Ditto. Mike is the only one who "got it." A Republican who actually practiced family values and not just preached them, who has a non-elitist perspective, who didn't marry his former mistress, who isn't afraid of black people and who doesn't send out racist emails, who doesn't compromise on abortion and who can confidently and persuasivelly explain all of his positions without demonizing people who disagree with him. Huck had and probably still has the chance to fix and restore the Republican Party. Nothing about any of the other guys interests ot motivates me in the least.

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The Values Voter
http://thevaluesvoter.spaces.live.com

Ditto. Mike is the only one who "got it." A Republican who actually practiced family values and not just preached them, who has a non-elitist perspective, who didn't marry his former mistress, who isn't afraid of black people and who doesn't send out racist emails, who doesn't compromise on abortion and who can confidently and persuasivelly explain all of his positions without demonizing people who disagree with him. Huck had and probably still has the chance to fix and restore the Republican Party. Nothing about any of the other guys interests or motivates me in the least.

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The Values Voter
http://thevaluesvoter.spaces.live.com

And so the solution to the deep guano that our country in is to do what? Withdraw and wave goodbye, hugging ourselves for our ideological purity, as it goes down the drain? At least there are some Huckabee conservatives waiting in the wings of 2016 now. If you give up on reclaiming the GOP at this point, you're handing it to the very people you disapprove of. You didn't think that it could be done in one presidential cycle, did you?

Sorry, but I totally agree with Huckabee's football analogy - we may not have reached the goal YET, but we have gained a heckuva lot of yardage. Are we just going to quit & hand it back or are we going to fight till the last moment of the last quarter?

Okay, so at this point it's begging for a "Let's get back in there & win one for the Gipper!" sort of ending, except that the Gipper just informed us that he's not going to be the quarterback, but this kind of thing makes me crazy.

I'm as pro-life as it gets, but this is like the argument people were making back when we were trying to make partial birth abortion illegal. There were actually people calling it an unacceptable compromise because it was only a small fraction of the babies being slaughtered and they wanted to fight for ALL or nothing.

Politics does NOT work that way. You fight for whatever you can get! Then you work to hold your yardage while continuing to try to advance the ball. And in politics, you also can persuade opponents & by-standers to join the team. The larger the team, the better your chances of scoring. I'm not sure where things are going, but I do know that this is no time to quit and go home!

I have to admit that I kind of feel the same way about this in alot of respects. On the one hand, it will make it easier for me to move on to another candidate, but the problem is that none of the other candidates motivate me in the slightest.

I have to think that Huck's new found wealth played a part in his decision. Even as Governor of a state he never made much money before, it has to feel nice to be able to do the things you want to in life without worrying about how to pay for it. It would certainly influence me if I found myself in that situation. Still, the fact that we had someone who would have been the favorite to win the GOP nomination and beat Obama without having to sacrifice our beliefs is a situation that doesn't come around very often. That's what makes this whole episode so frustrating.

I hate to say it, but Huck's decision makes it very possible that Romney ends up being the GOP nominee. While all the other people like TPaw, Daniels, Newt, Santorum, etc. will be fighting for the same group of voters, Mittens will have all the big money/RINO voters all to himself. While that only makes up maybe 20% on average of the voters in a given GOP primary state, it's enough to beat a fractured 80% of the conservative voters. Throw in the Mormon vote and Mittens realistically could win this thing despite the numerous politically millstones he's tied around his feet. This factor alone is what makes Huck's decision so disappointing. If Romney becomes the nominee, my 30 year affiliation with the GOP will have ended. The thought of Romney becoming the nominee is the one thing that will probably at some point motivate me to support one of these other candidates. Not sure who that would be right now though........

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Most people believe what they see, the Left see's what it believes.....

I don't know if wealth was a factor or not, but I do know that his not running is going to be attributed to that & also the baloney being suggested that neither he nor any other Republican could beat Obama (really bizarre given Gallup's new poll showing that Obama had 43% support vs 40% support for WHOEVER the GOP candidate should be).

Right now, I am praying that God will either convince Huckabee that he's the one to do it, OR if Huckabee discerned rightly, begging him to lift up another such man to lead us. I really & truly believe that we need an experienced governor in there to fix the mess our Clueless-in-Chief has made. Don't see how a legislator could do it.

The fact is that health and money are not the issues.

Think of it this way... He can build his audience for the next year or so, and in the meantime, he can be nice to all the candidates. Each one of them can come on his show and give their side of the issues. Then, when September 2012 comes along, the nominee will ask himself/herself, "What candidate for VP would be the least likely to act like Joe Biden? Who is someone who can keep a secret, even from his own staff? Ah ha! How about the nicest guy in America? Mike Huckabee already has a following, he is not mean or divisive in any way." ...

Plus this is good for the Governor... he gets on the ticket without having to endure 15 months of personal insults from other Republicans. (What he did last night just wrote his ticket for VP.) Plus, by then he will be ready to run.... because as VP nominee, he would only have to leave Fox from September to November. (And then if he wins, hes VP... gets a nice house next to the naval observatory.... but if he loses, hes only out 3 months of income.)

