Look out, Huck, Ron Paul's people are gonna be furious

OK, Disciples of Paul, here's the chance you've been waiting for to get Mike Huckabee, the only remaining contender between your guy, Rep. Ron Paul, and the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, that nobody senator from Arizona, John McCain.

Do you know what Huckabee wrote on Tuesday? You won't believe it. Seriously.

Because he needs the publicity and doesn't have the money to buy much advertising to convince the rapidly growing number of Republicans who see the former Arkansas governor as a lingering nuisance who can't take a hint that his presidential hopes are over, smoked, done, dashed, cooked, fried, kaput, finished, completed and hopeless, Huckabee has challenged McCain to a debate. Hey, it only cost a stamp.

Huckabee's letter says: "I believe a Lincoln-Douglas debate so that voters can better understand our views on critical issues such as health care, education, energy independence, terrorism and national security is just what we need."

Of course, the Lincoln-Douglas debates occurred in....

a U.S. Senate race. There were seven of them, each three hours long. (That was in the 1850s before commercials for bathroom breaks.) And, also, the Republican lost that race.

But nevermind, Huckabee wants the spectacle of a debate before next Tuesday's March 4 primaries, when his campaign hopes could become absolute cinders. He'd also like your online signature on the letter for publicity.

But here's the real outrage that will rock the Internet in the next few hours. After paying the now-required tribute to Sen. McCain as "an American hero," Huckabee writes:

"Now that the race for the Republican nomination is down to just the two of us, I believe this is the time for a real discussion about our vision for the future of this great country."

The two of us? As in 2? One more than one and one less than three? Huckabee has no idea what he is in for, dissing the party's other remaining candidate. Just watch the comments section below for a taste. He's completely disregarded the existence of the 10-term libertarian-like congressman from Texas. Who may not have a realistic chance of beating McCain either, but don't tell that to members of the Ron Paul Revolution.

Paul, by the way, has consistently raised more campaign donations than Huckabee for the last year -- five times Huckabee's total in the third quarter of 2007 alone and more than any other Republican last quarter, nearly $20 million.

Paul has been spending a good deal of time recently in his home 14th District where, like Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich, he's facing a serious party primary challenge next Tuesday because he's been spending a lot of time not in his home 14th District.

But that doesn't mean Paul's countless thousands of fervent followers are tied up. Huckabee doesn't know the meaning of evangelical until he runs into Paul proselytizers. First, they will spread word of this Huckabee outrage within their chatrooms, meet-up groups, phone chains and message boards.

They will start leaving hundreds, then thousands of comments on blogs like this. They will, of course, politely remember that this blog has resisted the mainstream media ignorance and written often about their man. So they will direct their displeasure at the Huckmeister.

If the Paulunteers can discover Huckabee's e-mail, he'll get an electronic earful. And once they find Huckabee's campaign schedule on his website and realize that the former governor is also in Texas these days, they will march on Huckabee's campaign events as they did Rudy Giuliani's.

And remember what happened to Giuliani's candidacy.

--Andrew Malcolm

         Typical Ron Paul supporter

Comments

[poppatml]

There is nothing new here. Huckabee is trying to do the correct thing and get a one on one with MacCain. Let them, Huckabee and MacCain, do what they feel is best for their campaign. The more the people hear from MacCain and Huckabee the more viable Ron Pauls message becomes. We, Ron Paul supporters, understand the deck has been and will continue to be stacked against us. The message of Ron Paul will grow in spite of not because of the media. Stil a long way to go, the media is just getting started with MacCain and the convention is a long way out. Pay attention to the canidates and you will slowly but ever so surely hear more and more of the Ron Paul message on the issues of the day, it can't be silenced, the message is more correct than any other message out there. Do your homework, study the canidates and the choice is clear.

[Kathy Smith]

This article was soooooo accurate! I went to meet -up just last night in Port St. Lucie, FL where our Primary has been over for more than a month and the support is holding firm and growing. "WE THE PEOPLE" showed the movie "Freedom to Fascism" and we talked about sticking together to make big changes we want to work from the inside of government out. We are trying to get more like-minded people to run for office and and make real change, the way Ron Paul has done for 20 years. We will not go away after this election cycle, we have just begun.

[Koh Choon Lin]

I support the 3 of them debating on a forum.

[Sandra]

It's an interesting idea to go after Huckabee, but I still think McCain is the main target. Huckabee has been beaten in the polls by Ron Paul before. His fundraising is nowhere near competitive, and he has no nationwide organization (let alone worldwide).

Huckabee owes his success to the media who have now abandoned him. If anybody needs to be giulianied, it's McCain.

