Dr. Laurence White, Stephen Maloney And Disposing Of Garbage

I have much more sober and significant matters to be concerned about with this blog, than engaging in tawdry wars of disparagement. I am compelled to engage and contest what I sincerely believe are relatively common but very socially pernicious modes of thought and behavior in America and the Western world. And, of course most notably today, I am occupied with trying to draw attention to Mike Huckabee’s campaign for The Republican nomination for President of the United States, which I enthusiastically judge to pose a momentous opportunity for relief of both functional and dispositional ailments in American culture.

However, one pursues what one deems important for the day while still pausing to dispose of the waste material of life. Frankly, I hardly merit the trouble, as I have no credential, achievement, or platform to command any attention other than years of screaming from my little gopher-hole on the Internet, recently elevated to the imminently modest status of one of tens of millions of yowling bloggers. Even among Huckabee bloggers I am not a particularly innovative or assertive source of information, with few tricks up my sleeve other than to ponder and opine. Some years ago, I broadcast emails with a sig: “The Voice of One Crying on the Internet.” But, though I tarried long with the increasingly hostile and shrill rhetorical reflexes of Stephen Maloney, he ultimately saw fit to post screeds of disdain and denunciation on Thursday and Friday, labeling not just my acquaintance (not his), Dr. Lawrence White, but rolling in me along with him as self-serving, America-hating “pro-life phonies.” While I don’t, with his work as one of America’s foremost and ablest pro-life speakers, Dr. White certainly does merit attention from such foolish attackers: MIKE HUCKABEE: DECISON TIME ON AMERICA-HATING SUPPORTERS, Pro-Life Phonies: Larry Perrault and Laurence White

In traditional media, they used to say that bad news is better than no news. Perhaps I should be grateful for being mistaken as a worthy target. Mike Huckabee has felt privileged to be a prized target of some political headhunters. Sort of like me when I was 14, Stephen Maloney has discharged his BB-gun at a backyard blackbird. So, if he sees fit to broadcast my name as a subject of ridicule, maybe I ought to be grateful for any reader who sees fit to investigate my site. In fact, I might wish that he were a more able and provocative rhetorician.

Mr. Maloney first contacted me as a Huckabee blogger to call my attention to Alaska’s Republican Governor Sarah Palin and an online campaign to encourage the Republican nominee to choose her as a Vice-Presidential running-mate in 2008. I investigated Governor Palin and found her to be a principled, bright and appealing political presence whom I’m happy to recognize and direct attention to. And, I watched other Huckabee bloggers reach similar conclusions, all of this much to Maloney’s satisfaction. I should hasten to say that I do not refer to Maloney personally as “waste material,” but his increasing, ugly, and undeterred disparagement of those with whom he finds practical disagreement. Were he to exercise even the barest shred of grace, I would be about something hopefully much more important, at this moment.

I do disagree radically with what I’m sure he honestly believes to be a pragmatic pursuit of relatively conservative ends. He believes we MUST support Rudy Giuliani as the most likely “winner.” I do not and will not, but that’s another matter. My disagreement on a productive approach to social problems would hardly be unique to my disagreement with Stephen Maloney. Disagreement, I’m familiar with. But, I conduct civil exchange with people that I disagree with to a far greater extent than Stephen Maloney. But, this is a pattern that I have observed in his contact with other people: first somewhat agreeable, then points of disagreement, followed by Maloney’s pathological impulse to read evil motivations into the dissenter that he has already established a measure of cooperation with. This extends not merely to distorted perceptions, but to speculations about people’s failures and derelictions, even in their personal lives, which he knows nothing about!

And, of course, Maloney did the same thing regarding Dr. Laurence White, even after no personal contact at all, but just reading a few of White’s writings. So, it actually comes as hardly any surprise that, after I stood by my convictions about what I believe to be a productive course in Republican politics, and then rose to the defense of Laurence White after Stephen’s reckless attack, that I should ultimately find the crosshairs of his moral derision trained on me. And, this even after I had watched him behave irresponsibly toward other people and warned him about his malignant impulses while continuing to be personally solicitous and engaging in weeks of discussion on our mutual blogs: http://larryperrault.blogspot.com/, and http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com/ . I told him to be careful that Sarah Palin or anyone else is not smeared by his rudeness.

So, I’m not angry with Stephen Maloney. I think he is in dead earnest. He just inhabits a world of blinkered and jaundiced delusion that naturally provokes a reactive and destructive disparaging response. It brought to mind a couple of movies: In The Truman Show, Jim Carrey’s character, Truman, thought that the elaborate reality fabricated by a TV producer to make a program of Truman’s entire life, was the real world. Maloney’s perceptual framework is not so idyllic: he actually thinks the monsters of his wild perceptions are real. Again, I know Laurence White from pro-life and Republican co-travelings. I have spoken with him and heard him speak many times, including at meetings in his own church. My online acquaintance with these other bloggers was more passing. I might be disposed slightly differently on some matters (I usually am), but there clearly were not the deep flaws of personal character that were invented in Stephen’s nightmares.

At least in The Truman Show movie (good movie – I heard one lecture liken Truman’s reality to the ubiquitous delusion that we typically perceive through popular media: big issue with me), Truman eventually ventured to the outside reality, which he doubtless found more daunting though less controlled. Stephen Maloney is older than I am: at this point, such life-changing awakenings are less common, though still possible. Stephen is a Christian: we should pray that he could express a measure of the grace that he has been afforded. As things are, the other movie I thought of was from back in VHS days when my children were small. In Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear once simply responds to Woody: “You’re a sad, strange little man.”

Thoughts About Giving This Weekend To The Mike Huckabee Campaign .../About Fred Thompson/About Alan Keyes

There is a lot of encouragement on the Huckabee blogs about giving to the Huckabee campaign as the 3^rd quarter deadline for fundraising approaches, on Sunday. A couple of my favorites have posted links to the Huckabee page where you can donate to the campaign via credit card or a phone call.

