The funniest thing about this WSJ piece about Huckabee deciding not to air negative ads about Romney while playing them for the media has got to be the reader responses:
Not sure how many people in Iowa read the WSJ, but it’s worth saying here that this takes slimy gutter politics to a new level. Unfortunately, it looks like it’s working with those ever-so educated Iowa voters who don’t even know he actually showed the ad to the press. It appears he gets to kill two birds with one stone… he looks nice and clean even though he’s guilty of a number of unethical actions and lapses in judgment AND he gets free air time for an ad he didn’t have the money to actually run himself because his campaign is broke!
Comment by scott – January 1, 2008 at 2:40 pmHuckabee makes Clinton look like an amateur whan it comes to deception.
I swear, what is in the water there in AK?
Comment by Bill Mitchell – January 1, 2008 at 3:26 pmHUCKABEE…Clearly exposes himself as a DISHONEST and DECEITFUL MAN with his news ’stunt’!
It is very obvious to the entire nation…Huckabee purposefully planned to: State lies about Romney. Then said he would not run the ad because he is an honorable
man… Then, he purposefully shows and purposefully dissemnates the ad…While knowing the press would publish the ad.Huckabee’s thinking and statements expose him as a purposeful deciever who flaunts common ethics and everyday religious beliefs. He is, obviously, not a Christian thinking man.
Comment by Don – January 1, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I have not bothered to check, but I am willing to bet the usual suspects in the right-wing blogosphere are saying similar things. At any rate, where have they been for the past few years? This is taking gutter politics to a new level? Huckabee’s transparent stunt yesterday was right out of the Rove playbook, and really was no big deal as far as gutter politics go. I mean, hell- it wasn’t like he planted a bunch of anti-gay amendments at the state level to bring out the vote.
J. Michael Neal
OT: I’m listening for the sounds of all those folks who proclaimed that Michigan football was finished.
taodon
Oh please, had Huckabee just said he had an ad and was pulling it the MSM would call him a liar for talking about this “mythical ad” – and he would be slammed for making up stories.
Face it – there is nothing Huckabee can do that will not be met with ire by the MSM, pundits, and party leaders – because all three absolutely hate the fact that anyone who hasn’t been pre-ordained may actually have a chance.
Huckabee is the reaping of what the GOP has sown for the last fifteen years – hearing them cry now brings nary a moment of sympathy to them. Go Huck! LOL
Krista
I almost (almost) feel sorry for Republicans. When you look at their roster of candidates, it’s really a dog’s breakfast, isn’t it?
Horselover Fat
I have no idea whether actual Huckabee voters care much about this story or not, maybe they do.
But I think there is no overlap between Huckabee voters and people who post comments in Right Blogostan, so comments posted on blogs tell us nothing about what is going on with Huck voters.
myiq2xu
It’s just like all the people who said that the Raiders would suck this year . . .oh, wait
They were right.
calipygian
Not only are the Republicans hating on Huckabee, they are hating on Fox News too for the crime of hating on Phred:
http://www.redstate.com/blogs/ilja/2007/dec/31/fox_news_we_wont_have_to_worry_about_fred
Boy, the Republicans are FUCKED!
But, that is good for the Republicans…
KC
More and more, I’d just prefer it if journalists–at least the talking heads on television–would just declare which candidates they like and dislike outright. I’m really tired of what appears to be institutional favorites, like Romney or Giuliani, getting somewhat preferential treatment by the cable “news” press.
RSA
I agree it was nothing new, but the clumsiness of its execution is kind of surprising. Huckabee’s really testing Mencken’s claim that nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public, in this case Iowans or at the very least national political reporters (who are apparently doing exactly what Huckabee’s campaign expected them to do).
myiq2xu
Interesting expression, I haven’t seen it used except in fiction.
But it reminded me of my thought earlier today when I read that the GOP was returning to the Johnny Mac camp – “Like a dog returning to its vomit.”
Their roster is a bunch of pukes ain’t it?
s/ The Notorious myiq2xu
craigie
“transperent”?
What do they teach you conservatarians at school?
craigie
It’s pretty common in Ye Olde Englande
Krista
And in Ye Olde Nova Scotia, too. But like many expressions, once you start using it, you rely on it often. Saying “it’s a muddle” or “it’s a mess” just isn’t as picturesque.
KCinDC
I think they have extra-strong doses of something that causes financial corruption among politicians in the water there in Alaska, but I have no idea what that has to do with Arkansas (yes, it’s foolish to expect idiot commenters to know the postal abbreviations they use).
Isn’t Huckabee the only candidate who actually has been “pre-ordained”?
Dug Jay
“Interesting expression [dog’s breakfast], I haven’t seen it used except in fiction.”
It’s probably unreasonable to expect a thirteen year old to know that, however.
Wilfred
The scoundrel.
So which candidate is the Christian man’s thinker? Or the thinking man’s Christian?
Jake
Yeah, after it’s been through the dog.
PeterJ
OT but
Clinton, Obama Top $100 Million for 2007
I doubt any of the other republican candidates will report before Jan 15. That way they might be strengthened by the results in three primaries (the 4th being on Jan 15) before having to report their numbers…
Jake
Not unless it was one he had in grade school. Rove would have created a group called Massachusetts Patriots for Huckabee, put their name on the ad and run it on as many outlets as possible. I suspect the pearl clutchers that responded to the article are upset by the fact cHuckabee failed to create the requisite plausible deniability.
