Huckabee's Christmas Ad, Ron Paul Fires Back

Mike Huckabee is bringing his Christmas cheer, and his Baptist minister roots, to Iowans this election season. His recent ad, "What Really Matters," features the former governor offering citizens a Merry Christmas.

This isn't your ordinary Happy Holidays event. Huckabee lets loose the Christian spirit, saying "what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ." The ad also features a bookshelf in the background that appears to some like a "floating cross." The ad is a not-too-subtle play to Iowa value voters, who cringe at what they view as an increasingly secularized holiday.

Asked about the ad today, Ron Paul decried Huckabee's religious iconography with his own veiled reference on Fox and Friends:

"It reminds me of what Sinclair Lewis once said. He says, 'when fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross.' Now I don't know whether that's a fair assessment or not, but you wonder about using a cross, like he is the only Christian or implying that subtly. So, I don't think I would ever use anything like that."

Mike Huckabee's campaign today denied that the bookshelf/cross was an intentional reference. Iowa Director Eric Woolson responded:

It's the window frame in the background... Once you've got it in your head that it's a cross, it's a cross.

See the original ad and Ron Paul's response below.

Comments

[Lisette]

Religious people cause more problems than secular people.

Secular and atheist people don't prostelitize.

These Christians drive people crazy with all their nutty quotes,

They say that crap like it means something.

But, it doesn't mean anything at all.

That is why we call it mumbo jumbo.

[godlessclif]

Ron Paul/Mike Huckabee 2008

They have the same enemies.
Both men are real Christians.

Exodus, chapter 23:verse 22:
"But if thou shalt indeed obey God's voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversarie­s"...Angel of the Lord speaks to Moses.

[YouThinkAndTalk]

If you think that window in the background is not a cross, then I am a monkey's uncle. I have seen a lot of movies, but never seen a window trim stand out so brightly in a dark background. The requires clever lighting, which needs to be done with a purpose, which is to show a bright cross moving left to right.

By the way, my Christian upbringing calls it blasphemy. It is somewhere in the bible, like the Ten Commandments. You remember these?

Mike Huckabee is not even worth to kiss my feet. Fake minister. An instrument of the devil.

[researcher]

fascism is coming to america and it will be demanded by of all people the american voter.

this will occur when the economy tanks really tanks and the world no longer uses the dollar as the standard.

americans will demand a dictator to try and fix the economy. we are now living on borrowed money and credit cards to maintain our standard of living. these are short term solutions to a major problem called savage capitalism.

our imperialistic ways will bankrupt us. it already has but borrowed money is prolonging the onset of this bankruptcy in the making.

but we must get those gays as they will destroy this country. the repubs play the religious like a fine violin.

there are two kinds of voters in america. dumb and dumber.

many on this blog actually think that by voting demo that will stop fascism from coming to america. the cast has been set no stopping it now.

from capitalism to imperialism to fascism.

[NotMyPrez]

gotta love the slow pan over to a Christmas tree...whi­ch is a pagan element co-opted by Christianity.

[DBlake]

Do you agree with Ron Paul's characterization of Mike Huckabee, 'when fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross?

http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=1330
.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

Just heard the Huckster on CNN comment the that the cross metaphore in the background was unintentional, merely a bookcase, he was just offering a sincere Christmas greeting and we are all being to politically correct.

One more time in advertising nothing, I mean nothing is left up to change. If you look hard a any automobile ad you will see a big square light reflecting on the paint, that’s called a soft box and that means the car was shoot in a studio, than placed in the environment in which you see it. Product is hero.

The Huchabee spot is no different, he’s a product and the presentation of that product involved an account executive, as well as an assistant, creative director, art director, writer, producer, set designer, makeup artist, prop person, cinematographer as well as an assistant, editor and finally a media buyer. That’s at lest 10 people, this is my business and nothing in that spot was left up to chance. The production quality was very good and I can’t believe shoot with a digital home camera. So Mike please don’t BS us, the spot went down the way Ed Roland’s wanted it to. So your BS comment deserves the Jersey 2 stoke and a big Yea Right. Slick as snot.

[sarnold49]

As someone earlier pointed out Social Security is an insurance plan and below are a couple of examples why gambling about retirement isn't as safe.

1. Tony Snow is a prime example. He worked for F-News and made more in a year than my mother did in 20 years, but he never opted into the 401K so now he has no retirement plan except for Social Security. This shows why you can't trust people to do what's best for their future on their own.
2. My husband and I opted into both his companies 401K and stock share program to prepare for our retirement, but in the last year our retirement has lost one third of it's value. This shows how when you do things that you think are right for your future you can still lose your retirement due to some other reason such as a recession.

This is why I could not support someone that wants to end social security and medicare instead of make it better and more secure!

[ElPerro]

The hype over Huckabee's ad is much to do about nothing...­.It's a Christmas greeting. Get over it.

As far as whether or not Ron Paul is a Christianist or not, read this article before deciding:

http://atheism.about.com/b/2007/08/06/authoritarian-or-libertarian-ron-paul-on-churchstate-separation-secularism.htm

[janmarie]

Ron Paul challenges the Federal Reserve for the cartel of rich private owners that it is. This may get him killed though.

[Ashraft]

He has no chance.

Kick, scream, campaign and waste evangelical money, you won’t win Huckabee.

[Hubris1]

Huckabee's a freaking joke and disgrace and Ron Paul is now stealing famous quotes of people who would completely oppose his political party.

If you scroll to very bottom here, you'll see the same statement Ron Paul dares to use.

http://politicaldiscontent.blogspot.com/

[Krispi]

I'm with you transendentilist

[patrickjkiger]

I'll say this for Ron Paul--it's wonderfully snarky of him, in the runup to the Iowa caucuses, to quote an author who famously ridiculed midwestern mores. Those illiterate talking heads on Fox News didn't even get the irony.

[Wiredwilly]

The Fox reporter was incorrect ; The NeoCons ARE selling Fascism.
Research the Historical relationship between the Bush family and Nazi Chemical Manufacturer I.G. Farben for yourself. I don't agree with Ron Paul on everything,
but Ron Paul is apparently a man of integrity who values the Liberty of American Citizens over the profits of German Bankers.