I was feeling a little drained last night, so I stayed on the couch and watched the Republican “Youtube” debate on CNN. Lots of other folks around the blogosphere were watching, and many will have deeper thoughts than I. What follows is pretty darned superficial:
In the general election, I will likely vote for any of the current Democratic candidates over any of the men who were on the stage last night. But in the primary, as a registered Republican, I’ve been leaning towards voting for John McCain. And last night’s debate — especially with McCain’s fierce rejection of waterboarding as torture — reminded me of what I’ve always admired about him. He’s not going to get the nomination, but despite his obvious anger problem, he’s probably the most worthy man in his party. And he has the endorsement of Republicans for Environmental Protection, a group whose opinions I admire.
Huckabee was charming. His candidacy has the potential to widen the fissure that liberals very much want to see widened — that between fiscal and social conservatives. He’s never going to get the nomination, but he’s for real. If he pulls social cons away from Romney, that ends up helping Rudy.
As for Romney — are we really ready to have a president who is that handsome? I mean, forget the Mormon thing. I found myself studying Mitt’s face and hair last night, looking for flaws. It’s positively unnerving, and in “all half-seriousness”, I wonder if his “central casting looks” will end up hurting him in the general election. His appearance was genuinely distracting.
Fred Thompson was beyond hopeless. Great voice, but he looked bored, disengaged, and grumpy. And his suit jacket didn’t fit. Give the man a drink and send him home.
I was most impressed by Mike Huckabee. Huckabee shows he can take his faith seriously (affirming God’s role in Creation), yet maintain a sense of humor (claiming Jesus would never run for public office). I’m very tempted to register Republican so I can vote for this guy in the primary.
Huckabee’s views, Pete, are indeed consistent — as he says, “it’s not enough to care about the unborn if we don’t do a better job of taking care of the already born.” His openness to Great Society economic solutions — combined with strong social conservatism and a great oratorical style — makes me think he’s the second coming of William Jennings Bryan.
I find that Huckabee is the candidate, of both parties, whom I respect the most. I don’t agree with all of his premises, but what he does with those premises is amazing, and his politics are exactly the kind of social conservatism I can respect.
Were I a Republican, i’d be voting for him, and in the unlikely event he got the nomination, i’d have to seriously think about it. (This as a liberal gay man, mind you.)
Also: McCain may reject waterboarding as torture, but when the moment came to give a legislative voice to prohibiting the practice, he caved to administration pressure.
I doubt I’ll ever forgive him for that.
I find it hard to take Huckabee seriously after this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUQW8LUMs8, but I love him for it at the same time.
without the comma, naturally.