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

[Hirnlego]

Ah those words...individual liberty says to me what this quote says:

He always pictured himself a libertarian, which to my way of thinking means "I want the liberty to grow rich and you can have the liberty to starve". It's easy to believe that no one should depend on society for help when you yourself happen not to need such help.
Isaac Asimov, I. Asimov

Ron Paul would probably equal even a larger percentage of the money for the superrich..

[chocco]

America is the proverbial frog in the water and the frog has just realized the water is now boiling. Too bad, little frog. You're cooked. When it came to marrying church and state, St. Ronnie of the Reagan performed the ceremony. For over 30 years, Republicans have been "courting" the Christian fundies. The culmination of all that "courting" is Reverend Mike Huckabee's campaign. Mr. Huckabee, a softer, more affable Jerry Falwell is very wily with all his fluffy, Kumbiya "let's all just hold hands and pray" kind of God talk. But he's as dangerous as any of the "Islamo-fascists" the neo-cons love to denigrate.
Huckabee is a "Christo-fascist" who won't blink an eye at criminalizing abortion AND birth control, forcing gay people to be rounded up, especially if they are HIV positive, abolishing public education in lieu of home schooling (or vouchers for Christian academies), posting the ten commandments in all public buildings an erecting statues of them at every state capitol and all courthouses, requiring recitation of prayer (in Jesus's name) at all public places and public events. To all Republicans, I say, "Live by the sword, die by the sword." You wanted him, now you got him.
Thanks for destroying this G-d damned country!!!

[zendem1]

A swastika would have better represented his views.

[Nyla785]

Ron Paul poses as soooo Libertarian...yet he doesn't see any fascism in government control over women's bodies. What a fraud.

[Nova16]

America has become one big revival tent. The dumbing down of America with religious claptrap began with Reagan, increased with the fraud known as the Bush administration and now is controlling the debate and discourse in the fascist republican political debate. We have had one imbecile in the White House the past seven years, we don't need Huckabee or Romney to emulate another disaster. Rational thinking and common sense which has disappeared during the Bush years must be the guiding forces in our national life once again instead of religious nonsense clouding the real issues and problems facing this nation. We are in a true test as to our survival as a democracy.

[unclebucky]

Who are the GOP candidates?

* Former Governor Mormon Guy
* Former Mayor Hardhat Rudy Guy
* Former Senator Grampa
* Former Candidate McBush
* Non-representative Paul Ron
** "Reverend" Michael Huckabee

Ohh it's got all that Jesus-caché... Maw, can you vote for that there Preacher Man? Reverend Mike!

Ugh.

--UB.

[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
.

[Trittydi]

Most republicans will reject Muckabee I think. Good thing - split the party right down the middle. They need to break up into two parties anyway - better sooner than later.
*

[Bushgirlsgonewild]

.

On the 'right to choose', Ron Paul recently said:

"One day I walked into an operating room, to just be an observant, which we would do generally, as a medical resident. They were performing this hysterectomy, which was a caesarean section. And they lifted out a fetus that weighted approximately 2 pounds, and it was breathing and crying. And it was put in a bucket and set in the corner of the room, and everybody in the room just pretended that they didn't hear it. And the baby died."

He's a fucking liar.

.

[unclebucky]

Here is how I see it.

"Reverend Michael Huckabee" is running for President of the United States.

"Reverend Michael Huckabee" is running for President of the United States.

"Reverend Michael Huckabee" is running for President of the United States.

Reverend Jesse Jackson did not do well with that appellation. Reverend Al Sharpton didn't do well, either. And Pat Robertson seemed ill-equipped to be a candidate, except that he was a Reverend.

Play the Preacher Card. Reverend, Pastor, Minister, and of course, Preacher Huckabee.

Anyone wanna vote for "Preacher" Huckabee for Dog Catcher? --Nope, he would preach to the dogs and make them nervous.

Ugh.

--UB.

[Erdgeist]

Ron Paul would be the perfect candidate if he would understand that Social Security Insurance is INSURANCE in which we all share the risk by paying PREMIUMS. It is well within the U.S. Constitution since WE are the People and can damn well have the laws we want. And least we forget, SSI was the brainchild of President Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican. (It is amazing to see how misanthropic the Republicans have become since TR.)

[JohnCitizen]

BELIEFS AND IDEOLOGY RULE!

The Bush administration has never been about the real world, the rational world. Huckabee is just the next incarnation on the road to Armageddon! These good Christians are only about beliefs and ideology. Welcome to our future of Bible times and an irrational America. Oh what joy, what Rapture!!!

[CalvinistHobbesian]

A Republican who quotes Sinclair Lewis. Now I've seen everything...

[navalvet]

Bring back Article 39 of the New York State Constitution of 1777 and put it in the U.S. constitution:
XXXIX. And whereas the ministers of the gospel are, by their profession, dedicated to the service of God and the care of souls, and ought not to be diverted from the great duties of their function; therefore, no minister of the gospel, or priest of any denomination whatsoever, shall, at any time hereafter, under any pretence or description whatever, be eligible to, or capable of holding, any civil or military office or place within this State.

At least some of the Founders had firm ideas about separation of church and state.

[GayGrandpa]

Well that is pretty slick! You can see the left arm of the cross is highlighted to make it obvious to the unconscious eye that it is a cross. Oh the spirituality of a fundamental Christian President...yeah ri'ight!

I am an ex-Southern Baptist youth pastor I left because there was no room for gays. I left my wife because I did not want to end up like Larry Craig and I did not want her to end up like Mrs. Larry Craig. They have been divorce for years but they just can't admit it to themselves. If I was Matt Lauer I would have asked the tough questions like Mrs. Craig when was the last time Larry made wild and passionate love to you and how often does he do that? Excuse me, I digressed.

I don't trust the religious right because they intolerant and judgmental and a little NUTS! Look at Georgie...greed and his religion has a smack in the middle of a quagmire and we still are sinking and stuck!

The religious right wants America to be stuck in anything but progressive thoughts that might include FREEDOM AND PEACE. Give me a Ron Paul for President or Kucinich or Obama, I will take anyone of them...these people I feel I can trust not another slick willie or hillary or mikey!