Personally, I think that Mike wanted his supporters to know as soon as he did. I think that he thought he would be running as he said, but was waiting for that clear direction from God of the go ahead and giving himself time until summer to be sure - plus he wanted to save the money of a long run and truly thinks the campaign process is too long. Much to his surprise and ours, God's direction became clear this past week with direction he hadn't expected.

Because Mike didn't want to lead us on and because he knew people were spending lots of time and money to gear up and prepare when he announced, in the hope and belief that he would be running - such as the Stuck on Huck rally which was scheduled for June 4 where the papers for the space were just signed on Friday - Mike had the heart and class to let us know so that we could move on and probably so the other candidates who were deciding whether to get in or not could also.

He always said he would announce it on his show and that is what he did. He wanted to be the one to tell us himself, not the press or tweeters or internet bloggers - it was his decision and his to announce; and I am pleased as punch, although feeling punched in the stomach by the content, that he was able to do so.

I'm very, very disappointed and upset that Huckabee isn't running. I have no idea who I'm going to support now. I agree wholeheartedly with chapelccino about the fact that it is not just because of Huckabee's experience or his political positions that I supported him, but the fact that he was so vertical and able to stand firmly for what he believed in yet being gracious, patient, and just everything.

As someone who still considers myself young at 21 I believe that the only way the country is going to ever turn back to conservative principles and God is if a president is elected who not only stands for these principles, but is able to convince young people also to stand for these causes. Young people (at least where I live and who I interact with) are overwhelmingly liberal and ungodly. For whatever reason we have not been taught well and most of the Republican politicians who should be trying to turn us back to these principles instead set poor examples.

What I believe we need in a Republican candidate/Republican president is a politician who is not only a leader, but a teacher. Mike Huckabee was a low-profile candidate in 2007 and I believe that one of the reasons for the "Huckaboom" was his spectacular debate performances. Most of the people who spout unthinking hatred towards Huckabee have probably never really listened to him speak. No matter how low Huckabee's numbers are compared to Obama, I always believed that he could and would beat him because once people actually heard him, they would be swayed. The only ones who would still hold that hatred I believe are really hard of heart.

I'm really sad now that he isn't running and I don't see how we will ever have a candidate like him again. I will be praying about it and watching others to see if there is anyone else I will be able to support. Huckabee seemingly came from nowhere in 2008 and I hope there is someone we haven't heard of yet who is just like Huckabee, but I suspect it will be just like with my first and favorite cat as a kid in that no one will ever replace him.

Huckabee always says that "America ceases to be great when it ceases to be good". I hoped that Huckabee would be the leader and teacher to help turn America back to being "good" but I guess that isn't the case. I hope that God has a plan for this to happen.

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Dan

Just a college kid and a Huckabee supporter!

Well, I respect your opinion and I encourage you and everyone else to do whatever they feel is right with regard to their vote. But I think differently with regard to the issue and I meant every word that I wrote. It's not that I'm not going to vote if I don't "get my way." But rather, I will only vote for an individual (versus writing in) if I feel that an individual on the ballot is worthy of my vote.

I simply don't believe in picking the lesser of two poor choices. I realize and respect that many people feel differently. I will certainly look over all the candidates and evaluate everyone to see whether or not I can vote for them. However, I will not vote for someone whom I don't think I can vote for.

Here are my "must-haves" in order for me to vote for a person for President:

* The person must be unambiguously and consistently pro-life. I will not vote for any person who in any way supports legalized abortion.

* The person must not have a disrespect for the traditional marriage to the extent that they push same-sex marriage.

* The person must be willing to do whatever is necessary to protect the national security of this country.

* The person must have the ability to practice fiscal discipline (for example, not running up a $14 trillion dollar debt) and must be at least open to scrapping our decrepit, punitive tax system.

AND

* The person must demonstrate and have a sensitivity toward racial inclusiveness and, without any ambiguity, opposes all things that are racist or exclusionary.

These are my "must haves;" in order to earn my vote, you need to have at least these qualities. Governor Huckabee obviously passes all of these with the highest scores.