I doubt either of them can muster 7,000 people at a rally as Ron Paul did over the weekend.

I would love to see Ron Paul in a debate with either of them. He would be great. He has more wisdom and knowledge of history and economics and how they relate, than both of them put together.

[Vincent M]

These men know that the dribble that comes out of their mouths cannot come close to the words of the good and honest doctor. His words are backed by the founders, his voting record speaks volumes, his loyalty to his family is a role model for us all to follow. Every day I watch these other "candidates" borrow words from Dr. Paul. He is their guiding light and they know no matter how many fingers they stick in this cracking dam, it is about to blow open with such force as to consume everything in it's path. We've been contained far too long, this reactor is on overload, take the women and children and head for cover. Mark these words.

[Kathryn]

Mr Malcolm-

Great job, as always. There is another debate brewing that Ron Paul has been excluded from: Science Debate 2008 to be held in Philly just before the PA primaries. Science Debate 2008 is pulling a Fox News and has decided to exclude one of the five remaining major-party candidates due to their arbitrary definition of "viability".

As a scientist, I am really disappointed and disturbed by this. I contacted the organizers (of course) and Shawn Otto responded that "Ron Paul was invited to the AAAS debate last weekend in Boston and he didn't even respond to the invitation." However, according to Yahoo! News, Huckabee didn't respond to that invitation either, and no candidates were actually present because "the organization had put together the session 'at the last minute.'"

Maybe with the news that Ralph Nader is running, they should extend invitations to both Ron Paul and Ralph Nader.

[Darla]

Andrew, I can just hear your chuckling as you wrote this. Silly Paulites; can't even tell when a writer is baiting and sarcastically draping "compliments" over direct insults and derision. My disdain is directed right now not toward Huck nor the old media in general, but at you, sir.

That you, or anyone, would laugh and take lightly the erosion of our Constitution, and mock the one candidate who actually defends our Constitution completely, displays the mentality and character of those who would willingly trade in freedoms for shackles, while smugly smirking at those fighting for your liberty.

[Grunt]

Neither McCain or Huckleberry will debate Ron Paul as they know that he speaks the truth and maybe people could see that and see them for what they are. I would like to see a debate between just the Huckster and Ron Paul but I doubt any media would carry it. I refuse to vote for the lesser of the two evils this year so I will be writing in Ron Paul

[Mark]

Huckabee and McCain surely would not want a debate with Ron Paul in it. He would eat them alive if given equal time (something that would never happen). The GOP is destroying itself by trying to keep Dr. Paul out of sight and out of mind of the American people.

Obama will destroy McCain or Huckabee in the general election. The only chance that the Republicans have after 8 disasterous years of Bush is to inject some new ideas (like following the rule of law and not policing the world) into the campaign. McCain is simply Bush Lite without all the verbal stumbles that make watching Bush so much fun.

[Robert in NJ]

Ron Paul belongs in any and every debate, primarily because he is the ONLY candidate who has demonstrated an ability and willingness to actually speak specifically about the issues and his positions.

Ron Paul does not play with rhetoric, or make vague statements - he has said exactly what his positions are, what he plans to do as President and HOW he plans to do it. Name one other candidate who has done the same.

I support Ron Paul all the way through the General Election in November. I WILL WRITE-IN RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT if need be, as will hundreds of thousands of others.

As each day passes, we continue to reach out to new voters, and when they are given the opportunity to hear Ron Paul's vision vs. the nebulous and undeliverable promises of the other candidates, they become Paul supporters as well.

[dawn marie clark]

GO DR. RON PAUL! - the only true statesman in the entire congress!
and forget it huck for trying once again to ignore dr. paul. it won't work.
the ONLY debate worth watching is a debate with dr. paul in it!
wisdom and common sense always prevail as he has shown over and over.......it's a pity there are so many dumbed down americans.
ps - just take a look at global economics and see how dr. paul is positioned PERFECTLY!
go doc!

[Thisisridiculous]

What is wrong with you people? Are you all middleschoolers? Malcolm is milking Ron Paul supporters for time and attention...he is not about fair journalist. You guys make me ashamed to support my candidate sometimes. Grow up guys and stop being sheeple. Malcolm is NOT our friend!