MA For Huckabee has a couple of rather large buttons linked to http://mikehuckabee.com, where the donation option is at the top right of the page. But, it seems important to clarify a few points. The media celebrity (less-principled, which is no coincidence) attract donors through that celebrity, but I feel very safe in also making this point:

Speaking as someone who has seen up close how the influence of money works inside the Republican Party (it does in the Democratic Party too, though the major sources may largely differ), I can tell you that well-moneyed sources most often take what we would call a “pragmatic” approach to the distribution of their resources. They want to be vested in the direction that they are most confident will “win,” which they associate with popular/media high profile, in politics as in business Principles can or will tend to be more secondary. Thus, even now with the ill-conceived and ill-named "campaign finance reform" (the fuzzy language is a hint of liberal laxity about constitutional principles – I hope that tells you something about John McCain and Fred Thompson), the maximum $2300 per campaign (in both the nomination and general campaigns BTW, so $4600 total) is more likely to go to those media celebrities.

So, consider that though there has been much talk of Huckabee trailing the frontrunners in campaign funding, we probably should also look at that another way: Huckabee was FAR outspent for the Iowa Straw Poll. But if you look at the votes garnered per dollar spent, Huckabee who finished 2^nd, fairly destroyed the rest of the field in the poll. In winning, Mitt Romney spent at least 20 times (again, not counting his carpet bombing of Iowa with media ads) as much as Huckabee, but didn’t even gain twice the vote.

In the same way, if they simply accounted Huckabee’s fundraising on number of donations instead of number of dollars, his fundraising would be much more favorable. And after all, much as people like to talk about money, a ditch-digger’s vote counts every bit as much as the vote of a corporate CEO or a United States president. With smaller average donations, we must be more aggressive and broader in our fundraising. For every $2300 donation to the “frontrunners,” we need one hundred and fifteen $20 donations from we who vote more out of conviction and principle than out of pragmatism.

What I want to emphasize is: IF YOU THINK YOUR $20, &50, $100 $200. $500 DONATION DOESN’T COUNT, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG! I have given several times, but I won’t max out the donation limit in the nomination or probably the general election. So, whatever you can give, give as much as you care. Consider what Kevin Tracy wrote today in reviewing last night’s Republican candidate debate with Tavis Smiley at a Baltimore historically black college:

“Hands down though, Huckabee carried this one away. On Vertical Day, someone asked him what he does to prepare for a debate. The governor responded, 'My routine is probably very different from everybody else’s. I don’t watch TV, I don’t read papers, I don’t talk to anyone who might tell me what to do or what to say. I go for a 5-mile run in the morning and just try to stay loose so when the time comes, I can answer the questions being asked without having to deliver a memorized speech beaten into my head by advisers in a hotel room the night before.' That alone is why Huckabee is winning these debates and I’m thrilled to be supporting the impromptu candidate rather than the scripted, unauthentic candidate.”

He responds from his convictions and so should we. Just think: If 20 million socially conservative voters (which much of the black population is, by the way) sent in their 20 or $100 dollars, or whatever they can afford for their convictions, Mike Huckabee would be sitting pretty against the others. So, don’t give what you can’t, BUT PLEASE GIVE WHAT YOU CAN! http://mikehuckabee.com .

Larry

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Here’s a post about Fred Thompson, if you think he’s the refuge from the unprincipled/inconsistent Giuliani-McCain-Romney triad:

A Buck For Huck

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As for Alan Keyes, if you looked at the Kevin Tracy post above, you saw mention of the scripting of other candidates’ campaigns and comments. Someone else also commented to me about the maneuvering of the debaters. I feel I should say: I don’t think Ron Paul is scripted or dishonest. I just don’t agree on some important things.

And Alan Keyes is not scripted. He doesn’t even use notes for a 1-hour speech. I guarantee you that Keyes’ words are NEVER someone else’s. But, I can’t understand why he’s gotten into this contest. A fellow former Keyes’ fan suspects it’s just to maintain his profile for speaking and comment. That’s plausible, given that this Harvard Ph.D. in government has been under-utilized and even spurned by elements of The Republican Party. There might be some anxiety and frustration for him at age 57. Alan Keyes is extraordinary thoughtful and educated. But, he doesn’t have Huckabee’s gentle and engaging spirit.

One of my contacts has a history of a substantially more intimate relationship with Keyes. Perhaps he could educate me some on this question? Anyway, my ambivalence about my support for Mike Huckabee for the 2008 Republican nomination is roughly…0!

This Is Really Important Stuff About The Presidential Election Process

I have what I think are some important comments and important links: First, be sure to watch the issues videos of Mike Huckabee posted at:
http://mikehuckabee.com

There are now over 200 bloggers on the Mike Huckabee Blogroll. I poke through them when I can, making a point to stay reasonably abreast of some. But, a few are blogs I try to peek in on every day. Mike Huckabee 2008 , is the original Huckabee blogger who cranked up before all of us were aboard, even Mike Huckabee himself. MA For Huckabee is a great information resource from Mitt Romneyland and has also posted many current Huckabee videos and the text of a fine presentation of Mike Huckabee to a recent Cape Cod Round Up by a young Harvard Business School student. Kevin Tracy has innovative material and personal comments, and just put up a funny video about the “frontrunners” skipping tomorrow night’s debate. And One Mom is a very active thinker and able writer, some of whose recent posts are linked below.

Tonight is the PBS debate of Republican Presidential candidates, moderated by Tavis Smiley targeted at a minority audience, at 9PM ET, 8 CT. One blogger has posted, Michael Steele Lambasts "Front-Runners" for Ducking Thursday's Debate . Michael Steele is the black former MD Lieutenant Governor and Senate Candidate and now the Chairman of GOPAC. And, the ducking “front-runners” are Giuliani, Thompson, Romney, and McCain.

