Here's a story that helps explain why, as we learn more about Huckabee's record, he continues to rise in the polls. The story is about his lack of a formal theology degree, but at the end is this:

I can tell you this. All these stories attacking Huckabee may hurt him in New Hampshire and in other states across the country. But in Iowa, among evangelicals, it's a different mind set. These stories can actually have the reverse effect with Evangelicals saying ,"stay strong Mike. Everybody is coming against you because you wear your faith on your sleeve."

This is usually the mentality when "one of their own" is attacked. Unless he's done something so reprehensible it's going to take something pretty big to stop Huckabee's momentum in Iowa with Evangelical Christians.

Still, the article makes it clear what might be driving Huckabee's support among some evangelicals, and why it continues to rise no matter how liberal the former Arkansas governor is shown to be. His faith seems to cover a multitude of bad policy decisions or an increasingly shady record, and that's a shame.

I have heard this described as pushback, or blowback by some evangelical voters angry at being told to vote for Rudy Giuliani. I was one of those who appealed to party unity when Giuliani was the front-runner, and in that same spirit of unity I ask evangelical voters to reconsider their support for Huckabee, a candidate who is just as, if not more, divisive than the former New York mayor. And to answer the question, yes. I am an anti-Huckabee evangelical but if Huckabee is the nominee then I will hold my nose and vote for him. Then I will go enjoy a glass of wine while watching the electoral map go true blue.

I understand that in the wake of the Giuliani wave, evangelicals want to send a message that they still matter. To those who support Huckabee in that spirit I simply say that sending a message is productive, but angering the party of which you make up less than a full majority is not. Yes, they need you to win. But you need them just as much.

Keep that in mind before you check the box next to Huckabee's name.

$10,000 Buys A Huckabee Clemency For A "Rehabilitated" Drunk Driver Who Would Re-Offend Soon After Leaving Prison [Ace]: I think this clemency has rather less to do with Christ than it does with Mammon.

Posted by: Slublog at 02:01 PM | Comments (86)
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He's a fucking genius.

Sun-Tzu* also said I'd like cheese with that, and the Ozarks are lovely this time of year.

My mom used to say that "keep your enemies close" shit too. She's from Mobile.

Thanks See-Dub, ya OU sucka you.

* Jackstraw pulls me into the current romanization debate, with a Z

My bad.

Posted by: Dave In Texas at 01:31 PM | Comments (60)
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500 British writers declare war on illiteracy.

Illiterates expressed anger and dismay at the announcement, saying they had never heard of any of these authors before and had no idea why they were being targeted.

Uhh. That might not actually be a quote from the article.

UPDATE:

"One minute I'm accidentally brushing my teeth with fookin' Brylcreem, and the next, I hear there's a bloody war against my kind," complained Will Neese of Carraige-Upon-Houndbottom.
"Ain't life bloody hard enough for us? Now they're declaring war? It ain't right. It ain't right."

Posted by: LauraW. at 12:05 PM | Comments (34)
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Pretend for a moment when you are reading the following quote you didn’t already know it was from the Huckster. Would you think it came from the leading Republican or Democratic candidate?

"American foreign policy needs to change its tone and attitude, open up, and reach out," Huckabee said. "The Bush administration's arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home and abroad. My administration will recognize that the United States' main fight today does not pit us against the world but pits the world against the terrorists."

Or, how about this one?

On Iran, for example, he makes a case for diplomacy by saying, "Before we put boots on the ground elsewhere, we had better have wingtips there first."

There are certainly legitimate grounds on which to criticize the Bush Administration, including the handling of the war. But blaming Bush for the world’s reaction to our actions post 9/11? That’s straight out of the Clinton/Obama/Edwards playbook.

Let’s be honest, if it wasn’t for abortion Huckabee would be running as a Democrat.

UPDATE: You can read the full article in Foreign Affairs. A few more excerpts below the fold. more...

Posted by: DrewM. at 09:35 AM | Comments (66)
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Pretend for a moment when you are reading the following quote you didnÂ’t already know it was from the Huckster. Would you think it came from the leading Republican or Democratic candidate?

"American foreign policy needs to change its tone and attitude, open up, and reach out," Huckabee said. "The Bush administration's arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home and abroad. My administration will recognize that the United States' main fight today does not pit us against the world but pits the world against the terrorists."

Or, how about this one?

On Iran, for example, he makes a case for diplomacy by saying, "Before we put boots on the ground elsewhere, we had better have wingtips there first."

There are certainly legitimate grounds on which to criticize the Bush Administration, including the handling of the war. But blaming Bush for the worldÂ’s reaction to our actions post 9/11? ThatÂ’s straight out of the Clinton/Obama/Edwards playbook.

