Huckabee and the Baptists

DETROIT -- One of Mike Huckabee's biggest assets on the campaign trail is glibness. The guy talks, people laugh. But some jokes just don't work.

In a speech before some 600 people at the Detroit Economic Club Friday, Huckabee made followers of his own faith the butt of an odd joke.

"People have wondered why my campaign has done what it's done and, without a whole lot of money, gotten where it's gotten. And some people say, 'Oh, it's the evangelical vote.' Well, I hope that they'll be with me. The one thing I know about evangelicals, particularly my brand, Baptists, only thing you can count on them to be is divided. [laughter] Where two or more Baptists gather together there's at least seven different opinions. [lighter laughter] When people say, ' Are all the Baptists behind you?' I say, 'Well all the Baptists are active in my campaign. Half active for me. Half active against me. But that's about all I can say about 'em." [slight titter]

Not the kind of gag the former Arkansas governor would likely want to use again.

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[Greg]

I have been a Republican for long and i understand what Huckabee is saying. My party has forgotten the working people of America. They've pursued policies that benefits big businesses and corporation. It's time to take back our party and our nation from this elies. Huckabee is the man that can do this. He's one of us and one from us. they hate him and are using all their media talking heads to bash him. Let's prove them wrong. Let's make this cause a success. It's time for America's greatest hour.

[Ian]

Mr. Romney represents the disenfranchisement that those who aspire to wealth feel, While at Bain Capital, Mr. Romney used offshore corporations (and continues to) in order to avoid U.S. taxation (increasing the burden on those who do pay up), and he fee-milked acquired businesses before firing workers and taking them into bankruptcy, to amass his great $250,000,000 wealth. Pretty good manager, eh?

So, when you compare how Mr. Huckabee's visionary FairTax advocacy compares to Romney's interest in the current tax system, it's pretty easy to see who will lead us out of tax slavery - the $265 billion annual tax code compliance costs representing 5 billion wasted hours, annually.

Yes, Mr. Huckabee has nailed it, "The people want a President who reminds them of the guy they worked with . . . not the guy who laid them off."

[michael]

I'm a life-long Baptist and actually have heard this joke in several Baptist churches, told by Baptists.

So, this joke is no big deal. Most Baptists would laugh at it because it's true.