After saying that he had worked to set this up, noting that Republicans can’t afford to ignore minority voters, that we have just celebrated 50 years since the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock UNDER A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT (Eisenhower), and scolding the “frontrunners” for skipping the debate (as they have skipped other forums) Steele says,

“Attendees at the fundraiser were shocked and dismayed to learn about the "front-runners" skipping this debate. They asked who was participating. When Huckabee's name came up, Steele noted, "he won 45% of the black vote in his last election as Governor." A Virginia legislator interjected "he's a good man."

Okay then, people, if you're willing to pony up $250 or more in support of local elections to see Michael Steele, and you're disgusted by the behavior of the current GOP Presidential "front-runners," let's put the same kind of money up for the one man who can score a landslide against Hillary Clinton by capturing nearly half the minority vote, in addition to earning the support of solid conservatives and middle class workers of all races!

(Jim Geraghty over at NRO's Campaign Spot keeps positing excuses for this self-destructive behavior. I think the real reason the "front-runners" have skipped the last two debates is because every time they show up for a debate, Huckabee wipes the floor with them. If they don't show, most people don't watch, so Huckabee gets noticed less, and they get shown up less. If they keep debating Huckabee, he has everything to gain and they have everything to lose, so they simply duck and focus on their precious fundraisers.)”

J.C. Watts, the black former Republican Congressman has also questioned the wisdom of these people skipping the debate. Well, is calling it “stupid” questioning the wisdom? There is a link to Watts’ comments among a string of recent posts by Kerry at One Mom , which include 1) a letter from Mike Huckabee about the primacy of ideas in selecting a nominee which gives his, 2) appeals for Gary Bauer to get off his call for everyone but the media-celebrity four to drop out, 3) a letter from Southern Baptist President Frank Page that acknowledges Huckabee’s progress and growing recognition, which follows 4) complaints from Kerry and other bloggers about Richard Land’s endorsement of Fred Thomson after saying that he likes Huckabee, but “he can’t beat Hillary…” (Which I’m sure was well-intended but, though he certainly isn’t, was spoken from the ignorance of having one’s head submerged in the media fishbowl, rather than in what is actually happening on the campaign trail. Land is the longtime president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberties council.

That brings up what I wanted to discuss along with again (for the 3^rd time) recommending Dr. Laurence White - This Election Cannot Be About Electability , which discusses the same issue:

This whole idea that gets discussed as “electability,” “viability,” or whether someone can or cannot win, is one that needs to die the death it deserves as soon as possible. It’s a grand delusion that tells the voters what to think about elections that are determined BY THE VOTERS! Why can’t we just let the candidates themselves decide whether they are in or out, and THE VOTERS decide who they do and don’t like???? WHAT A NOVEL IDEA!

Has anyone noticed that when Mike Huckabee gets in front of voters that they like him, and when he is in debates and straw polls, he’s a BIG WINNER? He was just asked why he seems to do well in straw polls, but trails “the frontrunners” in national polling? National polls reflect name-recognition among people who get information from media. In Ames, IA, he was 2^nd to Romney who bought tickets, bussed in supporters, and spent at least 20 times as much money, not even counting all of the media ads. In a number of straw polls in South Carolina (most recently

Mike Wins South Carolina Straw Poll at Huckabee08 ,

he’s been winning for months. In the analyses after all the debates, he’s recognized as the strongest communicator. And, in the before and after votes of the delegates of 40 socially conservative organizations at the Values Voters debate, Huckabee won strongly before, and nearly doubled that total afterward, winning 63% of the delegates!

Yet, presumptuous “experts” want to tell us who “has a chance.” Why do they think that? Well, they think it must be the case because after all, that’s what they say on TV! If we could just remove television from the mix, Huckabee would unquestionably be top-tier if not running away with the race, except where no one had seen the candidates. And, I always remind people that these people who anoint media celebrities, are not known to be friendly to conservatism. Conservatives let non-conservatives tell them who their top candidates are.

People! Grow up! We now have all the access to al the information you want, in any form: text, audio, video… We don’t need supposed experts. Won’t it be nice when the voters tell the experts who the winner will be?

Dr. Laurence White - This Election Cannot Be About Electability

Tuesday morning, the Huckabee campaign again posted the letter of Dr. Laurence White on its blog. Last time, I posted it here, but this time I’ll just leave the link and hope the message gets to a few social conservatives who contemplate support for Giuliani, McCain, or Thompson (You may believe Romney - I don't), none of whom will pass their term as president having done anything to relieve America of the socially poison practice and countenance of “legal” abortion, or even to move the American consciousness to recognize th urgent social disrepair that it comprises.

When I posted it last time, a commenter ignorantly tore into the character and motivation of Dr. White. I know Dr. White and have worked with him in this cause, and I know of the patent ignorance and irresponsibility of such charges. In recent years, I have striven to pursue what I believe is right without personal anger and disparagement of the character or intellect of those who differ. But, an ignorant and vulgar attack like that, made my blood boil.

Just look at the letter and consider that America is well entrenched into a mortal social sickness. What, at this point can be done? Mike Huckabee is the only candidate will both the will and the ability make America conscious of the problem and lead it away from it, without spite and acrimony.

This ability is also the reason that he can lead our country in other positive directions and why he is the ablest Republican to bring to the general election. But, this problem, by itself, highlights the urgency of America’s precarious social situation.

To that commenter, you have my email address if you cannot contain your bile. But, spare this blog the mess of that vomit, this time.

Mitt Romney's Open Letter, McCain's Early State Musing, And Hucckabee's Real Clear Politics Interview

Mitt Romney published an open letter in yesterday’s New Hampshire (Manchester) Union Leader and today’s Roll Call. Romney's open letter to GOP: 'Our government is failing us' - On ...

In it, he says we are spending too much money…???

What was that about the pot and the kettle, again?...

