# The Huckster's out! **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 15, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952 "2011-05-15T01:38:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/1 "2011-05-15T01:38:18Z")
He seemed like such a personable guy but the talk about his links to Reconstructionist and Dominionist types scared me. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/2 "2011-05-15T01:41:08Z")
God told him not to run. The polls may have had something to do with it as well, but mostly God. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/3 "2011-05-15T01:47:53Z")
[Reuters link](http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/15/usa-campaign-huckabee-idUSN1416353920110515). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/4 "2011-05-15T02:00:56Z")
[AP story here](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HUCKABEE_2012?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-05-14-21-25-53). **gravitycrash** isn’t kidding, either. > [@](#): > > Huckabee painted the decision as a spiritual one. > > “Only when I was alone, in quiet and reflective moments, did I have not only clarity but an inexplicable inner peace,” he said. > > “Being president is a job that takes one to the limit of his or her human capacity. For me, to do it apart from the inner confidence that I was undertaking it without God’s full blessing is simply unthinkable.” :rolleyes: ETA: I wonder how many other Republican candidates will use this excuse, and then somehow backpedal when it’s pointed out that it must mean that God wants Obama to be re-elected? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/5 "2011-05-15T02:02:49Z")
Yeah I know but mainly through name recognition and lack of credible candidates. Also I’m hoping the Republicans are trying to steer clear of the social issues this election since the economy seems a little more important right now to most people compared to school prayer or evolution or whatever else the nutters are on about. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/6 "2011-05-15T02:04:23Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > God told him not to run. > > The polls may have had something to do with it as well, but mostly God. He’d been polling pretty well for someone that wasn’t trying. And his particular side of the conservative movement is pretty under-represented amongst GOP primary candidates, so he could probably grab a bunch of the vote. But he seems to have decided a while ago that he’s happier raking in the dough at Fox and for writing his book then spending all day every day for the next year kissing babies in Iowa. Can’t say I blame him. Deep thought for the day: The GOP had built up a pretty impressive infrastructure of well funded think-tanks, publishing outfiits and media outlets for getting their message out. But I wonder if its not _too_ well funded, so that the money lures people like Huckabee and Palin, who’ve had successful but short political careers, away from actually running for office. And as a corollary, also lure all the various “vanity candidates” into running for office despite the fact that they have no chance of winning, just so that they can get their names out there to access the cash cow. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/7 "2011-05-15T02:07:47Z")
He’s only 55. He can take a run in 2016, easy, or even 2020. How beatable Obama is depends greatly on the economy, which is hard to predict right now. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/8 "2011-05-15T02:11:09Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > Also I’m hoping the Republicans are trying to steer clear of the social issues this election since the economy seems a little more important right now to most people compared to school prayer or evolution or whatever else the nutters are on about. The problem with that is steering clear of social issues in the election doesn’t mean that they’ll steer clear of them in office. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/9 "2011-05-15T02:13:19Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > Yeah I know but mainly through name recognition and lack of credible candidates. > > Also I’m hoping the Republicans are trying to steer clear of the social issues this election since the economy seems a little more important right now to most people compared to school prayer or evolution or whatever else the nutters are on about. It seems like despite thier promises to focus on “jobs” during the 2010 campaigns, they have spent a large part of thier political capitol on the same old Republican issues, stopping gay marriage, busting unions, eliminating Planned Parenthood and funneling money upwards. I think Daniels got a spanking from the right for suggesting a truce on social issues. If he wants the nomination he will bow to thier pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/10 "2011-05-15T02:22:45Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > He’s only 55. He can take a run in 2016, easy, or even 2020. How beatable Obama is depends greatly on the economy, which is hard to predict right now. Maybe, though history hasn’t been kind to candidates that spend a long period out of public service and then run for Prez. Nixon is pretty much the only example I can think of in the last century who spent a full eight years sitting out before he tried. And Nixon was a far more established national figure then Huckabee before his “wilderness years”. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/11 "2011-05-15T04:05:37Z")
