Maggie makes case for 'non-scary' Huckabee; 'not scary?' ask my ring finger, peace of mind

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07/13/2012

by Jeremy Hooper

Despite what you (or she) might think, I actually do tend of think o Maggie Gallagher as someone who knows a thing or two about conservative politics. This, however, is just a ridiculous suggestion:

But if you ask me, the best choice for Romney's vice president is former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
…
Romney needs someone who is an experienced campaigner, who won't make mistakes that hurt the campaign. The presidential campaign in the fall is not a good time or place to road test a candidate.

Running mates don't usually help you win an election, but they can help you lose one.

Romney needs to avoid McCain's mistake of picking a running mate who is more interesting and attracts more attention that he does.

Huckabee fits the bill perfectly. He not a guy to scare anyone, he's run the presidential gauntlet and been fully vetted, and while a pleasant and interesting man, he is a familiar enough figure on the national scene not to outshine Mitt Romney with novelty.
Why Mitt Romney Needs Mike Huckabee [TownHall]

So I should first say that Maggie was a Rick Santorum backer. Maggie, like all of the rest of the NOM personalities, is very, very far to the right. To her, Romney is surely way too moderate, thus Huckabee sounds like a way to balance this ticket. Not a surprise coming from someone who has built a living off of denying civil rights to those Americans who have that "unfortunate thing" known as "controllable" homosexuality.

Many Americans do not see the world—or, by extension, this election—in the same way as Maggie Gallagher. In fact, I would argue that a growing number of Americans are starting to see how far Romney is moving to the right in order appease this increasingly conservative party ("not your father's Republican party"). To these Americans who might be on the fence (i.e. the ones who will decide this thing), uber-conservative Mike Huckabee is *ABSOLUTELY* a guy who could "scare anyone." A Romney/Huckabee ticket would be the most conservative in modern history (far more than McCain/Palin, even) and, come debate time, would put an even major focus on so many of the divisive headline-grabbers that are already turning voters away from Romney. Contrary to what Maggie might believe, highlighting the war on women, discrimination against gay people, full healthcare repeal, the disenfranchisement of large swaths of voters, and the prospect of a SCTOUS stacked with Thomases and Scalias is not the way to win the independent voter's heart and/or vote!

That all said, I kind of hope Mitt Romney does follow her advice. I kind of like the idea of a Romney/Huckabee ticket. When the leaves start falling and the contrast between this theoretical matchup is fully struck, I'm pretty confident in an America that values ideas and progress over offshore accounts and comparing certain Americans' children to puppies or guinea pigs.

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