John McCain says he’s seeing enthusiasm in New Hampshire and South Carolina, but in Iowa he has work to do: McCain: Upbeat on Iowa, NH, 'straight' about SC

Ron Paul is seeing enthusiasm I all three states: Just, not enough to win. Mike Huckabee would have to blow it in Iowa and South Carolina to lose to McCain. And, in New Hampshire they both have Romney and Giuliani to beat. After losing in Iowa, McCain should fall in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Yep. He has a lot of work to do. So does Thompson: as of today, the early states look like a Romney-Giuliani-Huckabee story.

Mike Huckabee’s Interview with Real Clear Politics Mike Huckabee: The RCP Interview discusses winning straw polls while trailing in national polls, fundraising progress, foreign policy and fiscal conservative critics like The Club For Growth.

John Zogby: On the 2008 Republican Presidential Candidates for President

Here is pollster John Zogby’s discussion : On the 2008 Republican Presidential Candidates for President , at the liberal Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-zogby/on-the-2008-republican-pr_b_65792.html

Zogby mentions the well-known strengths and weaknesses of the media-celebrated candidates. Then, he disusses Huckabee and the rest: With Huckabee, he mentions the fabled “no money” line, which I said is not as severe since the end-of-June 2^nd quarter reports. But, that’s the bare bones information that such people have to work with.

However, please give what you can to compete with the media-circus animals!: https://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contribute.Home

As for Hunter, Tancredo and Brownback, Zogby says he doesn’t get it. I don’t, either.

Zogby excerpt:

Mike Huckabee: The former governor of Arkansas he is gaining a reputation for his affability and decency.

Pros: he is a popular born-again Christian and a solid conservative. He is an ordained Baptist preacher and is this year's version of the Democrat's favorite Republican. He has been a successful governor of a swing state, has had the best one-liners from the debates, and his loss of one hundred pounds makes him a role model for many struggling Americans.

Cons: he has no money, though he is starting to joke about it. But he will have a tough road if he doesn't win Iowa. (Hint: think vice-president, especially if Rudy or Romney wins the nomination).

Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, Sam Brownback: I don't get it. There is a competition to be Great Conservative Hope in the GOP nomination race, and while these guys are trying, they aren't winning. Tancredo will kick up a little dust on immigration, but not enough to make a difference.

Ron Paul: He is the libertarian with a strong Internet following. He is also the only anti-war candidate. He may get some votes but never enough to move up enough.

Newt Gingrich: He could be the conservatives' candidate and, like Al Gore, can afford to wait because he has the name recognition, the ability to raise money, and the ability to frame issues. If undecided voters among Republicans remain high and/or if one of the leaders implodes, Newt could get in.

Vertical Day Ends, This Morning - Lots Of Info

“Vertical Day” ends, this morning. But, there is plenty of information at the Huckabee campaign web site http://mikehuckabee.com, both at the “Blog” and Newsroom pages.

Kevin Tracy has also posted a series of videos at his blog, including a few of his own: One discussing Vertical Day, and one which discusses the Fair Tax and what Kevin sees as an impending endorsement from Newt Gingrich, which he and other bloggers have speculated about for weeks, in light of Newt’s encouraging words, cooperative efforts between the two (Huckabee will present a workshop at Newt’s “American Solutions” conference, for example), and now Newt’s “Vertical Day” post at the Huckabee blog.

Speaking of Huckabee blog posts, I almost burst into tears when I read an endorsement this morning by “Nuke Gingrich.” A gag? A typo? No. Nuke Gingrich is the pseudonym of another blogger. He does write well, though. J I guess we’ll have to wait and see if the donors rush after Newt’s challenge that $30 million in donations would convince him that the nation is demanding him…

Anyway, Bobby Eberle runs a GOP email service and web site, which today recognizes Huckabee’s “Vertical Day” effort. The money shortage is not as critical as he and others have commented recently, in the funding information lag now nearing the end of the 3^rd quarter. But still, Huckabee’s campaign does not have the tens of millions raised and spent by the media celebrities, with questionable results to show for it. Huckabee has consistently progressed and won in debates and straw polls, with what he calls the fuel-efficient “electric car” of campaigns. But please, if you can, give what you can to strengthen the campaign against the media darlings. It would speed Newt’s endorsement if much or most of the $30 million went to Huckabee.

Below is Eberle’s email report. I hope you have and will take in the information that Vertical Day has made available at http://mikehuckabee.com .

Huckabee Goes 'Vertical' to Deliver His Message

Posted by Bobby Eberle
September 25, 2007 at 7:02 am

>> Printer-Friendly Version

Former Arkansas Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says he wants to avoid "horizontal politics," referring to the endless political attacks made by politicians. Instead, he favors "vertical politics" that "uplift the country." To this end and as a way to boost his campaign, Huckabee announced "Vertical Day," a 24-hour effort to share with voters "our ideas, our hopes for America and the challenges facing us."

As noted in the Arkansas News, "Huckabee tried to drive traffic to his site, www.mikehuckabee.com, by promising "rewards" to supporters who referred their friends there. The rewards included bumper stickers, T-shirts, autographed books and even a trip to an upcoming Republican debate in Florida, his campaign said."

The online event also coincides with the end of the latest fundraising period. A boost at the end of financial reporting could go over well with other prospective donors. This is money Huckabee desperately needs in order to continue the momentum he has gained recently. A first-place finish in the South Carolina straw poll, along with a second place finish in Iowa's straw poll have some Republican primary voters giving him a second look.

In the race to see which candidate will capture the hearts of social conservatives, Huckabee seems to have emerged over early front-runner Sen. Sam Brownback. As Brownback's campaign fades, Huckabee is lifted. The problem for Huckabee is money.

As reported in the Washington Times:

Money is a problem for him, acknowledged Mr. Huckabee, who said he hasn't "fully made the decision" to accept public financing in the form of federal matching funds — something he opposes in principle. But he said if he must do that to stay in the race, he may conclude that his campaign hasn't accomplished what it set out to do. In that case, he said he may leave the race.