God did tell Pat Robertson to run for president (and told him he would win) and now he is ordering Huck out. Pretty impressive for a guy who can’t even vote. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/12 "2011-05-15T04:22:39Z")
I think Huckabee is just really content with his life right now. He’s got a fairly successful TV show, he’s got time to write books, and he has a lot of free time, so he figures why give that all up for the risks of a presidential campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/13 "2011-05-15T04:51:43Z")
Has God announced who he will be endorsing yet? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/14 "2011-05-15T07:27:13Z")
It’s unfortunate. Huck was my Governor and he did a pretty good job. His personal views are very conservative, but he tended to govern from a moderate position. For example he’s against abortion, but he didn’t lobby or pressure the legislature for any bills hindering abortions. As Governor I rarely heard him take any very conservative positions. There wasn’t a lot of controversy around him at all. I rather see a moderate candidate from either party. I like people that govern from the center or at least close to it. I agree. Plus I think Huck is thinking about what would happen if he won. That’s potentially an 8 year commitment. He’s not getting any younger. One look at George Bush and it’s obvious what the stress of 8 years in office does to someone. > [@](#): > > I think Huckabee is just really content with his life right now. He’s got a fairly successful TV show, he’s got time to write books, and he has a lot of free time, so he figures why give that all up for the risks of a presidential campaign. > Reply With Quote ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/15 "2011-05-15T07:49:51Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I think Huckabee is just really content with his life right now. He’s got a fairly successful TV show, he’s got time to write books, and he has a lot of free time, so he figures why give that all up for the risks of a presidential campaign. I tend to agree here. I think he saw the winds were not blowing his way this electoral cycle, so there wasn’t much point in giving up a good gig for a campaign that was not likely to succeed. The last couple of weeks I figured he wasn’t going to run. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/16 "2011-05-15T12:47:55Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Maybe, though history hasn’t been kind to candidates that spend a long period out of public service and then run for Prez. Nixon is pretty much the only example I can think of in the last century who spent a full eight years sitting out before he tried. And Nixon was a far more established national figure then Huckabee before his “wilderness years”. It’s not the same “wilderness” anymore, though: between book tours, TV shows, spots on other people’s TV shows, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and speaking engagements you can stay much more in people’s minds. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/17 "2011-05-15T13:34:25Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > He seemed like such a personable guy but the talk about his links to Reconstructionist and Dominionist types scared me. Exactly. He seems like a genuinely nice guy. I would not want him the oval office. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/18 "2011-05-15T13:34:55Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > He’s only 55. He can take a run in 2016, easy, or even 2020. Not if he doesn’t lay off the cheeseburgers. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/19 "2011-05-15T13:40:20Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Not if he doesn’t lay off the cheeseburgers. He can’t haz cheezburger? No, he can’t. Ed Rollins, I think, in laying out his case why Huckabee wouldn’t run, cited the thirty or forty pounds Huckabee had put on as evidence that he wasn’t going to run. There seems to be some thinking that voters won’t accept a fat candidate–too personallly undisciplined to serve as CinC, perhaps? “What’s that you say? A plane just crashed into the WTC? Mmmm, that piece of cake looks tasty, must have a bite…” Bad news for Chris Christie? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952/20 "2011-05-15T15:03:16Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > He can’t haz cheezburger? > > No, he can’t. Ed Rollins, I think, in laying out his case why Huckabee wouldn’t run, cited the thirty or forty pounds Huckabee had put on as evidence that he wasn’t going to run. There seems to be some thinking that voters won’t accept a fat candidate–too personallly undisciplined to serve as CinC, perhaps? “What’s that you say? A plane just crashed into the WTC? Mmmm, that piece of cake looks tasty, must have a bite…” Bad news for Chris Christie? I think it may tank Newt’s run, also. People don’t trust fat politicians or fat priests. How can you run a lean, mean government, when you can’t discipline yourself? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hucksters-out/581952.md?page=2)