He gets to be the king maker. And in return, he becomes VP

That's kind of my prayer for Mike, too. I've been praying for continued peace if this is really God's will for him, but if it's not I've been praying that God won't let him fall asleep at night. (and, yes, that laughing smiley is a little forced, even if all I had to do was click on it)

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I can see where you are coming from. I really can. But its not as insensitive as you think....

#1. Mike needed to show the world that he does not bow to political pressure--whether internally or externally. He needed to show the world that he is his own man. By going against the strong pressure to run, Mike shows that no one--not even his supporters--can tell him what to do. That is an important trait of leadership.

#2. Of course, he could have done that by simply tweeting his decision or by issuing a press release. However, he needed to prove that he can generate more buzz than Newt/Paul/Palin, et al. Why? Because his ability to create buzz is the only thing that he has to make the Republican powers-that-be take note of him and what he believes (and by extension, what we believe). He showed the Repub. establishment that he is a person to be reckoned with. When he makes an announcement, people drop everything to hear it. This necessitated secrecy from his own staff and loyal followers (see #3 below).

#3. The only mistake that he made was to send the email out to the 10 or so close insiders. When that got leaked, it created more hype than was really necessary, thereby getting our hopes up. However, to Mike's credit, this was intended to be read by only 10 or so people. He didn't want it leaked. But the fact that it was leaked demonstrated that he was right not to tell anyone outside of his family until the very last minute. Had he sent an email to supporters saying, "I'm sorry, I'm out..." it would not have been kept a secret, and then it would have had the same effect as Newt's milktoast Twitter announcement.

#4. All in all, he did what few politicians are capable of doing. He kept a secret from leaking... he generated a prodigious amount of buzz.... and he united much of the Republican party around the idea of him not running. Now, he is a kingmaker.

Yeah, that was my prayer at church this morning - that if it was really God's will then would He please grant me the same peace with GH's decision. Unfortunately, even at 46yrs of age, I still haven't learned to accept God's will graciously.

The problem here is that this is bigger than any one person - this is the direction of our country at a critical moment in history and it feels like God may have just told us "No". Our country has a potentially terminal illness & God may be declining to save her. So now the agony of wondering will there be a last minute miracle in the form of a changed mind or an alternative candidate, or will it be a long & agonizing death? I'd like a peek at the end of the story so I can just start dealing with it now. Then again, there's a good chance I wouldn't. Ugh.

The fact is, none of us can truly know all the reasons that went into Huck's decision process. You can't simply rule out the possibility that finacial security may have entered into his decision. There's alot of good that one can do with the kind of money he makes now. I kind of liken' it to someone being an entertainer or pro athelete who ponders whether to become a missionary or support missionaries with the money they're able to make in their profession. Not really a right or wrong answer in that scenario.

As far as Huck somehow becoming the VP in the scenario you listed above, I think Southern Doc summed that up pretty well in an earlier post. It's wishful thinking. Possible, but highly unlikely.

P.S. I should add that, as we've seen from some posters on this thread already, Huck's decision will have some adverse impact on his future TV show ratings and possible book sales in the future. I'm sure Huck took that into account while making his decision, but the fact is that many folks were following along waiting for the big announcement that he was going to run. Many of them will drop off now that he decided not to run. His influence will surely drop a bit as a result of this.

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Most people believe what they see, the Left see's what it believes.....

TheMatman, I love your optimism, but we saw how the GOP leadership operates during the 2008 VP sweepstakes. Whoever the eventual nominee turns out to be, they're going to pick whoever looks the most politically expedient for themselves at the time not whoever is the most competent, qualified or will be the best helpmate. (Which should not be regarded as a personal ding at Palin in any way, shape or form, but refers to what we learned of the selection process)

I can't see Huckabee being VP. He's "too big" for that, somehow.

I haven't been this down for a long time... my exams are going badly, my candidate won't run, my health is deteriorating fast and my dad got cancer. The feeling of meaninglessness cannot be avoided.

WENDERO - one good thing I can still do at this site is intercede on your behalf to our Heavenly Father because I care. Too many disappointments at one time can challenge our faith and impact our health and well being. I hope you will read and meditate on Romans 8: 26 & 27 and release your pain, confusion and fears to the Holy Spirit and HIS comfort and peace will eventually come.

Thank you Sandra. Yeah, it's a tragic situation. He was diagnosed in April (or, that's when I found out), but will have to wait until fall to get surgery. Swedish universal health care at it's best! Letting you down when you need it the most. Universal health care does actually mean rationed health care, and whoever says otherwise is lying.

I too love the optimisim. You'd be good to have in an open lifeboat cast adrift in the South Atlantic.

I don't think your point #4 is especially valid though. It seems that keeping secrets, generating buzz, and uniting the Republican part around the idea of not running, is something that quite a few politicians can do. Donald Trump and Ron Paul come to mind.

