Mike Huckabee at the Pew Forum
Mike Huckabee talked to the Pew Forum about “the fate of social conservatives and how he sees religion playing out in 2008 and beyond.”
He also talked about “how he has witnessed religion impacting public affairs in his roles as a pastor and governor, and how his own faith guides his public life.”
No, he did not just talk about religion: he also talked about other issues such as the nature of the political debate in America, foreign policy, health care, etc.
I encourage all of you to read the transcript. It provides for quite an interesting read. The moderator of the discussion: EJ Dionne Jr.
When reading the transcript I concluded a couple of things: he knows what he’s talking about, he’s serious, but he also has a good sense of humor. For instance:
There are some interesting points of opposition that I faced along the way. I love to tell the story of the lady who asked me in my early political life if it was true that I was a Baptist minister, and I said, “Yes, ma’am, that is true.” She said, “Well, let me ask you, are you one of those narrow-minded Baptists who think only Baptists go to heaven?” I said, “No, ma’am, actually I’m more narrow than that; I don’t think all of the Baptists are going to make it.”
He said something quite interesting about Republicans and African-Americans:
I think one of the milestones that I celebrate, not so much in terms of programs – perhaps we’ll talk about that later – but politically, was that in 1998, I received 49 percent of the African-American vote. It’s one of the things for which I am most grateful because I think sometimes people assume that Republicans can’t win that vote. I have said for a long time that Republicans have made a huge mistake by not understanding that they can win African-American votes, and they should do everything possible to try. I also believe that we Republicans have to make sure that we communicate the message that resonates down to people of all levels of the economic spectrum. Frankly, we have not done that very well, and as a result, we have had some struggles. I think part of the reason for the 2006 disasters was that we didn’t do that.
I agree completely with that. The Republicans have just about handed over the African-American vote to the Democrats. The Democrats believe that there is not much they can do wrong in this regard – as far as I can tell, they consider the support of African-Americans to be logical, unquestionnable. If the Republican Party, however, would court African-Americans more actively, I am quite sure that it can win quite some of them over. Doing so, will, of course, be good for the African-American community in the US: if Republicans try to persuade African-Americans to vote for them, Democrats have to work harder to get the votes they’d normally get and that means that they’ll be willing to do more for this ‘group.’
About the debates Huckabee said:
A frustration of the debate process was that in three debates – California, South California and last night in New Hampshire – In those three debates with the Republican candidates, there was not a question about education, which I thought was unfortunate. There was only one question last night about health care. Very few questions – no questions last night – Think about this: Republicans were on a stage for two hours and not one question was asked about the tax system, taxes or economic development, which are typically cornerstones of Republican politics.
It was an unusual format and one that I think left many of us saying, my gosh, are we going to talk about some of the issues that people talk about at their dinner tables at night? Somebody asked me after the debate what I thought about the question I got on evolution. I said it was OK, but the truth is, I have been out there campaigning every day for quite some time and here is a reality: Not one person in America has asked me about evolution at a forum or town-hall discussion – nobody, not one. I get on national television twice, and I’m asked about it in California and I’m asked about it in New Hampshire. I’m happy to give my answer; it’s not that I’m ashamed or afraid to speak of it. But I’m thinking that all over America there were families sitting down to have dinner, and I doubt that any of them said, I wonder what the next president will think about evolution. I just don’t think that came out of the conversation.
I agree completely with that. When watching the debates, I found it to be quite frustrating to see that they did not spend a lot of time on issues such as health care, education, taxes, etc. as well (purely speaking as an observer here). It seems to me that these issues are far more important than whether the candidate believes in evolution, if so to what degree, etc.
About America being (politically) divided:
I also believe that I would bring to the general election an understanding that being a conservative is also about having a much broader agenda than the very narrowly focused one that sometimes conservatives are either accused of bringing or, frankly, can be guilty of bringing. Part of that is because if you’re a governor, you can’t afford the luxury of being an ideologue. You just can’t. You have to make things work. You have to not only balance budgets, but you have to be evaluated on how well your schools improve, whether your roads are getting better and how well you’ve taken care of things like state parks and the streams that people fish in. Those are real issues that affect people every day in their lives.
I hope I’m answering the question, E.J., in the spirit in which you intended. We have allowed politics in the country to become very divisive, and it’s almost like it’s an all or nothing proposition. I couldn’t have survived or passed any legislation in my state if I had gone in and said, “OK, guys, I’m a Republican governor. We’re going to have a Republican agenda. And so, here’s the Republican orthodoxy that I expect every one of you to vote for.”
Huckabee on foreign policy:
At the risk of oversimplifying the whole discussion, let me just express – Sometimes the one thing I like to do is to try to make it where I can understand and hopefully others can too – When we were all kids growing up in a neighborhood, chances are there was one kid in our neighborhood who was really good at everything: he made straight As, ran faster, jumped higher and threw the ball better. He was just good at everything. When that kid acted like it and spiked the ball at our feet, waved his A-plus in our faces and danced around us when he scored the touchdown, do you remember how you felt toward that kid?