"If I had been able to jump-start my campaign with a couple million dollars and hired fundraisers, consultants and staff and done direct-mail [solicitation], I would have raised $20 million or $30 million by now," Mr. Huckabee said.

The Times notes that Huckabee has only spent about $1.3 million. Contrast this with the more that $30 million each spent by Giuliani and Romney, and it's clear that Huckabee has made the most of the money he has. "The remarkable story is why the others have spent so much money and not done better," Mr. Huckabee said.

Huckabee has a real chance to build upon his social conservative following and attract more Republican primary voters. He has strong positions against illegal immigration, favors a "do what it takes to win" approach in Iraq, and is a strong supporter of revamping America's tax system with the Fair Tax.

You can find out more about Mike Huckabee at his web site.

>> Discuss this topic in The Forum

Posted in Politics | Send comments to The Loft | Recommend to Friend

Mike Huckabee - Web Performance

I got a message from someone monitoring web traffic. Good News! Mike Huckabee’s traffic is up to 2^nd on the web, today!

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Hi Larry,

Thanks for your great blog. I was on compete.com today which monitors traffic on sites and I checking in to see how Mike’s site was doing and was pleasantly surprised by its rapid rise to second overall in visits. I thought you would be encouraged by this and wanted to pass it along. Keep up the good work and maybe you could make a post about how Mike is rising in the web world!

Take care,

-David R. Schmidt

New Videos at http://mikehuckabee.com , And New Blog Posts, Including Yours Truly's

New Videos at http://mikehuckabee.com , in the “Newsroom,” including Mike’s Monday morning blogger webcast.

I see that the guest bloggers at the Huckabee blog http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.Home , now includes one from ME! Huckabee: Security, Prosperity, and Civility

September 24, 2007 - 11:20 PM

Huckabee: Security, Prosperity, and Civility

by Larry Perrault, Guest Blogger

Now, there’s someone who knows what he’s talking about J Seriously, whether I do or not, I wouldn’t lie to you.

More Posts At Huckabee Blog, SaveTalkRadio Comment On Gingrich-Huckabee, Captain's Quarters Interview

Be sure to go to the Huckabee blog which will run all night until 10:00 AM Tue, and read more postings which include former South Carolina Governor David Beasley, a retirement question and Mike Huckabee video about the Fair Tax, and Bob Vander Plaats, Iowa Stae Chair of the Huckabee campaign, at http://mikehuckabee.com Blog: http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.Home

Another Gingrich-Huckabee Connection at http://www.savetalkradio.com/ - http://savetalkradio.com/2007/09/21/another-gingrich-huckabee-connection/

Ed Morrisey at Captain’s Quarters has an audio interview with Governor Huckabee (Huckabee Interview Set For Tonight) on his “Heading Right” broadcast: http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/009294.php

Another Gingrich-Huckabee Connection at http://www.savetalkradio.com/

One Mom mentions Gingrich’s Huckabee blog post: Newt Gingrich blogs for Vertical Day

3 New Huckabee Blog Entries: Mike Huckabee, South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds, Brian Donega

September 24, 2007 - 05:19 PM

Three more Blog Entries: Mike Huckabee, South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds, Brian Donegan

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.Home

September 24, 2007 - 07:19 PM

A Different Kind of Message

by Mike Huckabee

September 24, 2007 - 06:31 PM

South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds (Guest Post)

by Governor Mike Rounds

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=457

September 24, 2007 - 06:27 PM

Enough is Enough! (Guest Post)

by Brian Donegan, Guest Blogger

Video: Pastors and Pews: Mike Huckabee

September 24, 2007 - 05:46 PM

Video: Pastors and Pews

by Mike Huckabee

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=455

Reflecting on the Campaign by Mike Huckabee

September 24, 2007 - 05:19 PM

Reflecting on the Campaign

by Mike Huckabee

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.Home

Newt Gingrich (Guest Post) At Huckabee Blog

September 24, 2007 - 04:34 PM

Newt Gingrich (Guest Post)

by Newt Gingrich, Guest Blogger

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.Home

Mike Huckabee On Newt's Vertical Day Nine, Nineties in Nine DebateFformat

Vertical Day Nine, Nineties in Nine

Mike Huckabee discusses Newt Gingrich's debate idea.

Author: explorehuckabee
Keywords: Huckabee Presidential Debat Newt Gingrich
Added: September 24, 2007

Kevin Tracy's video discussion of Vertical Day

Kevin Tracy's video discussion of V(ertical) Day

Huckabee’s V-Day (Part I)

http://ktracy.com/?p=418

Video: Iraq by Mike Huckabee

At the blog page at

http://www.mikehuckabee.com

, Mike Huckabee has posted a video about the US effort in Iraq.

September 24, 2007 - 02:14 PM

Video: Iraq

by Mike Huckabee

Club For Growth Posting

Be sure to check in today for "Vertical Day" at

http://mikehuckabee.com

This was posted, yesterday at http://mikehuckabeepresident2008.blogspot.com

http://larryperrault.blogspot.com/

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Huckabee and The Club for Growth

I've spent quite a bit of time over the last year responding to questions about The Club for Growth's obsession with trying to bring down Gov. Huckabee's campaign. To make a long story short, The Club for Growth gets its largest single check each year from a guy in Arkansas with a personal vendetta against Huckabee.

Now lets set aside for a moment the fact that by allowing itself to become the mouthpiece for a single contributor - and that it distorts the facts in the process - The Club for Growth has completely shattered its credibility.

Lets focus instead on the reality that they are doing Governor Huckabee an enormous favor because each time they re-issue their "hit piece," it creates an opportunity to Huckabee to set the record straight...which results in fantastic articles like this one from South Carolina's The State news organization (excerpt below).

