am holding in my hand, do you believe this book?

Cooper: I think we've got a question.

Mayor Giuliani?

Huckabee: Do I need to help you out, Mayor, on this one?

(Laughter)

(Applause)

Giuliani: Wait a second, you're the minister. You're going to help me out on this one.

Huckabee: I'm trying to help you out.

Giuliani: OK. The reality is, I believe it, but I don't believe it's necessarily literally true in every single respect.

Clearly, Huckabee defeating Romney in Iowa would be huge for Giuliani, boosting his chances of winning New Hampshire and, at the very least, preventing Romney from building any momentum. Equally clearly it seems that an obvious quid pro quo for this service would be for Giuliani to ask Huckabee to be his running-mate. Putting policy aside - for when did that ever matter? - they're a perfect fit. Huckabeee's charm balances Rudy's brusqueness while his southernness and religiosity compensate for giuliani's weaknesses in those areas. Equally, if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee, putting Huckabee on the ticket may move Arkansas into toss-up territory...

PS: You want proof of Huckabee's new exalted status? He now has his own category on this blog... Exciting times!