I don't know who is left who meets these criteria. I do know that there are some indiviuduals who absolutely do not meet my personal criteria. If on election day 2012, I feel that one the GOP candidate meets these criteria, I will support that person. Otherwise, I will write in. Sorry. That's the way I feel and everyone should feel free to follow their own convictions just like I am following mine. And, lastly, from a Scriptural standpoint, I do not feel that I am under any obligation to vote for a person whom I do not choose to vote for. Voting is a civil manner that we should take extremely seriously as both citizens of the United States and as God's representatives on earth. However, there is no Scriptural guidance for what we should do if we don't like the candidate choices. My choice is to vote for the best person who meets my personal "must haves." If they don't have those, I will not vote for them just for the sake of voting for somebody. I certainly hope I become convinced that someone out there does meet these pretty simple criteria.

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

We will accomplish nothing by withdrawing. No army has won a battle that way.

Twenty or so years ago, in our Kansas county, the Republican Party was also made up of pro-choice, fiscal Republicans. They were the bankers, the big shots, some of the elitists, etc. Or at least they thought so. We took them on.

Or at least a few stalwarts did, who dragged us less courageous half-believers along. Ginny, my friend the instigator, and a few others of us called and called until we had a Republican conservative willing to be on the ballot in every precinct. (Many precincts had no name on the ballot!) Now our county is solidly pro-life, fiscal- and national-security-conservative. We have gone from about 20% conservative to about 80% conservative. Not only that, but Ginny and a few of the stalwart pro-life women in our state got together to pray and scheme how to get the RINOS out. They even for a time tried to work on a Conservative Republican Party movement. We wrote countless letters to the editor and made calls (politely) to let sitting representatives know our beliefs, values, and opinions on matters. And so, the balance of conservatives to RINOs in our state began to slowly change. This influence is even causing less conservative representatives to vote a little more conservative than they might, to keep their seats.

Want to know how Kansas could caucus over 60% for Huckabee? It was mostly the fact that people just love Huckabee, but also the framework for conservatives in the Republican Party in Kansas has been put in place. Through prayer, countless calls to congressmen and women to vote pro-life, knocking on doors, talking to good, conservative leaders-in-the-making, having voter registration booths at the church or the fair, marching in the local parades with our conservative candidates...

This is what we must do. Conservative leadership doesn't just happen. It takes loads of prayer, encouragement, ideas, prayer, work, some money, calls, walking, helping candidates, prayer. That is how we change America.

I am not bragging here, just stating facts. We need to get off our frannies, put a little spine in our backs, and change America. Instead of sitting around and waiting for the perfect candidate or casting about for the party that has not lately offended our sensibilities, we need to dig in and make the changes. Don't take me wrong. My nature is the most reticent and peace-seeking there is. But I thank God that my friend Ginny had the principles, the vision, the intelligence and the strong determination to make warriors of us sheep.

At the risk of ever sitting on our laurels and thinking the battle won, I would say that the Kansas Republican Party has gone from the Kathleen Sibelius liberal to the party that could elect solidly pro-life Governor Sam Brownback. Almost every race in the last election was won by a conservative in this state. The House of Representatives has only eight Democrats, unlike the Bobby Dole years when both houses were Democrat.

But I would also say that there is never really a let-down in the battle for conservative values. Right now, there are those candidates getting ready to take from us what we have won. That is why I want Huck's Army to go on and get stronger. We need to see a vision of what can happen if we do get involved, every one of us. And we also, just as necessarily, need to have the vision before us of what will happen to America if no one gets involved.

Tireless, devoted, never-say-die. This describes who we must become. Too much is at stake to lay down our weapons of love and faith.

In our county, we had a few very concerned conservatives who were willing to be ridiculed, speak up for what was right, work their tails off phoning other conservatives and getting them to place their names on the ballot for precinct committeemen and women. There were other like-minded workers in other counties, trying to turn Kansas from an abortion state to a pro-life one, and from a RINO Republican party to one that stood by the conservative platform we have.

Party politics is local. I want to scream that, but everyone would fall over to hear JustGrace scream. It's not been done. I might give a well-placed swat or two, though.

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A small silver lining.........to all those who pledged @ www.saveformike.com, you now have close to $2,300 to spend in whatever way might help lessen the disappointment.

I told my husband I'm going to spend the money. We already support pro-life causes with other funds. I'm taking the Huck-a-bucks and spending it on new bikes for our family and a vacation. I've earned it.

