We’ve all seen the political ad running in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina which shows Huckabee sitting next to a Christmas tree as the carol “Silent Night” plays in the background. A bookshelf behind the candidate is lit in a way as to make it look like a cross.
Huckabee’s getting some heat for this from all the typical sources. But this is one I didn’t expect. Catholic League president Bill Donahue said the former Arkansas governor went too far by wishing people a joyous holiday. He was especially disturbed by the cross-like image created by a white bookcase in the background of the ad, saying he believed it was a subliminal message.
“What he’s trying to say to the evangelicals in western Iowa (is): I’m the real thing,” Donahue said Tuesday on Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends. “You know what, sell yourself on your issues, not on what your religion is.”
Wait a second here. Wait a second. Donahue is constantly bringing his faith into political conversation.
I actually get a kick out of Bill Donohue. He’s old and irascible and he’s not big on the whole turning the cheek thing. (I also have a problem with that one) He’s like that uncle everyone has where the family just doesn’t know what’s going to come out of his mouth next.
I think Donahue isn’t reacting so much to the fact that Huckabee’s bringing his faith into the national conversation but he’s doing it in such an icky way. I think the tide is turning against Huckabee if guys like Donahue are turning on him. We’ll see.
December 19, 2007 at 6:42 am
Sort of reminds me of Bush pre-election. All wrapped in Bible verses that flew out the window when it came to policy.
Shows that the GOP still doesn’t get it. Christianity values freedom, not a pandering version of religiosity.
December 19, 2007 at 5:19 pm
I think Bush has been wildly bad on some issues but I must tell you he’s been great on the issue of life. I must give him credit for that.
December 20, 2007 at 2:03 am
I think KaleJ is on to something there. Christians value true, fervent religious honesty. When it crosses the line into pandering or showing off then the reaction quickly changes. I don’t think that was Huckabee’s intention, but if it wasn’t it was a terrible misstep.
December 20, 2007 at 5:39 am
I heard the ad in question (didn’t see it, as I was in the kitchen eating dinner) but it didn’t bug me all that much. In fact I thought it was rather refreshing that a public figure would actually admit that Christmas has something to do with . . . y’ know . . . Christ. To hear the MSM tell it, it’s all about feeling vaguely warm and fuzzy (“the magic of Christmas,” blah, blah, blah) and, of course, shopping.
Huckabee could indeed stand to brush up on his religious knowledge–his comments on Romney’s Mormonism were indeed idiotic–but I’d prefer the occasional honest boner to glib platitudes or avoiding the subject altogether.