Huckabee, The "Christian Leader"

Mike Huckabee has made his Christian belief into a political campaign strategy.  First, uses his religion as a means of defining himself.  Huckabee’s U-tube ad starts with the title “Christian Leader.” 

Second, there is the question Huckabee slipped into a New York Times Magazine article, he wrote, in which he asked “Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?”  The way he posed the question it seemed to suggest that if Mormons buy into that belief (which they don’t and Huckabee knows it).  His question suggests that Mormons might be devil worshipers.  It was a slam against Mitt Romney who is a Mormon.  Huckabee said he posed the question in jest.  Later, he apologized to Romney, saying he would never insult another’s religion.   Personally, I’m hard pressed to imagine that Huckabee did not know exactly how that message would be perceived. 

Third, is the Huckabee Christmas advertisement, in which he wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and says we should all forget politics for a while and remember that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus.  In the ad, as Huckabee speaks, the camera moves slowly to the left and a cross seemingly suspended in the background materializes.  The cross turns out to be the shelves of a bookcase.  However, the symbolism is difficult to miss.  Huckabee says there is no intention to use religion to score political points.  However, Huckabee pays thousands of dollars to make campaign spots.  I don’t think anything appears in them that is not carefully thought out. 

I have no problem with a political candidate who has faith.  Indeed, I do think that a person who aspires to be President of the United States should have faith in something beyond her or himself.  However, I do not like a political candidate that uses faith to chalk up political gains.  That is what Huckabee seems to be doing. 

Huckabee seems to be using his faith as a means to an end, to get himself elected President of the United States.  I liked what candidate Ron Paul had to say about the way Huckabee is running his campaign.  Paul quoted author Sinclair Lewis, “…when fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”  Paul went on to say that “… you wonder about using a cross, like he is the only Christian or implying that subtly.” 

What Huckabee seems to be trying to do with this ad is to change the subject from the points Romney is making about Huckabee’s tenure as Governor of Arkansas.  He is trying to subtly communicate to anyone who might think that Mormonism is a cult “don’t worry there is a ‘Christian leader’ running.”  To me that is blatantly using religion to put down an opponent and make political points.       

Technorati Tags: Christianity Mike Huckabee Mormonism Politics Politics