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"As for us, our days of combat are over. Our swords are rust. Our guns will thunder no more. The vultures that once wheeled over our heads must be buried with their prey. Whatever of glory must be won in the council or the closet, never again in the field. I do not repine. We have shared the incommunicable experience of war; we have felt, we still feel, the passion of life to its top."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

WENDERO - I will also be in prayer for your father's care and medical situation.

It has been very interesting the past few months to read about your life in Sweden and your take on issues. Today you have shared the repercussions of universal health care from personal experience. As a senior citizen, I have been very grateful for the professional, efficient health care available to me in East Texas and I will no longer take it for granted. God be with you!!

Wendero, you are in my prayers also. A couple gems of scripture come to mind for your comfort:
"He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" If the Lord gave His Son for us to take away our sin and keep us from eternal death which is the consequence of sin, our almighty, loving Father will also take care of all the problems we face in our short time on this earth.
A second verse that comes to mind reminds us that God will not test our faith beyond what we can bear, but will with that testing also make a way for us to escape.
My prayer is that the Lord will help you to cling to those promises for strength and comfort. As you do, I also pray that your light will shine to help strengthen your loved ones.

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5)

Please know we are praying for you, Wendero. "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman) avails much." (James 5:16) There are many here who have discovered the power of prayer and can help. My prayers will be with you and your father. Praying is something positive and helpful we can do for one another. Take courage. Take care of yourself and your health (exercise, eat right). Go out with friends, maybe take in a game.

We can also sympathize and empathize with one another in a way that others who did no work for Huckabee will not be able to do. We can commiserate and share our stories.

And we can also look for the silver lining, knowing that God sees the whole picture. Right now we may only be able to place our trust in the Lord with this assurance: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28 NKJV) And the previous verse is comforting, knowing that God searches our hearts and His Spirit also "makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." I cannot see it now, but somehow good will come of this. What we must not do is give up, or the enemy will triumph.

Yes, I agree that it would be hard to envision Gov. Huckabee as a V.P. candidate, because of how "big" and popular he is. He would tend to overshadow the candidate somewhat. Yet, I can see that it might be possible that a Republican candidate needing to bolster his or her appeal to the black, Hispanic, pro-life, Southern, or evangelical vote might turn to Huckabee as a Vice Presidential running mate to capture that vote.

One thing that we have here at HA is people who have accumulated a wealth of information that can be used somehow to help further the goal of winning more conservative seats. There are already six senators who are retiring, and now is our opportunity to move the ball forward in the game. Also, because of the 2010 census, we have lots of new redistricting, meaning lots of new elections where we can work to place conservatives. In the days ahead, I am sure that Gov. Huckabee will give some direction. Huck PAC will go on.

We know that, "with God all things are possible." Even healing our broken hearts and getting back to "normal." An army does not have an option of retreating or quitting until the battle is won.

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How I'm feeling today.....

I cried all the way through church this morning... went out to the nature trail to pray and cry some more...then came home and went to bed. TOTALLY unlike me!!! I hardly ever take naps (makes me feel woozy) and almost NEVER cry.

I've never been someone who is prone to depression, or even frequent bad moods. I usually bounce back from setbacks very quickly, and tend to have energy to tackle the world most days. But today.... picture, if you will, the scene from the movie "Braveheart," where William Wallace finds out that it's Robert the Bruce who is behind that mask...and that it's Robert the Bruce, the man he believed in, who has let him down. William Wallace looks stunned, then drops his sword, just lays down in the grass, and no longer cares if he gets killed.

If you'll pardon another movie reference... The sentence that keeps going through my mind is a line from the movie Steele Magnolias: "I'd rather have 30 minutes of wonderful, than a lifetime of nothing special." Like TVV wrote, none of the other candidates inspires me in the least. I'm glad that a few of them are trustworthy on the pro-life issue, but as people, they just don't have that special something to inspire excitement or confidence.

I'm just devastated. Personally, looking at my life, I feel like Cinderella....I work and work, day and night, for 3 and a half years... and then one day the Fairy Godmother comes and says, "I have a special announcement tomorrow... Wait for it..... OK, here it is: You do NOT get to go to any ball, and furthermore I'm quitting as Fairy Godmother...and you can look forward to working as a maid for the rest of your life but without anything magic to look forward to."

I'm just devastated. Do we have a little animated icon that shows someone curling up in the fetal position with their head under a pillow?

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Recovering Huck-a-holic

I'll vote. I haven't missed an election since I turned 18. No way I want to see four more years of Obama. But I will not register with the GOP. My local GOP (NY) tends to be pro-choice, fiscal Republicans.
As for the Presidential candidate, I'll have to see who gets nominated. I've voted third party before, and will do so again in 2012 - Obama will easily carry New York no matter what I do or how I vote. But work for a candidate? At this point, none of them inspire me to work the way I did back in 2007/08.

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Lee