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COLUMNISTS
TODAY'S STORIES
21.12.2007
How Much Does the GOP Establishment Hate Huckabee?

So much that they're no longer willing to fight back against the "War on Christmas." From The Weekly Standard's Stephen Hayes's report on Huck in Iowa:

And as he has done at each stop over the last couple days, Huckabee ended his speech this way: "I know this is probably a very controversial thing, but may I say to you, Merry Christmas!"

Of course, saying "Merry Christmas" to Republicans in Iowa is hardly a risky thing to do. But Huckabee has effectively adopted as his bogeymen the secularists' waging so-called "War on Christmas," and he plays his willingness to say "Merry Christmas" as the ultimate act of defiance. (Is it really? On CNN's American Morning today, the two hosts signed off by saying "Merry Christmas.") [Emphasis added.]

So Hayes thinks the W.O.C. isn't real? I dare him to say that to Bill O'Reilly's face.

--Jason Zengerle

Posted: Friday, December 21, 2007 7:50 PM with 11 comment(s)

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drdannyu said:

It's almost as if the right hand doesn't know what the even righter hand is doing!

December 21, 2007 3:14 PM

epackard-02 said:

I am not a believer of the "War on Christmas" demogoguery I see in the media.  But I will note that I've seen on TNR a "tempest in the Christmas teapot".

December 21, 2007 3:19 PM

boneill said:

DrDan- brilliant.  I am going to steal that to impress people.  

December 21, 2007 3:47 PM

drdannyu said:

My gift to you, bone.  

As Stephen Hayes would (apparently) say, happy holidays.

December 21, 2007 4:00 PM

boneill said:

MERRY CHRISTMAS, TERRORIST!

December 21, 2007 4:27 PM

epackard-02 said:

And a Happy Eurocentric, Western New Year to you, Boneill!

December 21, 2007 4:28 PM

boneill said:

It is the only real New Year, e-pack.  I don't recognize any "year of the fish" or "year 6857" or anything not as scientific and absolutely balls-on accuarate as tracing the years from the birth of the lord.

December 21, 2007 4:50 PM

saulawyer said:

Is that the lord of the rings, brother boneill? Or perhaps Vishnu?

December 21, 2007 5:51 PM

sabatia said:

boneill: The L in Lord should always be capitalized. Mitt Romney said that we are a Christian Nation and I believe him. Praise Jesus! No New Taxes! Go Mitt!!!!!!

December 21, 2007 7:20 PM

epackard-02 said:

I finally watched the clip of Huckabee's ad (can't view at work).  

I found the lighting in the ad created a nice effect. I don't know that the scene would have worked as well if darkness was all around Huckabee.  And despite Eve's complaint, items on the bookshelf were illuminated as well.  Her description of such a bright cross brighter than anything in the room made me think of the glow sticks we sometimes purchased at the circus.

If the lighting was intended to highlight a cross, it was a funny way of doing it ... since the cross would not have been symmetrical on either axis and Huckabee's head covers it during the last few seconds of the ad.

Finally, though, Huckabee has been so outspoken about his religious beliefs, I can't imagine why he would be coy about the cross-in-the-bookshelf if it was an intentional thing.  In fact, if he had wanted a cross in the ad, he probably would have done as McCain did and put it out front and center.

I think Eve in her posting is a bit worked up over nothing.  Remember, a Rorschach test (not a Horseshack test) tells us much more about the one viewing it than the one who created it.

December 21, 2007 8:14 PM

geoffgraham said:

Why is everyone ignoring the fact that Obama does not have a crescent moon floating in the background of his Christmas ad? He must be hiding something.

December 22, 2007 9:20 PM