Did anyone else think of BIRDZILLA when they read this one?
myiq2xu
Gee Dung J, will I have to go through puberty again?
I hope not, cuz the pimples remind me of you.
s/ The Notorious myiq2xu
myiq2xu
Well, I guess he is a traditional Republican
s/ The Notorious myiq2xu
Andrew
I didn’t think it was possible for Redstate to meltdown any more than it has already turned in a slag heap of disaffected zombie stupidity, but they’re trying their level best and Thomas also just GBCW’ed himself too.
mellowjohn
“Huckabee’s … obviously, not a Christian thinking man.”
boy, now there’s an oxymoron!
PeterJ
While I do not agree with him on some of the things he writes, he does raise some good points about why the republican candidates all suck.
He doesn’t mention Paul though. But you can’t write anthing about Paul anymore on Red State, so that’s understandable.
Rome Again
But he’s a God-fearing Christian Leader, how can that possibly be?
Tsulagi
Now that was funny. I hope Thomas wasn’t wearing his SoCon approved wetsuit when writing that rant. He would have been uncomfortably warm.
Of course, though, there was a hidden asterisk and line at the end: “* But any Democrat is always worse!” Have no fear, once the Pubs anoint their new savior from among the ones he called not fit to be president, for the battle in the general Thomas will armor up putting on the second wetsuit. He’s one of Jesus’ warriors.
bdr
When you portray a rube a rube and the rube rubes, that’s rubed cubed.
maxbaer (not the original)
Thanks for that link! Better take away the sharp objects until after november.
calipygian
Like this one?
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/1008072scuba1.html
The Other Steve
Those aren’t introduced until June.
The Other Steve
That’s interesting that he thinks the Democrats win because they run on a campaign of redistribution and baby killing.
Tsulagi
Okay, hadn’t before read the actual autopsy report on the good double-wetsuited reverend. I do pity the person who after the autopsy went to pick up his personal effects. The report listed them as…
Reading the report, I do see one thing that would absolutely appall the SoCon set. The abstinence only crowd. The reverend covered the dildo in his ass with a condom. Guess he was experimenting with safe sex.
You just couldn’t make up these guys.
incontrolados
Ok, Kista, you gave me an in — puppies now have names: Murphy (Stout), Olga, Polly, and Emiliano.
ditto!
incontrolados
I find it odd that the righties haven’t focused on the Riddle angle of the Clinton-cousin-rapist-let-go-to-kill-again angle but that Riddle’s wife is a state rep here in Texas and Riddle the attorney himself now advetises on the AM radio station that broadcasts Bennett, Gallagher, Praeger, Medved, Hewitt, and the dear ‘Dr. Laura.’
Let’s not go there — go Huck!
AnonE.Mouse
J.Michael Neal,that was as good a game as the Patriots-Giants last week.
I expected them to score points on a mediocre Florida defense.Michigan hadn’t had 11 healthy offensive starters on the field all year.But Florida was so fast!I kept adjusting the contrast on my television until I realized it was just the superhuman speed of those SEC players causing the blurry picture.And the alcohol,of course.
I hope Rodriguez enjoyed his first game on a Wolverines sideline-he looked at home there.
Anne Laurie
Or at least it’s BAD for the Democrats. Ask David Broder!
TenguPhule
You must really hate your dogs, Krista. :P
Tony J
Speaking as a dweller on the Left Bank of the Pond, I’m more familiar with the expression “dog’s dinner”. I don’t think I’ve ever heard “dog’s breakfast” before.
Tony J
Right Bank, I meant Right Bank!!
kmblue
Cox at Swampland says Iowans are mostly unaware of Huckabee’s stunt.
serge
I believe that Dunlap of redstateupdate.com had it right all along…”Huckabee…? F*ck me!”
Of course, Jackie objects to his language but not the thought.
Punchy
Saw some CNN morning fuck broadcasting from The Hamburg Inn #2 in Iowa City. Hands down best Eggs Benny on the planet. First time I’ve actually involuntarily salivated watching CNN since That Hot Tan Chick With Hot Lips got bumped.
I hope their polling a lot in IC. They’ll have to ask at least 150 people before they find a Republican. Unless they bumrush a church or the Beta house…
Krista
Steve Benen has a fun catch:
Sooo…Huckabee, he of the “thou-shall-not-kill” tribe, is critcizing Romney for not executing anybody. In Massachusetts. Which doesn’t allow the death penalty.
Disregard for the law combined with holier-than-thou sanctimony, combined with bloodlust. Gentlemen, I believe we have the Perfect Republican(tm).
Bombadil
Not to mention that Huckabee is apparently unaware that we in the Commonwealth do not have a death penalty, so Romney would have had to off the offenders his own self.
Bombadil
D’oh! Sorry, Krista, I completely skipped the part where you said “Which doesn’t allow the death penalty”. My bad.
Krista
Yes, and that’s the idea isn’t it? That’s what a MANLY MAN would do.