Mike Huckabee Plans A "Vertical Day" To Engage America, Mon., Sept 24

September 22, 2007 - 11:06 AM

Vertical Day - Monday, Sept. 24

by Mike Huckabee

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Everywhere I go on the campaign trail, I meet voters with a real thirst for a healthy discussion of the issues. Ultimately, people don't care whether an issue comes from the left or the right. What they want to talk about are ideas that lift America up and make us better. It's what I call "Vertical Politics."

On Monday, our campaign has set aside 24 hours, for what we are calling a "Vertical Day". The focus of Vertical Day will be a discussion of the most important issues facing America. The plan is to promote my positions on these issues through video and personal blogs, and to have an online conversation with voters about our ideas, the solutions we see possible, our hopes for America and the challenges we face.

I'd like you to be a part of Vertical Day. I encourage you to tell your friends, family members and co-workers about it and ask them to participate. Vertical Day will start on Monday, September 24 and end on Tuesday, Sept. 25. I'm excited about this opportunity. With your help, and the power of the Internet, we will be able to involve thousands of voters all across America and truly build excitement around this discussion of issues.

To encourage you to make the time to be a part of Vertical Day, my campaign team has put together an incentive package that I hope will be fun and also create buzz and excitement. First, we've created a special Vertical Day page on our website, where you can view the 24 hours of online content we have pulled together.

We also have created a very simple online tool that will give you the ability to promote Vertical Day to your friends, family members and co-workers. We've developed a package of rewards based upon the number of people you are able to get to visit the website. As a way to cap off Vertical Day, we'll enter the names of each of our top promoters into a raffle. On Tuesday, September 25 at 3 p.m., we will draw two names who will receive special invitations to be my personal guests to the YouTube Debate on November 28 in St. Petersburg, FL.

I will have more details for you soon. In the meantime, please mark Monday, Sept. 24 down on your calendars.

Permalink: http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=435

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VV Debate Posted Online

I found the link to the debate posted online: Get Values Voter Debate DVD

http://www.afa.net/debate/

Get Values Voter Debate DVD

Anyone who missed the Values Voter Debate in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, on Monday, can order a DVDy it at. Values Voter Presidential Debate,

The debate was 3 hours long and posed all questions of interest to socially conservative voters. Order one to show at your church or group function.

Description Of The Huckabee Campaign To An Inquirer

A longtime political contact referred someone to me about Mike Huckabee, who sent me an email that I missed. It gave me an opportunity to summarize the situation:

I’m sorry, David: I was going back through my inbox and found your email, which I had evidently missed. I don’t know of someone organizing for Huckabee in Houston. I scream online and to friends. I am disabled and don’t drive.

But, I would say this: I watch events and polls in Texas and elsewhere. And if Mike Huckabee is in the thick of things when the Texas primary comes around, I think he will do fine in Texas. I’m sure he’ll begin organizing a general election strategy, once the Republican nomination is in sight.

In the meantime, go to http://mikehuckabee.com for campaign information and updates, look at/in the blog and the blogroll on the right side (You will see my blog there, by the way). Anyway, I printed a copyable doorhanger that I downloaded from the blog (I will hang one on my walker, BTW J ) , and I also downloaded a sign. Some of the blogs on the blogroll like “Mike Huckabee For President” have other items that can be ordered/downloaded. There’s plenty of video information on YouTube as well: perhaps too much to sort through, but some of it is very good.

If you are in Houston, perhaps we could convene a lunch, perhaps with some others, before too long. In the meantime, stay plugged in to the campaign web site and the Huckabee bloggers, be informed and keep your contacts informed.

When Chris and I first made contact, 12 years ago, the Internet was in its infancy with email the vast majority of communications. A few percent of the population was online and we could not access hi-res graphic images, much less transmit them and get full video and audio. Much has expectedly changed, since then. This campaign obviously started very early, and in an environment like ’95, all but a few would already have been washed/smothered out. The Internet can keep a campaign breathing, even when the media has neglected it.

However still, a majority still get the vast majority of their news from television and radio: at least what they consider politically relevant news. If you aren’t spoken of in these media for a, your campaign has been unable to “break through.” You may “like” a candidate, but you probably consider him no serious threat if he isn’t mentioned in the conventional media.

My family, for instance, is both well-read and very computer-active. Nevertheless, they would know little about Mike Huckabee were in not for the presence in their home of a freak like me. Having access to all the information in the world on any candidate out there, the computer is for them mainly a tool to aid their primary interest in friends and other topics of personal interest, and unlike me, they are NORMAL. I wish people paid more attention and I think they should. But I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the world would be a better place if all were even near as distractd by a bird’s eye rather than a personal engagement of life.

I’m pretty confident that another dozen years will substantially shrink the importance of conventional media in elections. But, to give you an example of the residual power of conventional media (I think for those of us over forty, it is very much the force of a lifetime of habit: media decides who and what is celebrated and of imprtance, including political candidates.

But, we just had an example in the past few days: Huckabee sweepingly won (with almost 5 times the support of the nearest competitot), a vote of delegates from 40 socially conservative organizations (THE LARGEST SINGLE VOTING BLOCK IN THE COUNTRY), after a Values Voter debate they held Monday night in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The media-celebrated “frontrunners,” Giuliani, Romney, Thompson, and McCain, chose not to come to the event. We are confident that they knew they could not gain, but only lose, just like Giuliani, McCain and Thompson chose not to compete in the Ames, Iowas Straw Poll. Romney spent his money to buy a victory, else he wouldn’t be counted among “the frontrunners,” now.

Because these “frontrunners” didn’t appear, the results were picked up and reported by almost no one in the conventional media. So, we see that their “frontrunner” status justified by “the polls” which only reflect name ID allows them to dictate what will be covered by the media, and no-show action allows them to at once avoid a contest they have no confidence of competing in and suppress the celebration of non-frontrunnetrs. Pretty good deal, huh?