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Recovering Huck-a-holic

TVV, I greatly respect you & agree that ultimately we must follow what we believe God wants from us. That said, I also know you to be a thoughtful man & I would ask you to consider the following true story: In Nazi Germany, a teacher of disabled students witnessed from a hidden spot in the woods the SS gathering the retarded & disabled children on to the back of a covered truck where they gassed them & then disposed of the bodies in a mass grave. She was unable to save any of them as they would have killed her, too.

Let's suppose that the situation had been a little different - suppose she had been able to plead to save those children who were at least capable of doing menial jobs arguing that they at least could not be called "unfit" and "useless eaters" as the Nazis liked to say. So while she still could not save them all, she is now able to save at least half of them. Could she be accused of compromising her pro-life principles? After all, she didn't lie and she didn't back down from her convictions. She would simply be recognizing the reality of the situation and using the mindset of the opposition to save as many as she could.

God does not explicitly give us the principles for voting, but like so many things that are not explicit, we still have Biblical principles as a guide. Had the teacher demanded all or nothing, perhaps expecting God to produce a miracle, she would have had to bear at least some responsibility for the deaths of those she could have saved because she could have saved them without denying God or her principles and did not. Surely God would expect her to do what she could rather than hold her responsible for what she couldn't do? Life is full of less than ideal choices. God will hold us responsible for whether or not we did all that we could - not for what we cannot do.

We certainly do need to fight for the candidates that come closest to our ideals, but when it comes down to the finish line - then we must exercise the virtue of prudence at that point. The virtues were given to us by God precisely to help us navigate these situations in life that are not Biblically explicit.

Yesterday, I went to church, and we sang "By faith".

As we sang it, I came to think of Huckabee and his decision. It was truly an example of "walking by faith and not by sight". Everything looked good, he admitted it himself - money, organization, polling numbers. Everything our eyes can see. But he has faith in God, and he didn't feel sure that's what God wanted him to do. He walked by faith, not by sight.

I think God wanted to tell me that. I didn't fall asleep until 6 Am sunday morning (we are five hours ahead of the US, so his show was on rather late for me). I was going to skip church, I didn't set the alarm bell because I figured I needed to sleep after all this so I would have energy to study the day after. But for some reason, I woke up 10:22 Am (service starts at 10:30), so I got up and went to service anyway. I don't think it was a coincidence, I think it's because I really needed to hear that song and reflect on what it meant.

/John

QuoVadisAnima, I greatly respect you and your viewpoint as well and I understand what you are saying. I really hope that there is a candidate that I can be convinced is going to actually take a stand for life and also for the other things I said. I really hope that someone running in 2012 is going to be a principled candidate that I can respect as a Christian and as an American.

Something else comes to my mind here. It may or may not be relevant, but I'm still sort of thinking out loud.

In 1968, one of the most chaotic years on record, America had a choice in that Presidential election. The incumbent Vice President, Hubert Humphrey, was a stalwart of the increasingly liberal Democratic Party. His opponent in the general election was former Vice President Richard Nixon, who heavily courted the conservative vote but who seemed to have very few true underlying principles. Obviously, Nixon won in a very close election. Two days after the inauguration for Nixon's second term, the Roe v. Wade case was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court voted 7-2 to legalize abortion. As it turns out, three of the seven justices who voted to allow legalized abortion were in fact appointed by President Nixon.

Nixon, who may have been viewed by voters as the better of two bad choices, was actually responsible for appointing the margin of Justices that got Roe passed. Not all of these Justices were Nixon's first choice - two back-to-back Nixon picks were rejected by Congress as they were widely perceived to both be mediocre in terms of judicial ability and sympathetic to segregationist views. But they were both from the deep south, a place where Nixon heavily courted. But the constantly calculating Nixon, who in my mind, did not seem to have a strong moral compass, put the people in place that caused the institution of abortion that we all are working to see reverse one day.

I guess I said this all to say that there are some cases in which the lesser of two evils is still ... well, evil. Not all the time. And as I said, I am hoping there is a candidate in 2012 that I can support. I'll be looking and watching. I'd like to know that there is somebody that I can vote for now that Mike is not running.

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

I thought this was a perfect song for us all today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq-_zwyT ... re=related

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A true follower of Christ is a follower of His Word. Jesus said, "Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?"

I agree, and I would add that my "must haves" are based on what is righteous.

