Is Mike Huckabee Useing Jesus to Get Elected?

When is the last time you "used" someone to advocate for you? Did your friend help you get that new girlfriend because of encouragement from you? Was this person your friend just to get the girl? Did you chummy up to your boss whom you secretly despise to get that last raise? How about your buddy who has a close friend who sells used cars, did he get you a better deal?

A few days ago I visited the Mike Huckabee website, and became involved in a discussion regarding the campaign. Within a few minutes I was confronted with Biblical quotes regarding leadership. Three members quickly informed me that Huckabee was "God's chosen one", another stated "It is part of God's plan that he win the presidency." As I am Catholic, I have no problem with Christianity and hold the personal belief that yes, God does involve Himself in human affairs upon occasion. However, the very suggestion that former governor Huckabee has been ordained by God to be our next President gave me pause. After expressing my opinion that I thought God would help whoever won the election I was promptly expelled from the room.

I had seen Huckabee's previous ad with the title "Christian Leadership" and I admit, it really didn't raise any red flags. When the article regarding his question "Do Mormons believe that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers?" appeared in the New York Times on December 17, 2007, the first major red flag popped up. It seemed either ignorant, arrogant, or prejudicial. It seemed to have no logical explanation. My first thought , Does Mike Huckabee think he's the one who has all the answers about God? kept nagging at me.

I listened some more. I heard accusations start flying from all sides. I made a decision to investigate some of the other candidates. My allegiance shifted and continues to do so. In the midst of my Republican turmoil the Christmas season arrived. I agree with Huckabee that "Jesus is the reason for the season" because, after all, if Jesus had never been born the holiday would never have come into existence. Despite today's hearty debates on what to call December 25th and how to celebrate the day, it's still a national holiday. I have wished many friends "Merry Christmas", and shopped to my credit card limit just like most observers of the holiday.

Today I saw another political ad currently running in the early primary states. Mike Huckabee sits in front of a golden floating cross to express a seemingly sincere "A Very Merry Christmas" and "Celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ." There is no political connotation or presentation of a stance on an issue. It is simply a taped Christmas card. In and of itself, it's a very simple, straight forward message.

I question the motivation behind this newest ad. If his supporters truly believe that "he is the chosen one", does Huckabee believe it himself? I wish I could provide the names of the members of his campaign who make such bold statements, but of course, it is only screen names which mean nothing. The only other time in my life I have heard "the chosen one" it was applied to Jesus Himself.

I ask myself, 'Where is Hillary Clinton's Christmas card to America? Where is John McCain's? Why is Huckabee the first, perhaps the only, candidate to film an ad with a beautiful cross in the background? Do Mormons send Christmas cards? Rudy Guliani is Catholic, is he planning on wishing all the voters a Merry Christmas?

This election is not about Christmas, it is not about "Who's Christian enough to be elected?"(Glenn Beck, CNN Headline News, 12/16/07), or which candidate reads his or her Bible more often. It is about the economy, national security, education, immigration and more. It is about issues concerning Americans. At the beginning of Mike Huckabee's climb to the top of the polls credit was given to his skill at debating, his ideals and the likeability factor. It became apparent he was ready to challenge all comers. Soon his success was credited to the Christian right.

Huckabee became not only the front runner, he appears to have evolved into the authority of all things Christian. It is worthy of our concern and attention. In recent times, excluding JFK's "Catholic speech" And Romney's "Faith in America" speech, a candidate's faith has not been so thoroughly scrutinized and debated as heatedly as it is in this primary season. I ask you to think back a few weeks, who was the candidate to bring the faith issue to the forefront? It was not Mitt Romney, it was Mike Huckabee with his very first ad. The media immediately encircled their wagons around the religious angle to the Republican campaign. It was an suddenly immensely important issue. Now it is close to a full blown war between Romney and Huckabee, and dominates the political news.

Romney protests Huckabee's seeming lock on the Christian vote repeatedly, like he did on "Meet the Press" this past Sunday, December 16, 2007. Romney feels the need to express his belief that "Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Saviour of the World." He seeks to reassure voters that's he just as much a Christian as anyone else. However, Huckabee has his prior career as a pastor to add the preacher quality to everything he says. Behind the podium during the debates is a comfortable place for him, it is surely reminiscent of the podium he stood behind Sunday after Sunday for twelve years at his Southern Baptist church.

Huckabee is surely useing Jesus as his main contributor. Jesus is his high powered endorsement that no other candidate will be able to claim. Like the simple childhood outlook, "I was first in line!" he has granted himself the political backing of a Higher Power. Unlike my friends in the chat room I have no clue what God's will is for next year's election. When I go into the voting booth I doubt I will ask Jesus which little square box to check. I will vote for the person I think is the best choice for me, the person I trust to lead my country for four years. Should Jesus come down to my precinct, tap me on the shoulder and whisper "Vote for Huckabee" I will. I highly doubt that will happen. There are many little square boxes to place my "X" in, I also doubt it will be next to Mike Huckabee's name.