Again, Mike Huckabee Makes the Most of a Debate

I did manage to watch the repeat episode of the debate. Mike did great. I found an article in The New York Observer that is more level headed than my take on the debate. This is a good article that talks about all of Mike's responses.

• Understandably, the chatter this week has been about which candidates will be most hurt by Fred Thompson’s just-announced candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. But on the eve of his declaration on Sept. 6, there was more evidence that the biggest x-factor in the G.O.P. race is not from Tennessee. The eight non-Thompson candidates debated in New Hampshire – and this time there actually were verbal confrontations that justified the use of the term “debate” – and it provided still more signs that the man to watch may actually be Mike Huckabee.

About Fred Thompson's no-show

• This was a very good night for Mr. Huckabee, starting just a few minutes after 9:00, when Fox News, obviously irked that Mr. Thompson had spurned its debate in favor of Jay Leno’s couch, devoted the first several minutes of its broadcast to settling the score. Who, moderator Brit Hume asked the candidates, made the smart choice: Fred Thompson for choosing “The Tonight Show,” or all of you for choosing New Hampshire?
• Batting lead-off, Mr. Huckabee joked that he’d originally been offered Mr. Thompson’s guest spot on “The Tonight Show” but had turned it down because he’d rather be with the people of New Hampshire. Then he compared Mr. Thompson to “No Show” George Jones – nicknamed, he said, for frequently standing up concert audiences. The other candidates made similar points, though not as colorfully as Mr. Huckabee did. This Fred-bashing is particularly helpful to Mr. Huckabee’s political game plan: Any Huckabee nomination scenario demands a victory in South Carolina, the same early primary state where Mr. Thompson’s son-of-the-south credentials will most resonate.

Comparing Mike to Mitt

• Then there was the rest of the debate. Time and again, Mr. Huckabee asserted himself as the strongest orator of the bunch, combining the superficial – but ever vital – charm of Mitt Romney with a remarkable ability, honed during his years in the pulpit, to address bloodless policy topics in a language that is accessible and appealing to the common man.

Mitt Romney umm , like, ya know, being it's, compared to Miss Teen South Carolina

• Before it was Mr. Huckabee’s turn to answer the Iraq question, John McCain and Mr. Romney had a brief dust-up on the same topic. Mr. Romney, plainly in over his head, tried to run out the clock, sounding a bit like Miss Teen South Carolina as he stated – repeatedly – that “the surge seems to be working” but that he wouldn’t know for sure until General David Petraeus’ report is issued next week.

Other Things mentioned in the article regarding Mike huckabee's performance

Iraq

Comparing to Sam Brownback

On abortion and his from cradle to grave pro-life view

On standing out from the top-tiers and breaking out

Read the full article here

Personal message:

I am working on a pro-con list about why to support Mike Huckabee, and the pros win out. I will post those here. I try to be as honest as possible. I do not believe in reading articles, about any candidate, with blinders on. I try to look at every issue from all sides. Some of those sides I do not like. But no one is perfect. Perhaps Mike has been getting bad advice lately?

Don't forget that if you haven't signed up to attend the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, there is still time. And at last check, the Huckabee/Romney luncheon is still on for the same day and time.

God Bless from the Upper Peninsula in Michigan!

At this moment I am awaiting to see Mike Huckabee on FOX and Friends.