I think this is a very difficult subject for many, especially older generations. I reject the premise that voting one way or another affects today and today only. The very reason we have choices today that are mediocre and lacking is because of the voting choices of the past, say, 30 or 40 years.

When we start abandoning voting for our principles, a.k.a. social-conservative issues, the choices we're presented in the next cycle will only be as good as where we set the bar when we voted last. When we continue this pattern, voting for 'the best candidate presented to me even though they violate several of my core principles' will never cause anything to change, but somehow we think it will miraculously. (Look up Einstein's definition of insanity.)

Look at what happened in 2008. The fact that Obama was elected, regardless of whether that was because of the strength on the Dem's side, caused the major event in November 2010. Does anyone really think that 2010 would have happened if McCain would have been elected? Unfortunately, I believe it's going to take several cycles of people like us standing up for our principles, and possibly writing in candidates, to force the political class to change their ways. Otherwise, some of us will always feel like we have to pick the lesser of two poor choices.

This is really difficult to understand when one's frame of view of any election encompasses only a few years, but I'm not suggesting that of anyone here, so please don't misunderstand me.

Just remember that we get the leaders we deserve, and if we choose to abandon our principles, then why should we expect any different from our elected leaders?

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Florida for Huckabee!

John - I am praying for your father, too. You are under a heavy load, and I'm glad you told us, so we can lift you up to the Lord, who loves you with a never-ending love (and He loves your dad that way, too). I'm so glad He gave you that song yesterday. He did similar things for me, too, in the music and the sermon, and in my devotions today. He is so good!
Mary

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"Never, Never, NEVER GIVE UP" Winston Churchill

Thank you so much WhatsNotToLike.

Glad God is doing things for you too. Things really are dark right now.

I was shocked like many here. Having to seek the Lord myself about the decision going forward. Hoping to hear from lord with as much certainty as Mike has. I was only alerted top the level of "Circus-like" entertainment value that it was to FOX with the Trump "Huckabee Alert". It really saddened me that a decision centering around the POTUS is cheapened by Trump and any advertisement or whatever it was.

I came here to just read about others surprise. I have been following the Gov. Show and enjoy being excited when I hear him and his vertical politics. I have been energized by excited by Marco Rubio and Rand Paul getting elected to the Senate despite the Establishment. And the work Paul Ryan is doing to talk about the important issues. And saying it here it sounds like a confession, but I have also enjoyed the Campaign for Liberty and all that Ron Paul was been trying to do to restore the Federal Government it's proper place. It does seem like mention of Ron Paul gets a different reaction here. I may have grown into more of a Libra-bublican or a Tea-publican. On Saturday after the announcement many other names where thrown around as to where to go for support like Bachmann, Cain and where not to throw are support Romney (which as of now is the one candidate that I know I will not vote for no matter what), yet if Ron Paul is mentioned it seems not the right time or place to speak his name.

Have I changed a lot now being able to think of Ron Paul as a candidate? Love to know other HA folks opinion.

Was reflecting on a number of things today and gave a peek listen to what the talk radio crowd had to say as well. The guy that filled in for Dennis Prager today, Mark Taylor, said he didn't get the whole popularity of Huck. Levin just made nasty comments (no surprise there). Limbaugh made silly comments (again, no surprise there). It just reinforces my belief that there is a hidden type of elitism that exists in the conservative/GOP side of politics. Any candidate who actually talks to the issues that effect common people (i.e. populism) is branded as not properly orthodox to meet the elitists standards. It's why they'll tolerate a phony like Romney but reject an actual conservative like Huck. Which leads to my next reflection...........

What I'm finding out that really disappoints me is that we had a candidate who could defeat the loud mouthed wing of our party and he chose not to run. As much as I want to beat Obama, I also wanted badly to put the Levin's, Limbaugh's, Hewitt's, etc. in their place. Now we lack a candidate who will refuse to grovel before these self appointed king makers (I know Paul won't grovel, but he can't win either). I feel like we conceded the race even though the good money was on our horse to win. It's a very frustrating feeling for me.

