For Assassination Joke, Huckabee Should Be Off TV

Having joked less than a year ago about killing Mitt Romney (and his supporters), former Republican candidate for president, Mike Huckabee, has now made light of assassinating Sen. Barack Obama.

According to CNN, during his recent speech at the NRA convention in Louisville Kentucky, the former presidential candidate offered the following joke in response to a loud noise off stage:

"That was Barack Obama, he just tripped off a chair, he's getting ready to speak...Somebody aimed a gun at him and he dove for the floor." (from CNN PoliticalTicker.com)

As Huckabee transitions from presidential candidate to media pundit, his habit of joking about political assassination leads many Americans to question the place of violent rhetoric in the speech of high-profile political pundits, as well as the consequences that should result from it.

Legal vs. Civic Questions
Many would argue that joking about assassinating a Presidential candidate falls well within the realm of free speech and should not merit any particular consequences--legal, moral or otherwise. Indeed, past court rulings on the question of jokes about assassinating a sitting president suggest that it is very difficult to establish any kind of legal culpability in these instances. The question, it seems, falls down to two factors: (1) the often 'vituperative, abusive, and inexact,' nature of political rhetoric and (2) the legal difficulty of establishing intent to bring about actual harm in these instances (see Eugene Volokh, 'Jokes About Killing the President' Apr 27, 2005).

Legal questions, of course, are only one aspect of this issue. In addition to what is permissible by law, Americans are also deeply concerned with whether or not certain kinds of speech tend to undermine the necessary pragmatic nature of our civic process -- our ability to turn to the media and to each other to learn what we need to learn in order to achieve our common goals. When we turn away from legal questions and begin to examine the kinds of rhetoric that may undermine our deliberative democracy, we start to see that Americans are by-and-large opposed to violent jokes and speech tossed out by political pundits.

And yet despite this opposition on the basis of maintaining a healthy, civic process, violent-rhetoric from high-profile pundits continues largely unchecked.

In 2006, for example, Ann Coulter joked about the need for someone to assassinate Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens:

We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens' creme brulee," Coulter said. "That's just a joke, for you in the media. (Coulter Jokes About Poisoning Supreme Court Justice, FOX News)

A trained Constitutional attorney, Coulter understood the legal precedents regarding jokes about political assassination -- meaning that she knew how to craft a joke about political assassination such that it would not land her in any kind of jeopardy. Nonetheless, it is clear that Coulter also knows that joking about assassinating a Supreme Court Justice would earn her a great deal of media coverage and have an impact on national debate on abortion.

In a political context where anti-abortion activists have assassinated medical practitioners on the excuse that they were stopping the doctors from performing further procedures, many interpreted Coulter's joke as having contributed to an atmosphere of violence and threat in American politics.

Citizen Outrage Ignored By Media Companies
Citizens' concerns over Coulter, however, were not in any way heeded by corporate media--both broadcast and publishing -- nor by political parties. Following her remarks, Coulter continued to earn huge book deals and continued to enjoy virtual open access to high-profile broadcast media.

What Coulter and Huckabee share in common is that they both used rhetoric that was legal, but nonetheless toxic to healthy political debate.

When a political pundit uses a high-profile political forum to joke about assassinating his or her political opposition, the result is that deliberative debate shuts down. Indeed, the response that violent rhetoric elicits in the minds of Americans is not the desire to censor speech in any way, but a call for violent-speech to be channeled towards entertainment where citizens are provided with the resources to make more informed choices about what they will and will not watch or hear.

In the meantime, Mike Huckabee's joke about an assassination attempt on Sen. Obama will lead to the same outcome as Coulter's joke about assassinating John Paul Stevens: disruption of deliberative debate followed by greater broadcast presence awarded to him by the media.

The outcome should be the opposite: media marginalization instead of aggrandizement.

For joking about the assassination of Sen. Obama, Mike Huckabee should be removed from the rosters of all the various cable and network stations on which he regularly appears.