[...]
Take the same neighborhood and the same gifted kid, but this time instead of the kid rubbing your face in it, the kid is very thoughtful. When he sees that you really did your best and didn’t make the A on the spelling test, he says, “Hey, why don’t I come over and I’ll help you learn your spelling words.” And when he sees you struggling to hit the baseball, he says, “If you choke up on the bat you get better leverage and you can hit better, here, hit like this, try it.” Now, when the kid uses his strengths and his abilities and he encourages you and helps you to be your best, now what’s your attitude toward that kid? You want to be like him; you emulate him. You want to hang out with him. He’s your hero.
Again a good point. America is the world’s superpower, everybody knows that, but it does not have to confirm this time and time again. One of the reasons many Europeans greatly dislike Bush is because of this arrogant attitude Huckabee described. “You’re either with us or against us,” for instance, is incredibly arrogant (and you’re a bully).
The BBC’s Katty Kay asked Governor Huckabee a very good question:
Do you understand, Governor, that when you say that your politics are driven by a Christian conservative faith – and it’s really picking up on what you were saying about the world’s opinion of America – that it might be a scary thought for many people around the world? And slightly related, there are some times, I think – a perception in many other countries that the social conservative – Christian conservative – movement in America is homogenous. Are there issues, though, on which you’re seeing fracturing? One issue I was thinking of as having movement was climate change.
Huckabee’s answer:
Oh, I think that’s true. One of the responsibilities that I have, as a person whose faith is certainly front and center – Again, a lot of it because of my vocational background – I have to assure people that because I have deep convictions, it means that I respect theirs even more. One of the things that I have to explain about what it really means to be a Christian is that it does not mean that I think that I’m better than other people. It means that I’ve accepted the fact that I’m not very good at all. That’s what it means to understand that as a sinner – that you’ve fallen short and failed in your own aspirations – one surely does not have the capacity to somehow elevate oneself to be better than others. It’s quite the opposite. It means that I know life is a struggle because it has been for me, and I know that I’m imperfect and that if it weren’t for God’s grace I couldn’t even live with myself much less expect other people to live with me.
KK: But it’s the Christian language of this presidency that has perpetuated some of the anti-American feelings around the world.
MH: It goes back to what I said earlier. There’s an important need for some real humility, and that’s not just language, that has to be spirit. You can say the words, but you have to have the spirit behind those words.
I think that many people in the world – especially Europe – get a bit uncomfortable when the president of the United States talks often about God, but Europe’s reaction would – indeed – be less negative, less nervous, if the president would speak about God in a more humble way, with more nuance and with obvious respect for those who might disagree.
This is a long post, I realize that, but I hoped you all found it an interesting read nonetheless.
Also be sure to check out the Governor’s website and the official blog.
13 Responses to “Mike Huckabee at the Pew Forum”
It just feeds into the old stereotype that Democrats would rather talk about their domestic agenda, while Republicans prefer to discuss foreign policy. In truth, we need someone who can deal with complex issues on both fronts.
As much as I dislike Cheney, I think that having a co-presidency (maybe with an ex- governor dealing with domestic issues and an ex-Senator dealing with foreign policy) would work better than the current set-up of president/vice president.
I think it is too difficult to expect one candidate to be well-versed in both. Good for Huckabee for breaking the stereotype. Other than his socially conservative views, he seems fairly moderate. I must admit I didn’t like the comment he made about Gitmo, but I prefer his temperament to Giuliani’s, the other GOP moderate.
I have said for a long time that Republicans have made a huge mistake by not understanding that they can win African-American votes, and they should do everything possible to try.
Using the example of the election of an incumbent Republican governor in red state in 2002 to explain how the GOP can win the black vote in upcoming elections seems is spurious.
Huckabee won before Katrina, Iraq and a thousand other things that further convinced an already suspicious black America that the GOP has it in for them.
If we can supposedly use Huckabee’s example to explain how the GOP can win black votes why can’t we use the loses of African-American 2006 midterm GOP candidates, Michael Steele, Ken Blackwell and Lynn Swann to explain why that theory doesn’t make an ounce of sense right now?
It’s not a mistake for the GOP to think that they can’t win the black vote. It’s the truth.
if Republicans try to persuade African-Americans to vote for them, Democrats have to work harder to get the votes they’d normally get and that means that they’ll be willing to do more for this ‘group.’
So what are you arguing for here?
A GOP gain by increasing their portion of the African-American vote thus breaking the Dems stronghold on the black vote?
A Democratic gain by being forced to pay more attention to a core constituency thus maintaining
their strong lead with that group?
A situation that impossibly encompasses both?
Huh?
And why is ‘group’ in quotes?
We are a group. A group that from what you are ‘writing’ you probably don’t spend any time
around but nonetheless a community.
While it is not correct to say that the GOP is made up of white Christians, it is true that their agenda appeals mostly to white Christian voters. The current Republican administration has done little to bring minorities into the fold. Its manipulation of the Justice Dept has actually created a lot of suspicion about voter suppression in the African-American community. DOJ’s civil rights division has filed far fewer civil rights cases on behalf of minorities and far more cases on behalf of the violation of religious rights. Half of the career lawyers in the civil rights division have quit the government because of this change in priorities. Unless the next Republican candidate reverses this trend, expect more of the same.