LetÂ’s be honest, if it wasnÂ’t for abortion Huckabee would be running as a Democrat.

UPDATE: You can read the full article in Foreign Affairs. A few more excerpts below the fold. more...

Posted by: DrewM at 09:35 AM | Comments (67)
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Citizens of Mission Texas filed dozens of complaints about stolen Christmas decorations from their homes. So Mission cops set up a sting op, and at 4:30am yesterday pulled over a pickup truck full of Christmas decor, and arrested one women and two guys in drag.

In GuarachaÂ’s mug shot, he wears a black strapless top, a blonde wig and makeup, including eyeliner, blush and lipstick. Garcia, also wearing makeup, is dressed less revealingly in a sweatshirt and sports a wig with jet-black locks flowing down to the middle of his back. The trio told police they started stealing the decorations after a night at a club, Garza said.

Sassy!

The trio confessed they planned to sell the stuff.

Clad in high heels, the two men sneaked across lawns, taking inflatable snow globes, lighted wire reindeer and Santa Claus statuettes. A resident near the intersection of 3 Mile Line and Inspiration Road eventually called police to report suspicious noises, and officers made the traffic stop as a result.

Oh please girl, heels? That's just not practical. This is an operation that demands stealth, not style. You gots to be a sneaky grinch, bitch.

thanks to eddiebear

UPDATE: BREAKING HARD, MUST CREDIT DAVE IN TEXAS commenter Hongqi noticed some rather, uh, interesting reportage:

1 "With jet-black locks flowing down to the middle of his back." Heh, heh...kinda...well...you know.

That's pretty hot.

Posted by: Dave In Texas at 08:31 AM | Comments (22)
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Everyone's always clamoring for more art coverage on this blog, so here you go.

Bisected pickled cow carcass in tank!

Huge slabs of human feces!

Guy chains girlfriend to engine block, allowing her only enough slack to reach the bathroom!

The last one isn't actually "art" so much as a "false imprisonment," but still, I think he's got the chops.

Thanks to Michael and dri.

Posted by: Ace at 05:18 PM | Comments (104)
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About the Confederate submarine recovered seven years ago.

The gold watch belonging to Lt. George Dixon, stopped at 8:23 pm, seemed to match the historical record of the sinking of the Housatonic.

Arguments seem to be around "was the watch working that night"?

Heck I'm a suit and I don't even have a gold watch, working or not. My watch seems to want to be five minutes fast, which is pissing me off like you wouldn't believe.

Ok, perhaps you would believe it.

more...

Posted by: Dave In Texas at 05:08 PM | Comments (21)
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spongeworthy sends this email chain-letter type deal, but there's video, so it seems fairly reliable:

Black Trucks in Presidential Motorcade

Have you ever wondered what all those extra SUV in a Presidential or VIP motorcade are? You know the ones with blacked windows that no one gets in or out of...?

Wonder no more. They have a 6 barreled 7.62 mm mini guns. They fire over 4,000 rounds per minute. The wipers need to be run to remove spent casings when the weapon is firing.

The vehicle is also armor plated.

66 rounds per second, that's cookin'.

See, lefties? That's why they put you mutants into "Free Speech Zones." For your protection.

Whether these are actually in the motorcades I don't know. I suspect they are. Because any man who's President who doesn't drive around with these things in his motorcade is not a man at all.

Posted by: Ace at 04:49 PM | Comments (62)
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Jay Cost has an interesting analysis about where the candidates are investing their time and travel-dollars.

But I rather think this is the most telling statistic. Public appearances since Nov. 1:

Mitt-78

McCain-63

Rudy-45

Huck-44

Fred-14

Dude. Dude.

Seriously?

Duuuude.

Via Dan Riehl.

Shenanigans Called By Qwinn: This article claims that Fred made 28 appearances over a two week period in November, putting him ahead of Romney and Guiliani and only 7 behind McCain.

The Fred people are in touch with me (as are several campaigns) so maybe they'll clear this up. Maybe the Tennessean article is including media appearances and Cost is only including campaign stops?

Oh, I'll post this because otherwise someone will bark at me. Fred Thompson is asking for 2,400 fresh donations in the next 24 hours.

I assume it's all going towards air fare and fuel for the campaign bus.

Bonus Insight: Cost reminds that Michigan has an open primary -- Dems voting -- and that it gave McCain a win in 2000. So McCain might win it.

There's a chance that Romney, Fuckabee, and McCain could all have won states before the bigger ones on February 5th.

Posted by: Ace at 04:07 PM | Comments (66)
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