Follow Jeffrey Feldman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JeffreyFeldman

Comments

[AmandaRuth]

i think you are absolutly correct - we can argue about whether or not he used code word to speak to his base (I beleive he did) and as another poster pointed out, the lack of any response by the NRA speaks volumes as does the media's continual use of Shmuck, Colture and others who spout the same type of vomit as spokespeople and pundits.

I would really like to know what the cable and network executives and decision makers consider over the line, and if writing and/or speaking about the lynching of blacks, posioning of Supreme Court justices, assignation of dem politicians, and perfecting of Jews is not considered enough to be removed from the airwaves, then what is? I would like to know, in the minds of these men just what is too much? How about a KKK member defending the right? Let us deal in reality now, and the KKK retoric is no differant than what was said above, so why not just have them on, why are they blackballed? Are hateful racist sentiments only ok when spouted by a cleaned up suit wearing spewmaster and only while attacking the left? What are the rules, exactly?

[ann1]

I concur

[RRonin]

This just proves Huckabee is a dope. He's also obviously easily influenced by the people he's around. He probably had been talking to Ted Nugent just before his speech.

[BlueOnBlue]

Psychoanalysts have often viewed jokes as expressions of the subconscious. Judging by his misplaced attempts at humor, there are some dark thinks lurking in the Huckster's subconscious.

Well, on the bright side, this may remove him from consideration for the VP slot which he so obviously wants. Now THAT would be funny.

[barbarianatthegate]

Remove him from Veep consideration? This lowlife's "joke" just propelled him to the top of the list!

[ghostsofamerica]

I realize also that it is a racial threat, like they do in Kentucky.

[Mock38]

I know for a fact that Obama has twice the Secret Service detail guarding him than does Hillary, for example.

Now, why would that be?

[Syco]

because while its ok to be a sexist....­..
its more acceptable to kill black people

[MrsPeel]

Syco,

I like your comment. While some women are up in arms about it being harder for a woman to be elected as president than a black man, one of my pro-Obama white over-50 female friends was afraid to vote for Obama at first, because she was concerned he would be assassinated.

Obama can't publicize the death threats--no high-profile person can--because it invites the wrong kind of attention.

So, Geraldine Ferraro, you want to talk about the advantages of being black in America again?

[gigi09]

There have been threats on his life. There was a grand master of the kkk(I guess thats what you call the head jerk) you know the the one that wear the red sheet and hood (coward!!!!) saying that then klan will kill him (it was on U-Tube). However I believe in the power of prayer, and there are a lot of people praying for Brack Obama and his family daily. Obama 08!

[brwnizofmine]

there have probably been many threats

[Syco]

Until this moment i respected Huckabee
I guess it was missplaced

[WagMoreBarkLess]

A key distinction - just because a statement is protected by the first amendment does not make it ethically acceptable to say it, or provide moral support for the news exec who allows it on a show. Just shows how morally bankrupt the mainstream media has become in the pursuit of the almighty buck. They have the ethics of a carnival owner -- worse actually, since no one expects standards at a carnival.

[MrsPeel]

I agree.

[abouttime]

It seems with all the losses of civil liberties essential in a free society many Americans have fallen from the graces of civility that made major inroads to ending bigotry. However I am beginning to realize what it was like to be in NAZI Germany. Lets face it, at some point "Good Germans" were forced to conform to racism, religious bigotry, anti immigration and watch as other's were disappeared are gunned down by "authoriti­es."
We must use reason and determination to challenge the blatant "jokes" of prominent citizens in fomenting racism, bigotry and violence against a major political candidate by an opponent. It is time to challenge, and confront the culprit of bigotry with peace and honor.
Kuckabee's "apology" reeks and was not heartfelt' merely legal protection. Because of who he is, Republican Huckabee must get down on his knees before the American public and beg for forgiveness! Certainly "cable and network stations on which he regularly appears" must shun him as well. Contrition is his only option, and forgiveness may follow.
"Good Americans" must speak out, with eternal vigilance against bigotry, cruelty and violence against others lest we become targets as well.