It is a myth to assume that the Democrats have just taken the African-American vote for granted- their policies represent this community more fairly.
No it’s not. It’s a mistake and they can turn it around.
What I’m arguing there, Golden, is that it’s in the best interest of African-Americans if there is actually a compeition going on for their votes. Shouldn’t be so hard to understand.
And why is ‘group’ in quotes?
Because, I am sure you’ll be able to understand this once, I tend to think about people as individuals not as members of a specific group.
You should try to look at people like that as well for a change.
I agree with this entirely. It makes just about anyone in the world uncomfortable when a leader behaves as though their policies are beyond questioning because they come with the blessing of a higher power. It leads us too far astray from the power of reason, which is what Gore’s book essentially is critical of. What we can’t afford is more uncritical thinking from the next president, which is why issues about religious belief are so relevant. Including a belief in evolution.
Way too many tangents going on here to address, so, I’ll just post to two.
Huckabee, to me, is the closest thing to the embodiment of compassionate conservatism. That, combined with the fact that he actually worked hard as a lt. gov and gov-by-default is the true answer to his subsequent election victories, not some magical cross-racial strategy.
However, his lack of “presence” is (like it or not) his shortcoming on the present stage.
I don’t agree, Michael, that Republicans ought to “court” the vote of any people of any color. They are all adults themselves. They can decide for themselves whether a philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, mimimized and localized govt with a strong national defense suits them or not.
In all objective candor, it seems not to.
kritter, in my best Bill O’Reilly voice…. “You are a secular, progressive bombthrower”, but fortunately of an ignorable minority voice.
Poll: Creationism Trumps Evolution
Americans do not believe that humans evolved, and the vast majority says that even if they evolved, God guided the process. Just 13 percent say that God was not involved.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/22/opinion/polls/main657083.shtml
No it’s not. It’s a mistake and they can turn it around.
And what exactly would the GOP have to do to turn things around?
The reason that blacks don’t vote for the GOP is the perception of racism.
Whether you agree with the idea that the GOP is racist or not that is the biggest roadblock preventing blacks from voting Republican.
The GOP doesn’t seem all that eager to change that perception and even when there were attempts to get blacks to think of them differently (Ken Mehlmen giving speeches apologizing for the Southern strategy for example) it didn’t work.
In theory the GOP can change their image in practice they’ve failed miserably.
What I’m arguing there, Golden, is that it’s in the best interest of African-Americans if there is actually a compeition going on for their votes. Shouldn’t be so hard to understand.
It’s not hard for me to understand at all and I agree with you about competition being good.
You seem to think because the GOP continually loses in the race for black votes that there is no ideological competition between the parties within the black community. There is.
African-Americans have looked at the political landscape and concluded that amongst the competing political philosophies the one that the Democrats offer is the best for them.
I am sure you’ll be able to understand this once, I tend to think about people as individuals not as members of a specific group.
I’ll look for those quotes the next time you write about evangelicals or the religious right.
Right wingers only scream about the evils of group identity when it’s a group that disagrees with them.
Casual-
‘You are a secular, progressive bombthrowerâ€, but fortunately of an ignorable minority voice.’
Casual-Yes, proudly so, except for the bombthrowing part. I was brought up to believe that evolutionary science was a given. After all the Scopes trial was over back in the early 1900′s.
I have nothing against religious belief- but find the denial of science a bit scary. How can we face the future if we are in denial?
kritter,
I will concede there is much room (and it likely exists in reality) for a nuanced view that a pure evolution of organisms was the largest piece of the puzzle.
However, push it too far only at your electoral peril.
Michael, there are two very large reasons why most American blacks have no use for the Republican party. First, when Democrats turned against racism in the South the Republicans decided to step in and invoke that conservative belief in “state’s rights”, which in the American South in the 1960s meant the right to segregate and in many other ways discriminate. It was their Southern Strategy. Secondly, the Republicans preached about how it is entirely the individual’s fault when they have hard economic times. Just straighten up and work hard and you’ll make it is the mantra, one that you agree with. The Republicans used this to demonize the “welfare queens” who didn’t work and just received welfare by pumping out kids. And if you think that those who bought into this line hook, line and sinker weren’t picturing black women and that the Republicans pushing it knew it full well then you know nothing of politics and race in the United States. And in addition if there’s one thing that poor people know (And blacks in this country are disproportionately poor.) it’s that there are forces beyond the control of any individual that can completely ruin a life economically. But most conservatives prefer to pretend that this isn’t so. This gives them a credibility problem iwth people who know better.
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[...] I agree completely with that. When watching the debates, I found it to be quite frustrating to see that they did not spend a lot of time on issues such as health care, education, taxes, etc. as well (purely speaking as an observer here). It seems to me that these issues are far more important than whether the candidate believes in evolution, if so to what degree, etc. (more…) [...]