more on huckabee and the gop

The New York Times Sunday Magazine had a long profile on flavor-of-the-month Mike Huckabee. None of it much fills me with confidence. Foreign policy novice (even by gubernatorial standards). Baptist minister. Conservative (very). "Christian candidate." Homophobe.

It's amusing to see Republicans like Charles Krauthammer hyperventilate at the prospect of a genuine rural evangelical Christian (not a fake one like de facto President Bush) getting the Republican nomination, and about the Christianization of the GOP. Hey, you all have been playing with this for decades. If you pander to the ultra-Christian elements of society to draw them into your party, you have to consider the fact that they might actually try to control the party - and might choose one of their own.

They don't exist merely to be foot-soldiers for neocons and Wall Street financiers.

Part of me wouldn't mind seeing Huckabee as the Republican nominee. I think he would be crushed.

But I also fear that, thru a miracle, or a smear campaign, or who knows what, Huckabee could possibly WIN in November - and I don't want this most religious of people to be President, especially as a creature of the Christianist wing of American politics.