Mike Huckabee: Minister and Street Thug

So Mike Huckabee makes a wisecrack at the NRA convention about Obama frantically trying to get away from a gun being pointed at him.

This is what passes for a Christian man of peace today in this charming country we find ourselves in. Spy magazine ran a marvelous caption years ago, I recall, under a picture of Kissinger: "Henry Kissinger, Socialite and War Criminal." Now we have Mike Huckabee: Christian Minister and Street Thug.

Huckabee should not just apologize, he should be forced to turn in his collar.

But alas as someone else pointed out, Christians are often the ones who don't seem hip that theirs is supposedly a religion of peace.

Why would anyone who isn't a corporate baron, a religious nut or a bug-eyed Xenophobe vote Republican? I can't think.

I've just come back from a couple weeks in Italy. Bella paese. I was in Rome when the new mayor was elected: a former young Fascist street fighter. Berlusconi is not only back running the country, he is doing so in partnership with an anti-immigrant party that's positively rabid.

Huckabee's spout-off today has a touch of that strain of Italy. Il Duce's street fighters would get a kick out of it.

But Jesus (pardon me, my blood is still boiling) -- Jesus would vomit.

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Also at Smirkingchimp.com

Comments

[nellie]

Was this "joke" set-up beforehand? Was it scripted? Or is it the window into Huckabee's soul? Either way, Huckabee should be barred from any future political office.

A must-read: http://www.igpub.com/barbarous.html

[sangsue]

I'm an Obama supporter but I have to say, for a moment, I forgot that Obama will be the first African American Democratic Nominee for President, but saw it as a lame joke by a gun nut to other gun nuts about a non gun nut. Thoughtless? Yes. Stupid? Yes. But I think the context is what's important here.

[benjaminblue]

Huckabee's remark, coupled with Hillary's ominous assertion that she is staying in the race so she'll be ready if "anything" happens between now and August, seems at best to be an open invitation to all the nut cases to take action. It seems at worst to suggest that someone is already plotting.

[riley85]

If anyone dares say anthing negative about Obama they are either labeled a racist or it gets blamed on Hillary. People are getting sick of this fanatical response to any criticism of Obama. Some of us could care less if he is bi-racial. He is too inexperienced, soft on crime, controlled by corporate big shots, plays dirty Chicago politics, and chose a radical church to find himself. Many reasons to not like Obama.
Anyone asking Huckabee to turn in his collar should remember Obama's past and present pastor.

[rousedabout]

If you can't acknowledge what's wrong about Huckabee's comments, all the more ominous for Obama, and additional evidence that this country needs to change through change.

[ddoston10]

I want to defend Huckabee. He made a dump joke. He meant no harm. Don't forget when the Reverend Wright story broke, Huckabee was the ONLY republican or DEMOCCRAT who said Obama should not be judged based on what Wright has said.

[dana94591]

Yeah, dumb but very dangerous!!!! That I will never forgive!

[Nonamnesiac]

Given the history of assassination and attempted assassination of Presidential candidates and controversial political figures during the Presidential primary season (RFK, MLK, George Wallace) and assassinations of political leaders, including Presidents, in this country's history, and Obama being the first Afro-American candidate with a prospect of winning the Presidency -- Huckabee's "I'm-sorry-for-giving-a-signal-that-assassinating-Obama-is-OK" before a group known for its love of guns, a group that attracts mercenaries and other violent types, may not be good enough and well be criminal. There is little difference between Huckabee's remark and signaling crazies attracted to the that group that assassinating Obama is perfectly alright.

Huckabee needs to be arrested and investigated by the Justice Department to determine whether his remarks violated laws that prohibit threats against federal officials and candidates. I watched his remarks and came away believing he was signaling to people who might be inclined to assassinate federal officials or candidates that such action has his, and McCain's, approval of such action.

[Doofus]

It's got to be pretty frustrating for the good reverend that
the country will have a president named Obama before
it will have one named Huckabee. What's left but the
chance to make lame gun jokes before a gang of
true believing gun aficionados.

[ckemp]

The apology was a non sequitur. The most salient effect of Huckabee's remark was endangerment, not offense or disparagement. Had he uttered it to the annual convention of baby carriage manufacturers it would have been bad enough. Saying it in front of the NRA and in front of its banner, coming from a recent candidate for president, and going out to a group of people nationwide who in some cases may not have the intellectual or cultural wherewithal to recognize it as a mistake is to risk communicating permission--or a suggestion. Mr. Huckabee himself meant no such thing, of course, but he is a leader in a party that includes people whose views he is partly responsible for shaping. This is not about political correctness. This is hard, cold, gritty realism about American political and cultural life. Be careful out there.

[StinkyPete]

Quit cryin'.

