Comments on: Huckabee’s out with a book blasting his rivals for the GOP nomination http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/ Pat Cunningham offers an unabashedly liberal perspective on national politics. A note of caution: The language gets a litttle salty on some of the sites to which this blog links. So, don't say you weren't warned. By the way, this blog's name is inspired by the Will Rogers quote, "All politics is applesauce." Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:14:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 By: SpeckleMe http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9369 SpeckleMe Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:07:56 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9369 maybe "effective" would be a better word than "efficient" maybe “effective” would be a better word than “efficient”

]]> By: Veritas http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9361 Veritas Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:23:39 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9361 Pat, the point I'm making is that the division of the Republican vote among too many candidates is why Romney lost, not unlike Nader doing the same thing to Gore in the 2000 general election. Huckabee clearly extended that split-up far too long to hurt Romney mostly because of his dislike for his religious beliefs, as evidenced by his own veiled criticisms and his tacit complicity in many evangelicals' attacks on him. To your point of Obama's campaign efficiency, he clearly managed a very EFFECTIVE program that utilized some unique tools and technologies, but EFFICIENT it wasn't. He spent a record $573 million, which translates to $8.55 per popular vote and $1.6 million per electoral college vote. McCain's numbers were $293 million for $5.05 per vote and $1.8 million per electoral vote. Contrast that with Bush in 2004 when he spent $345 million (the previous record) on $5.56 per popular vote and $1.2 million per electoral vote, and Kerry who spent $310 million and $5.25 per vote and $1.2 million per electoral vote. Pretty staggering figures all around. Fundraising and campaign spending was a large factor in the 2008 election and Romney would have been able to match what Obama raised and spent. He would have also been able to match Obama's great speaking skills and charisma, as well as brought credible experience in dealing with economic issues that became such a big issue toward the end. All hypothetical, I know, but it's hard to argue that the race would not have been a better matchup between Obama and Romney. Pat, the point I’m making is that the division of the Republican vote among too many candidates is why Romney lost, not unlike Nader doing the same thing to Gore in the 2000 general election. Huckabee clearly extended that split-up far too long to hurt Romney mostly because of his dislike for his religious beliefs, as evidenced by his own veiled criticisms and his tacit complicity in many evangelicals’ attacks on him.

To your point of Obama’s campaign efficiency, he clearly managed a very EFFECTIVE program that utilized some unique tools and technologies, but EFFICIENT it wasn’t. He spent a record $573 million, which translates to $8.55 per popular vote and $1.6 million per electoral college vote. McCain’s numbers were $293 million for $5.05 per vote and $1.8 million per electoral vote.

Contrast that with Bush in 2004 when he spent $345 million (the previous record) on $5.56 per popular vote and $1.2 million per electoral vote, and Kerry who spent $310 million and $5.25 per vote and $1.2 million per electoral vote.

Pretty staggering figures all around. Fundraising and campaign spending was a large factor in the 2008 election and Romney would have been able to match what Obama raised and spent. He would have also been able to match Obama’s great speaking skills and charisma, as well as brought credible experience in dealing with economic issues that became such a big issue toward the end.

All hypothetical, I know, but it’s hard to argue that the race would not have been a better matchup between Obama and Romney.

]]> By: Pat Cunningham http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9356 Pat Cunningham Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:31:20 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9356 Veritas: I'm not so sure that Romney "could have defeated Obama." The Mittster couldn't even win the nomination in a weak Republican field. That hardly suggests that he could have prevailed against the most efficient presidential campaign organization in the history of American politics. Veritas: I’m not so sure that Romney “could have defeated Obama.” The Mittster couldn’t even win the nomination in a weak Republican field. That hardly suggests that he could have prevailed against the most efficient presidential campaign organization in the history of American politics.

]]> By: Veritas http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9353 Veritas Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:36:28 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9353 If the excerpts are any indication, this book is about scoring selfish and petty points rather than addressing serious issues. Consider this. Mike Huckabee is the reason Barack Obama won the presidency. Huckabee stayed in the Republican primary far too long after it was clear he had no chance, and he did not make it clear to his evangelical friends that it was wrong to bash Mitt Romney about his form of Christian beliefs. He shaved just enough votes from Romney to keep him from beating McCain, and Romney would have run a campaign that could have defeated Obama. President-elect Obama won for these reasons: 1) Bush's many policy failures and low popularity, 2) the signs of economic troubles leading up to the election, 2) a weak and inarticulate GOP candidate running an inept and underfunded campaign, 4) the freshness of Obama's appeal in a tech-drive grassroots campaign, and 5) the novelty of potentially being the first black president (which, by the way, I'm proud to see America able to accomplish). Not much Romney could do about the race issue, which was undeniably a factor, but he could have easily stood toe-to-toe with Obama on all other facets of the campaign. If the excerpts are any indication, this book is about scoring selfish and petty points rather than addressing serious issues. Consider this. Mike Huckabee is the reason Barack Obama won the presidency. Huckabee stayed in the Republican primary far too long after it was clear he had no chance, and he did not make it clear to his evangelical friends that it was wrong to bash Mitt Romney about his form of Christian beliefs. He shaved just enough votes from Romney to keep him from beating McCain, and Romney would have run a campaign that could have defeated Obama.

President-elect Obama won for these reasons: 1) Bush’s many policy failures and low popularity, 2) the signs of economic troubles leading up to the election, 2) a weak and inarticulate GOP candidate running an inept and underfunded campaign, 4) the freshness of Obama’s appeal in a tech-drive grassroots campaign, and 5) the novelty of potentially being the first black president (which, by the way, I’m proud to see America able to accomplish). Not much Romney could do about the race issue, which was undeniably a factor, but he could have easily stood toe-to-toe with Obama on all other facets of the campaign.

]]> By: SpeckleMe http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9351 SpeckleMe Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:02:46 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9351 I like him, out of all the Repubs running, I think he was the most stable, intelligent, and all around good guy. Oh, and articulate. I could see him in a VP slot. Wonder how Mc would have done with Huck. I like him, out of all the Repubs running, I think he was the most stable, intelligent, and all around good guy. Oh, and articulate. I could see him in a VP slot. Wonder how Mc would have done with Huck.

]]> By: coldhotel http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9350 coldhotel Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:41:45 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9350 I think that Huckabee and Palin will split the primary votes of the Republican Right; a dark horse will emerge unless Palin can be persuaded to drop out early. Not much chance of that, eh? I think that Huckabee and Palin will split the primary votes of the Republican Right; a dark horse will emerge unless Palin can be persuaded to drop out early. Not much chance of that, eh?

]]> By: Pat Cunningham http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9347 Pat Cunningham Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:40:17 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9347 I hope you're right, Mr. B. That would be a lot of fun. By the way, which of your past predictions proved wrong? And what other visions of the political/economic/cultural future do you have to share? I hope you’re right, Mr. B. That would be a lot of fun. By the way, which of your past predictions proved wrong? And what other visions of the political/economic/cultural future do you have to share?

]]> By: Mr. Baseball http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9346 Mr. Baseball Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:37:26 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2008/11/17/huckabees-out-with-a-book-blasting-his-rivals-for-the-gop-nomination/#comment-9346 I've been very wrong about these types of predictions in the past, but I do believe Mike Huckabee will be a major candidate for the GOP nomination in 2012. I’ve been very wrong about these types of predictions in the past, but I do believe Mike Huckabee will be a major candidate for the GOP nomination in 2012.

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