How Much More Can We Take of the Huckabee Hustle?

What is it going to take for the people of Iowa and America to realize the lack of substance and true character of Mike Huckabee?

Recent issues, articles and commentaries reflecting or reviewing Mr. Huckabee's positions, comments and experience as Governor raise the specter of concern, some of the substance of which are highlighted below -

1. Multiple ethics charges of which some are listed below ("where there is smoke there is usually fire"):
- Campaign Cash - failure to report income and reimbursements
-Action America - failure to disclose income and reimbursements
-Gifts - accepted gifts above legal limits ($130,000)
-Governor's Mansion - personalized government funds and claimed government property as his
-Computer Drives - destruction of government property
-Theology Degree - embellishment/misstatement of resume
(Politico Article)

Commentary: There is never a time when anyone, yet alone the leader of the free world, should sully the themselves and/or those that they represent with dishonesty and the situational ethical standards of society. Be Truthful in all things. The President of the United States should live to the highest standards of ethics. As a side note, this reminds me too much of the Clinton White House; business as usual in Arkansas.

2. Clintonian responses
-To ethics charges he claimed that the Arkansas Democrats conspired (Hillary's right wing conspiracies)
-Claiming ignorance and innocence to his knowledge of LDS doctrine when he led discussions for the Southern Baptist Convention on LDS doctrine

Commentary: See commentary above

3. Hyperbole
-To the resume claim above, he says it was insignificant and inconsequential to misstate even though it was a qualifier for his foreign policy experience with the radical jihad
-Claims of educational successes that lead the nation when in fact Arkansas was in the bottom half of all States

Commentary: If Huckabee cannot speak truthfully now, when will he? The true character of a man is evidenced when facing challenges. In the midst of Mr. Huckabee's campaign challenges he stretches truth and qualifies answers beyond the pale.

4. Soft of Criminals
-Pardoned criminals and commuted sentences over 1,000 times (more than 3 of his predecessors combined)
-Wayne DuMond (need we say more?)

Commentary: Now, and not ever, is the time to be soft on criminals. Applying scriptural compassion above the laws and judgments of the land are inappropriate. Applying scriptural compassion in our lives in dealing with others is required. There is a distinguishing characteristic in separating the role of church and state in the US.

5. Soft on Illegal Immigration
-Resident discounts and scholarships for illegal immigrant students

Commentary: Now is the time to stand firm and enforce immigration laws as a matter of National Security and not create magnets for illegal immigration. He didn't do it in Arkansas, why would he do it now. He even called for lifting the Cuban embargo, I mean really?

6. Taxes
-Significantly increased the tax burden of Arkansas citizens while claiming 93 tax cuts (see commentaries below)

Commentary: Without intending to diminish Mr. Huckabee's education, competency and capacity, our nation faces critical and serious economic issues, and to trust our economy to a man whose education and work experience has been limited to religion and a population of 2.7 million people is frightening, especially with more qualified candidates in the running. Mr. Huckabee's blind advocacy of the Fair Tax should illustrate the point. It isn't that we don't need fairer and flatter taxes, but to accept without equivocation the Fair Tax is folly.

7. Trite and humorous phrases and responses to queries (there is a place for humor, but not all the time and in things)
-"I may not be the expert as some people on foreign policy, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night." -"Before we put boots on the ground elsewhere, we had better have wingtips there first."

Commentary - Rarely have I heard Mike Huckabee state anypoint without some cutesy phrase, even when discussing serious matters such as foreign policy, the war in Iraq, the economy, etc. He reminds me of Chance, a character played by Peter Sellers in the movie "Being There." Chance was an unintelligent individual that remembered and applied short phrases from the TV. People perceived him to be intelligent and insightful and promoted him in Washington with his "simple brand of wisdom." As is Chance, so is Mike Huckabee.

8. Religion and its Role in the Presidency
-Mike Huckabee has played the Religion Card as his qualifier for office and governance.

Commentary - Mitt Romney framed the role of Religion in America in his Faith in America Address. Mike was not listening, and has taken a divisive approach.