Another thing that bugs me a bit is that I ask myself, if Huck wanted to be President back when he started campaigning for the office in 2007 when he had little personal wealth and was a blip in the polls, why would he not now want to seize upon his good poll numbers and better finacial situation to make a very credible run for the office? It just leads me back to thinking that his current TV and radio gigs and the wealth that has come from it influenced his decision not to run. He's in a place he's never been in before and maybe it was just to hard to leave it behind for another grueling 18 months of campaigning. Just seems like such a lost opportunity not only for him, but for this country.

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

I should add that I guess we can thank Calista & I for taking up much of the oxygen in the talk radio bubble today with his remarks he made about Paul Ryan's budget plan (right-wing socialism he called it). Nice of Newt to take the arrows that Huck likely would have taken today from the radio blab-o-sphere.

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

It's not so much the name, but the timing. Everyone here is in process of grieving a loss. The time will come perhaps later. I myself believe when the most established members, perhaps the admins, let us know by posting about alternative candidates themselves. This board was never intended to promote other candidates, so I leave it to the most established members to make such decisions.
I have been a Paul supporter who was going to vote for Mike as a more electable alternative who also had the same level of integrity and my differences were not very numerous. I didn't think Paul could win the primary and wanted to avoid a Mitt or a Newt getting in. I always tried to keep my postings more to ideas, and have always been respected here. Give everyone some time, and if and when it is ok perhaps other candidates will be discussed.
Some rude Paul supporters came on the this site recruiting the very night Mike made the announcement. Very insensitive at best, plain obnoxious at worst.
They were an embarrassment to me as I'm sure such behavior is the exact opposite of how their candidate conducts himself.
anyway, just thought I would share my perspective as someone who aligned more with Paul, but was voting for Mike as a better alternative to the other Republicans.
BTW,
This time Mitt will be the money raiser, not Paul, and he just proved it by collecting $10.25 Million in one day, not from 58,000+ everyday folks making small donations, but by several hundred influence seeking Million/Billionaire buddies pledging to donate the maximum. That's a lot of pledges to extract in a day, I imagine these elites have the money to back it up.
I can see Mike's wisdom in all this now, even with what was once thought of as good fundraising numbers last time will be mere chickenfeed today.
Hope someone out there can counter such money and the media it could buy.
Bet he has almost every available bus in Iowa tied up.
To everyone here, take time necessary to sort Mike's decision, but stay engaged, and keep a reserve for the candidate you can get behind whomever it is, they will need it. Sorry for the ramble, but I just noticed Mitt's Millionaire extravaganza, and thought I'd give a heads up.

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"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism." ~ Ronald Reagan


You say "Conspiracy Theorist"?? Call me Agenda Analyst.

Glad you brought this up, Melopa. Hugh Hewitt, Romney's #1 flak on talk radio has been gloating about Mittens big haul out in Nevada. No talk of his disasterous speech in Michigan though (wonder why?). The money isn't what will give Romney a chance to steal the nomination out of the jaws of what should be a decisive defeat though, it will be not having a clear conservative alternative to go up against him. I really fear that we could have the conservative vote split up 10 different ways, allowing Mittens to slide thru.

But it was nice to hear Mona Charen totally dismiss Romney as a serious candidate last night on the John Batchelor radio show. She even said Romney should drop out of the race! He's to full of himself to do that, but at least most of the conservative world is seeing thru his charade.

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

Maybe Huckabee could have at least "spoiled" it For Romney (like they erroneously say that he did on 2008). In my opinion that would be money well spent. But again this may all be a "God Thing" and the U.S., which seems mostly forsaken will continue to get poor leadership. If Romney gets the GOP nomination I feel the same Peace about not voting for him that Gov. Mike has in not running.

Money talk makes me sick even Newt only mentions the real contenders as those that can spend all the money. America and the system seem lost.

Of everything that has happened the last few months this is one thing I cannot let go. I am starting to believe that Mark Levin is worried about GH taking his time slot. He is totally distorting what GH said today about Obama wanting to drill finally. Unbelievable!

Mike is so much more professional than Levin. Just because I believe in some of the same ideas Levin has and admire his courage does not make me a disciple. He has crossed the line too many times for my taste. He needs to be replaced with someone who won't give talk radio such a bad name.

Sorry this is such a soap box of mine but I am putting the blame solely on talk radio for GH bowing out.

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I have my tin foil hat on, wearing it proudly, and will take it off on Inauguration Day 2017.

"If there was hope, it must lie in the proles..." George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four