Sen Kerry never apologized for calling millions of Americans either criminals or terrorists merely because they owned semi-automatic firearms capable of holding large capacity clips.

Remember Dukakis.

[itmaybetoolate]

apt handle dude.

[xtown]

In my estimation, the title of minister erroneously infers a certain detachment from
the shallower bits of human folly. There are men and women in this world for whom
compassion is a calling. They have no title. They are the true ministers.

Mr. Huckabee please go home. You are no longer part of the conversation.

[Skepticat]

Given the number of nutbars out there - Huckabee was being even stupider than I would have believed possible. This is the guy who wrote "Kids who kill" - and should certainly know better.

[itmaybetoolate]

huckleberry's not stupid, This was calculated - how could it be otherwise? He's sending a subtle message.

[Turtleluv6]

His next book should be I assisted in putting the guns in the hands of "kids who kill" for the sake of the NRA

[NegSpin]

You almost have to excuse the guy. If he had any sense in the first place he wouldn't be a Republican.

[khampton]

I can't for the life of me see the humor in that statement. Anyone who even thinks that way is a sick, sick individual. I feel sorry for them

[dana94591]

Thank you! It is so nasty and dangerous!

[Dutchy]

I think it was just an off the cuff comment which went horribly wrong. He should appologise however he is still one of the republicans who I have a modicum of respect for (despite his views)

[jpetaluma]

Mike seems like a pretty nice guy, right? Well, there are many stories. One is that his son hung a dog, that dog died, and Mike had the investigating officer on the case fired. This was when he was governor of Arkansas. There are other very, very nasty accounts about this man. All that decent man of God crap is just that crap. I bet anything that the noise Mike responded to was staged so he could have his funny little evil moment.

[gigi09]

I always thourght that you respect people for something special, like morals, character, and wisdom...I can't imagine respecting for someone just because they are a republican...pretty shallow!

[4wehttam]

I really thought this guy was a pretty decent person. I guess I was mistaken. What a shame all they can attack Obama about is on personal issues and not his actual policies.

UNITED WE STAND.............................Let's not fall for their lies and scare tactics this time around. This is OUR time to take a stand and say NO MORE.

[chosenson]

Huckabee is giving the green light to every nut out there. He is emboldening the HATERS to take a shot a Obama. He should be ashamed! And to think he was the only Republican candidate I actually liked. No more. He is irresponsible, worse than Limbaugh. A very dangerous man!

[waiguoren]

Way back in 1948 Al Jolson had a radio show, and one night he said the word "hell" not realizing his mic was live. Well! It went out over the air waves (as they were called) and was a minor scandal for the next week.

Flash forward: Now we have us a former candidate for president, and a Baptist minister to boot, who thinks it's just as funny as all get out to joke about someone at the NRA meeting taking a pot shot at the black candidate.

If y'all don't believe in Evilution, how do you feel about maybe Devolution?

[BEHM777]

It is things like this that give all ministers of the Gospel a bad name. Thanks, Mike.

[KMan1]

I agree and he should apologize, it was very inappropriate thing to say.

[waiguoren]

The hell with apologies.
No more self-serving apologies that go like this," If anyone was hurt or offended by what I said I'm sorry they took it the wrong way." Or some such jive that puts the onus on everyone except the apologizer.

[KMan1]

I do agree that calling for an apology is over-rated, however in this particular case it was necessary. Sometimes all a crazy person needs is the stamp of approval of someone they admire. He needed to make it very clear that his joke was in poor taste and nothing more.

[sytgrl]

Amen!

[rabiabidabi]

Spot on

[dbrockx]

This is pitiful. A so called man of God, making a stupid idiotic statement like state for a laugh. Not funny at all. We who suppose to be christians should not even allow that kind of sick humor to creep in. What bothers me, is no apology, no nothing. God forbid anything happen. Mike needs to repent for this remark, and seek not only the forgiveness of Obama, but the christian community as a whole. It just goes to show at the sake of ridiculing a fellow christian, Nike is more loyal to his political party than to what God says about dumb comments like tha. Shame on you Mike. If anyone has his website, please reply so I can let them know about it.

[MPeter]

And this miscreant wanted to be POTUS. What a joke. What is even sad is that he claims to be a man of God. What a sad little man!!

[Gmoney1]

As a Governor of a state in these United States, he should be condemned by all other governors, the senate and congress - if this was a remark as such about women or any other group, it would be more out cry about it - I am sick of the media, Hillary supporters and all those pundits talking about Hillary staying in the race because maybe she's hoping that something will happen to Obama and she could step in - Hillary should have responded to such remarks and asked that this sort of thing not be said and the secret service should let the news media know that this kind of talk is not going to be tolerated by anyone - I think all of you people are sick - I don't even know why Obama wants to be the president of you people -