[MrsPeel]

Some things are unforgiveable. Huckabee's comment is one of them.

[ChiGuy]

The Huckster will soon fade into the mist of political irrelevance.

Looks like he won't be able to "take this nation back for Christ" any time soon.

[EspritDeVoltaire]

Huckleberry will live high on the hog riding the rubber chicken circuit for many years. He will parlay his fame into a lucrative income giving speeches to dinner crowds in the outback of America for probably the rest of his life. He will become an attraction at Marriotts and Holiday Inns across the nation because he is extremely good at being a snake oil salesman and entertainer.

[Annette]

Good entertainer yes, but not a good "Christian". Is this what the folloers of Christ are, people who joke abobut murder?
Well that may be why many of us who were dragged to church every week found and still find nothing in the church to indicate any following of the Prince of Peace. Many of us found people who prayed loudly and in public but were heartless bigots, sharp business men, abusive parents, and crude bullies the rest of the week. The behavior of the followers have led me to doubt the existance of this "God" who is so central to their lives.
Huckabee presents himself as a jovial jokester but I have repeatedly seen a mean undercurrent to his jokes. My friends who live in Arkansas say he was pretty vindictive and petty when he was a governer. I belive you are right however he will ride the rubber chicken circut and make a good thing of it.

[bacaja]

It depends on who's saying it. Joe average on the street would be arrested and
prosecuted or accused of terrorism.

[Meah]

Exactly!

[sstoeffler]

Just imagine if Barack Obama had made this joke about George Bush. The Rethugnicans would be all over him like blubber on Karl Rove.

[philinburb]

It didn't seem to get that big a laugh either. Tough crowd.

[dortmunder]

*uckabee is an incredible narcissist and a cry-baby to boot. He'll say any old stupid sh*t to get people to pay attention to him. And guess what? It works!

[JJeff88]

Outrage over Huckabee's is not just a matter of "poltical gotcha." This is serious stuff which recalls some of the inflammatory comments made in Dallas media in the days just before the JFK tragedy.

But it's tricky to handle. (because, as Chris Matthews pointed out, if we raise a major stink over it, we run the risk of some nut-job suddenly coming up with "a really bright idea").

For Huckabee to immediately try to "take it back" does not negate the fact that you don't say such things unless - at some level or another - you mean it.

Don't let Huckabee's "aw shucks" demeanor mislead you - how can we forget his comments about letting religion shape the interpretation and content of the US Constitution. And now the kind of a veiled statement that should send chills down the spine of every loyal American.

[marymansour]

As Chris Matthews pointed out so succinctly on Hardball last night - there are a lot of nuts out there and Obama, being the sort of intensely charismatic and exciting figure that he is, could be prone to a crazed gunman's attack. It happened to JFK, RFK and MLK who were inspirational public icons that engendered a great deal of excitement and hope in Americans.

As savvy as we are today, these public figures and politicians should not be allowed to speak out on that subject regarding anyone. Huckabee knew what he was doing when he said that. He should get the cold shoulder from cable pundits and news heads. But I bet you, Joe Scarborough will have him Monday morning.

[NeuvoLiberal]

It was apparently a botched impromptu joke, Jeffrey, and he apologized for it.

Equating Huckabee with Coultergeist is too much.

I think it's worthwhile to note that Huckabee went against the grain in his own party to defend Obama on the Wright story commendably. Please see my diary:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/16/18717/3908/523/517140

Thanks.

[hoodrat]

I agree, can't possibly equate anyone with that man posing as female - and he knew that pastors of the Baptist faith, of all colors, have a tendancy of bloviate from time to time, so I give credit. But he's old enough to put this into historical context, and one needs only to look at blogsites or listen to radio to know nothing is beyond the range of possibility - or beyond the ken of those that believe their way of life (through hate), is ending. Lose your ability/power to hate others - you then have to justify yourself - and I don't see evidence of those kind of people being able to do that.

[conscioushope]

Coulter= Huckabee

[PatA]

gee, what a nice man. a nice right-winged christian terrorist!