Huckabee, Hiding

Here’s to channeling a Mike Huckabee Presidency, via Mother Jones:

There's a Mike Huckabee mystery that won't go away.

Send a public records request seeking documents from his 12-year stint as Arkansas governor, as Mother Jones did recently, and an eyebrow-raising reply will come back: The records are unavailable, and the computer hard drives that once contained them were erased and physically destroyed by the Huckabee administration as the governor prepared to leave office and launch a presidential bid.

In 2007, during Huckabee's campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, the issue of the eradicated hard drives surfaced briefly, but it was never fully examined, and key questions remain. Why had Huckabee gone to such great lengths to wipe out his own records? What ever happened to a backup collection that was provided to a Huckabee aide?

Huckabee is now considering another presidential run, and if he does enter the race, he would do so as a frontrunner. Which would make the case of the missing records all the more significant. These records would shed light on Huckabee's governorship—and could provide insight into how a President Huckabee might run the country. Meanwhile, observers of Arkansas' political scene—including one of Huckabee's former GOP allies—say the episode is characteristic of a politician who was distrustful and secretive by nature.

And just what might all the mystery be all about? Numerable ethic complaints? Failure to reports gifts and/or sources of income? Use of state funds for personal gain?  Controversial sermons?

The article is a very, very good read. And does indeed give a glimpse into the possible nature of a (heaven forbid), Huckabee Presidency.  Fear, and more fear -- just what this country does not need right now.

The Destruction Of A Presidency?

Unlike former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, I don’t believe yesterday’s decision on the part of the Obama administration to cease defending the Defense of Marriage Act will “destroy” the President. The public opinion tide is turning on this one, and the country has better things to worry about. But when he says he believes the decision will cause irreparable harm – both political and social – I take him at his word.

In an interview with CBS News political consultant John Dickerson, Huckabee said the decision could "destroy" President Obama, though not marriage itself.

“It may destroy him [Obama], may destroy his credibility, may destroy his campaign and candidacy and ultimately his term in office," Huckabee said. "It takes more than one president to destroy marriage."

In his new book, "A Simple Government," the ordained minister writes that traditional families - those grounded in a marriage between a man and a woman - promote economic stability.

Gov. Huckabee and the other potential 2012 Republican Presidential candidates know the economy is #1 on voters’ minds. Most fascinating about this, will be just how the Republican pack continues to defend their right-wing social stances as job growth strategies.

I guess Gov. Huckabee thinks there is enough there to write a whole book about it…

On The Street Where You (Can't) Live

Former Arkansas governor, and likely 2012 Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee would justifiably be very upset if as an American, he was restricted with regards to where he could make his home in this country. He spoke of it as he addressed a crowd in East Jerusalem this week.

He continued by saying “I cannot imagine as an American being told that I could not live in certain places in America because I was Christian, or because I was white, or because I spoke English. I would be outraged if someone told me that in my country, I would be prohibited and forbidden to live in a part of that country, for any reason.”

Further, he believes Jews should be able to live anywhere in Israel – anywhere that “God gave them.” The emphasis is mine.

“In many ways, it’s probably appropriate that the weather was acting against us because there is no doubt but that many forces acted against the Jewish people in returning to their homeland, being able to live in the place that God gave them,” he said. “It is inconceivable in many ways that we would have to even argue and debate whether or not Israelis could live in Israel, not just in parts of Israel but anywhere in Israel they wished to live.”

Not so much for non-Jewish Israelis. OK to tell them where not to live. Restrict.  Relocate.  Transfer.

"There are vast amounts of territory that are in the hands of Muslims, in the hands of Arabs. Maybe the international community can come together and accommodate," he said in a meeting with reporters.

Welcome to the nightmare of Republican foreign policy, 2012-style. As he says, inconceivable to argue and debate whether or not Israelis could live in any part of Israel. Someone needs to (publicly) remind the good governor that non-Jewish citizens of Israel are Israeli, too. Just Arab Israelis, for the most part.  Muslim and Christian alike.  Does he not know this?  I suspect he does.

Say what you mean: that only Jewish Israelis should be able to live where they like. Arab Muslim Israelis, not so much.