We do know that there is a high-level of dissatisfaction among conservatives with the celebrated few. Which is why Thompson is in the race to see if he can fill the void, and why Thompson, and why Romney has hewn his rhetoric and confessions to appeal to this group. Neither are heartfelt systematic conservatives. As he swept the Values Voter debate delegates (incidentally, votes before and after showed very dramatic positive shift while the support of most fell), Huckabee took second at the Ames Straw Poll spending a fraction per vote of what the others did. He did it the old-fashioned way: person to person, meeting to meeting. Again, using my quite capable family as an example, If I weren’t saddled up to the campaign, they would know next to or nothing about these events or about Mike Huckabee at all.

Any objective observer can see that Huckabee is the most charismatic and engaging candidate in the contest for The Republican Party in the general election. If that were the primary interest, the rest could withdraw and endorse him, now. But that isn’t the primary interest. Ego is an importan interest for many. Job or other interest for others. For others, just promised favors seal;ed by contributions. For most of the media itself, a strong Republican candidate is the last thing they want, let alone an assertive Christian one.

So, we still have a considerable challenge. But Mike Huckabee has done better than could be expected. He has not become an overnight celebrity, but his acceptance has not fluctiated or fallen like all of the others, but tantalizingly slowly and steadily risen since the announcement of his candidacy. My motivation was all conviction at the beginning of the campaign, but my hopes and expectations have grown at a rate corresponding to his success with voters. At this point, I’m not prepared to predict victory, but it wouldn’t surprise me. And, I DO precict that a strong and importants statement will be made by Mike Huckasbee’s campaign whether he wins the nomination or not.

It’s been exciting to watch: more even for America than for Mike Huckabee himself. Contact me anytime.

Huckabee Wins Big Among Value Voters - CBN Brody File Report - On Alan Keyes

Today, Mike Huckabee’s weeping win in the Values Voter debate in Florida and most of comment I made at another Huckabee blog on Alan Keyes’ (who also made the debate) entry into The Republican nomination contest.

The Value Voter Debate web site http://valuesvoterdebate.com/ Mike Huckabee won the vote in a romp, receiving 63%, nearly 5 times as many votes as the other candidates. Of the 340 delegates from socially conservative organizations, Mike Huckabee won 219! Ron Paul was 2^nd, with 44, Alan Keyes was 3^rd with 24, Sam Brownback was 4^th with 18. Brownback is campaigning hard for a historic record in futility.

Giuliani (though he was in Ft. Lauderdale, where it was held), Romney, Thompson, and McCain didn’t come. It’s a “scheduling conflict” thing, don’t you know…YEAH!...THAT”S the TICKET! Surely you’ve noticed how these guys won’t show where they can only look bad. But the debate sponsors left up empty podiums with their names on them. Nice touch. They obviously didn’t fare well. Thompson did best, falling to 15 delegates from 52 supporters before the debate. Giuliani and McCain got a few and Romney got ZILCH.

The Brody File at CBN on the Values Voter Debate http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/233319.aspx

About Alan Keyes’ Entry:

· I heard this about lunchtime, today. Listen, I supported and campaigned for Alan Keyes in 1996 and 2000. I’ve heard him speak live at political and pro-life gatherings between 10 and 15 times and have planned for his appearances in Houston. In 1996, I was active on a national email list and kept a Texas Keyes email list and went to Des Moines, IA for a campaign meeting at the time of one of the debates. I maintained national email contacts and was known for speaking for Alan Keyes, well into G.W. Bush’s term. And now I hear of his announcement and think, “WHAT THE @#$% IS HE THINKING?!”

I can only guess, but that guess might be that he was the most educated, the most intelligent, and the most articulate person in the Republican Party: He served in the Reagan administration in his 40′2. And, now he’s in his early 60’s, looking back at 3 failed Senate campaigns (2 in MD, then 1 in IL in 2004), and 2 failed presidential campaigns. Keyes was the acknowledged winner of every Republican debate, shown by Dick Morris in online polls in 2000. Now, thinking that it all looks downhill from here, is he just frustrated that The Republican Party has not used him?

I feel sorry for him. The Illinois Republican Party solicited him to run against Barack Obama in 2004. And, when Keyes looked at Obama’s record in the IL state legislature, in which Obama voted TWICE against abandoning babies born alive after botched abortions, Keyes determined that he had to accept.

Then, when he went to IL and started campaigning, the media started calling him radical and extreme and such. And the party establishment, not wanting to be associated with those adjectives, disclaimed and abandoned him and ran for the tall grass like…like… well, like Republicans…

He was crushed in the election, though Obama was no reasonable match, just like all the Republican candidates he had faced, previously. No matter: after that, he’s totally politically damaged goods.

That’s a fact that I’m sure is hard to swallow. The difference I see with Huckabee is that while Keyes wowed people with his knowledge and oratory, Huckabee engages them with his character. I feel sorry for Keyes, I really do. But, WHAT THE @#$% is he thinking????

And on what Keyes insisted were the most important issues, Huckabee is right there. I could just dismiss Brownback as not exceptionally wise. But Keyes? Somebody’s got some ’splainin’ to do.

It’s true that Keyes’ growling, however sincere or not sincere, can distract from what he is saying. I agree with most everything that he is saying. I just don’t understand his reason for being there. Their manner this evening, aptly displays the difference between Huckabee and Keyes. Keyes is hard and sharp on the negative points. Huckabee is careful to discuss the positive ideal. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to guess which manner will work. And you not only need to BE a person of faith in God. You need to ACT like Jesus Christ. That’s why I support Huckabee.

A Brief Statement Of Why I Like Mike Huckabee

This is my brief statement of the main reason that I like Mike Huckabee for President Of The United States:

I am a conservative and have been all of my life. Republicans should aggressively dissociate theirs from simple caricatures of conservatism, like selfishness, indifference, and ethnic hostility. The Republican Party was introduced in a rebuke to human inequality, after all. Mike Huckabee recognizes these human essentials AND the value, productivity and innovation of freedom and free markets. These values should not be in tension, but in balance.

