In the past here, I've said some nice things about Mike Huckabee and once thought he was the kind of Republican for whom I might someday vote. I no longer think that and was reminded why when I watched his interview with Jon Stewart on last night's Daily Show.
If you didn't see it or even if you did, watch the extended, uncut version of it, not the one that was aired. I'm a big fan of Mr. Stewart's conversations with politicians who usually go on shows and just recite their usual talking points. Stewart asks unexpected but valid questions, knocks them off their rote speeches (to some extent) and has an actual dialogue. I'd love to see a show where he just talked to folks like this for a whole hour, maybe even without a studio audience.
Governor Huckabee disappointed me in last night's chat. Stewart ran a campaign commercial in which Huckabee refers to two Hot Button issues for Conservatives — abortion and gay marriage — and speaks of how God will judge you based on how you vote in this election. In other words, you can't be a good Christian and vote for Democrats. That to me is a cynical manipulation of religious devotion, not that far removed from "You aren't a good Christian if you don't give money to my church." But it's legal and may even be earnestly meant. My problem is mainly in Huckabee's insistence that that wasn't what he was doing. That's just plain disingenuous.
But watch the whole thing and decide for yourself. I just think I lost my last gram of respect for Mike Huckabee. Earlier in the discussion, you can see faint glimmers of why I once had any.