There are conservative groups who have criticized Mike Huckabee because he has spoken to groups traditionally dominated by Democrats, he acknowledges the concerns of average people, and as governor he even dared to sign tax bills to fund the needs and responsibilities of his state. Is America so focused through media on the federal government that people who call themselves conservatives can no longer distinguish between what is necessary and proper for state vs. federal government?

The Club For Growth has been so aggressive in their criticism of Governor Huckabee that I can only account it to either complete ignorance in this regard or to a vested interest in a competing candidate. And none of those other candidates is more tethered to principle than Mike Huckabee.

And Mike Huckabee will tell you that the interests of freedom and compassion are not his invention. They are the dictates of his faith in a God who gave us both freedom and responsibility at the same time. It is always typical in politics to quickly question a candidate’s honesty. Recognizing Mike Huckabee’s submission to God, it is much easier to see through those sorts of criticisms from either right or left. But Mike will also tell you that like anyone else, he needs to be held to account. America should ask honest questions and demand honest answers. I see honest, more than calculated answers from Mike Huckabee.

Today, we face a unique global threat. The primary responsibility of the federal government is maintaining a security which makes everything else possible. I like Mike Huckabee because I have not seen a deceiver, putting ambition above principle. He can lead America to be more safe, prosperous and civil.

My Latest Correspondence With A Liberal Friend

I have a bright and literate friend who is decidedly inclined toward liberal thinking, and even more disinclined to approving of Republicans. This is the large part of my response to his communication about Bush’s foreign policy fiasco in Iraq. What has always been remarkable to me is how someone so philosophically and practically ambiguous as George W. Bush is often portrayed as an expression of “the extreme radical right wing.” That kind of talk can leave one speechless.

Anyway, I’ve edited out the personal references and conversation, but left my personal reactions to today’s political situation and a very basic reason why I so strongly support Mike Huckabee:

I was going to write a response to some of these specifics with some questions. But, it would be better if we could talk over a drink and a piece of bread, where tone and motivation can be clearer.

It is beyond clear what you think and what it seems you will think, no matter what happens. Remember that as a Texas I never was a George W. Bush supporter, never voted for him for president, and still wouldn’t. But watching someone, especially someone so modestly armed to explain himself, so roundly and completely slandered as he has been, is sad and offends my moral sensibilities.

I have some questions, but it seems to me that there is an element for whom George W. Bush will be a dishonest, devious, and inhumane devil regardless of whether the facts play our far to the east or far to the west. As I have said, either in intellectual or leadership terms, I don’t count him as clear enough to be responsible for either. And, I don’t say that as an insult. I would say the same of all but a few of the presidents and candidates that we have seen in our lifetimes: Morally-driven people usually lead scout troops and intellectually lucid people usually write books for a living. Ordinarily, the job doesn’t demand extraordinary capacity in either of those respects. But, given the extraordinary disorientation of America, in both foreign policy and domestic terms, I think an extraordinarily able shepherd is needed.

About Ron Paul, whom I often agree with about things like the social waste of bureaucracy and the ideal of a hard, fixed-commodity currency, I am left to wonder to what extent the unconcern for the Iraqi people is denial or indifference.

You and others who disdain anyone with an ® after their name today, do not exhibit that indifference,but many clearly do. As you know, most people would identify me as having constitutionalist ideals, to which Sophie and Ron Paul appeal. But basic humanity lies beneath The Constitution in the foundation of a moral disposition.

In terms of respect for his character, I am convinced that Ron Paul is honest and serious, as is Joe Lieberman in the opposite direction. But I have a great deal more uncertainty about the accuracy of Ron Paul’s belief that it would be better for America if we pulled right out of Iraq, leave aside what horrible calamity may or may not befall people in Iraq. And the matters at stake are unprecedentedly huge.

But I wouldn’t say that about most Democratic politicians. My impression has been that the most sober and able of the Democratic presidential candidates would be Joe Biden and Bill Richardson. Biden balked at the slandering of General Petraeus’ character, while Richardson has joined the rest of them in jumping over each other to advocate for the most expeditious withdrawal, in an effort to attract even a sidelong glance from the moveon.org type activist Democratic voters.

Biden would be a sober and responsible president, though I would disagree with him about most everything, especially the essential nature of cultivating and maintaining a respect for human life in the American consciousness. I don’t believe that Richardson would follow through on the immediate pullout plan that he has proposed, either. He needs the attention, but he isn’t stupid. In fact, I don’t believe that Hillary or even Edwards (who near to makes my skin crawl) would, either. I doubt Barack O’Bama would, though I think he might make one of the most under qualified presidents that we have ever had.

I really look at the situation and very seriously consider that the nation might be better off today, if Al Gore had won in 2000. Don’t get me wrong, I think Al Gore was an outright ridiculous candidate. But, if he had won,

1) he wouldn’t have made an occupation of flogging the Chicken Little anthropomorphic global warming fear-mongering, behind which I see no scientific/logical substance.

2) There wouldn’t have been the national trauma about the terrible nature of whatever he had to do in The Middle East. When he said it was necessary, it would have been accepted as necessary, rather than him being called the lying evil genius worst disaster of a president in American history, except by a minority, most of them Republicans!

3) Republicans in Congress would have resisted his suggestions of expanding government, instead of rolling over like a puppy as they did for George W. Bush ®, and bathing in the corruption of power. And, they probably wouldn’t have been kicked out of office.

4) The bottom-line is that we probably would not be quite the hair-pulling, eye-scratching, hating, screeching popular culture that we are, today. The visceral unreflective venom that fills the blogosphere on both sides is ugly and dismaying. The most basic problem our society has is not one of whose dogma (speaking as a reputed dogmatist), but of disposition. That is the major reason that I support Mike Huckabee. Though he’s not off the map on the most vital issues, as he says, “I’m a conservative, but I’m not mad at anyone about it.” Boy, could this nation use a little moderation of demeanor.