[JohnMyr]

Huckleberry is nothing more than a glorified evangelist..The support he is yearning for , from the likes of ultra conservative and evangelsits, are the ones repsonsible for the rot in America..These absurdly rich evangelist who donot even pay taxes , live a rich, luxurious life in the name of GOD and run a parallel industry which thrives on church-going easily gulliable people and exploit them to the core..
They spread hatred and resentment about Americans and the Chrsitianity in thirld-wprld country by conducting covert conversions!!
Every time I see Huckleberry on the debate I find him quite patronizing and "devilishly" humorous and soul searching--a common trait of evangelist who play with minds to find weaknesses and pounce on people's vulnerability..
Even at the cost of my vote going void- I will be supporting Ron Paul.
Long live the Revolution.

[dawn marie clark]

GO DR. RON PAUL! - the only true statesman in the entire congress!
and forget it huck for trying once again to ignore dr. paul. it won't work.
the ONLY debate worth watching is a debate with dr. paul in it!
wisdom and common sense always prevail as he has shown over and over.......it's a pity there are so many dumbed down americans.
ps - just take a look at global economics and see how dr. paul is positioned PERFECTLY!
go doc!

[dawn marie clark]

GO DR. RON PAUL! - the only true statesman in the entire congress!
and forget it huck for trying once again to ignore dr. paul. it won't work.
the ONLY debate worth watching is a debate with dr. paul in it!
wisdom and common sense always prevail as he has shown over and over.......it's a pity there are so many dumbed down americans.
ps - just take a look at global economics and see how dr. paul is positioned PERFECTLY!
go doc!

[brian]

Bob wrote: "We've had nearly 20 debates already. We don't need another one. You learn nothing new from debates any way. Just a bunch of one liners hoping to show up in the next day's headlinee."

I disagree with this point of your, Bob. We have not yet had one single debate using debate format and rules. They have all been question and answer sessions run and controlled by moderators. In a debate, candidates would use the entire time to ask each other questions and to be able to answer those questions.

[ohgosh]

It's sad:
Huckabee's continued support despite his lack of money or good ideas can be attributed simply to the fact that more Republicans are mysticists who believe in miracles than are Capitalists who would sooner rely on scientific and economic truths.
Ron Paul is just the beginning.
Huckabee is the end.

[JeffnDallas]

I think the fact that there are now House and Senate GOP candidates running as (in their own terms) "Ron Paul Republicans" speaks VOLUMES of this man's influence far beyond the primaries and election.

This is not about a "man" but a "movement" as many have correctly indicated.

Huckabee can just keep up his cameos on Saturday Night Live and similar as he seems to enjoy the comedic spotlight over the more demanding spotlight of relevance and consistency.

[danny]

Forget the New York Times... I'm reading the LA Times and Andrew Malcolm from now on!

In my humble opinion, I find it hard to believe that Huckabee is that delusional. He has stated that his goal is to have a brokered convention which is what a lot of Ron Paul supporters are hoping for. After the debates in May 2007, Huckabee started to sound a lot like Paul.... Could Huckabee have had an epiphany?

[Laura]

Huckabee has complained often and loudly about being ignored, yet, he himself began calling it "a two-man race" as soon as Romney dropped out, completely ignoring and disrespecting both Ron Paul and his supporters. Huckabee promotes himself as the "Christian" candidate, yet he is ignoring one of the most basic of Christian principles -- "Do unto others as you would have done unto you" (The Golden Rule). Some Christian! Mike Huckabee is nothing but a hypocrite.

Why doesn't Huckabee want to face Ron Paul in a debate? Maybe because Huckabee has stolen many of his talking points from Ron Paul and knows that the good doctor would blow him away in any debate. Ron Paul is the true conservative in the race. Huckabee is just a poser. If people were really given the opportunity to compare McCain, Huckabee, and Dr. Paul, Dr. Paul would win by a landslide.

Dr. Paul is the only candidate who can beat the Democrats in the fall and the GOP is shooting itself in the foot by not giving him the respect and attention he deserves.

All of the Republican candidates besides Dr. Paul are pro-war. Polls indicate that 70-75% of the American people are against the war. If the GOP were to put Dr. Paul against either Democrat, the war issue would be neutralized. Then Dr. Paul could concentrate on the differences between himself and the Democrats. Dr. Paul would easily win over fiscal conservatives, those who are in favor of a tougher position on illegal immigration, those interested in protecting their Constitutional rights, the pro-lifers, etc. Ron Paul would be able to unite the GOP while attracting Independents and anti-war Democrats. He would also attract Democrats in states which have lost jobs due to NAFTA because of his stance on free trade. Dr. Paul is a man of integrity who always votes based on his principles and he has a long record in Congress to back it up.

The question for the GOP leadership is this: If the war is going to end anyway because a majority of the American people are against it and will vote for the anti-war candidate, wouldn't you rather have a Republican who espouses all of the other positions you claim to stand for end it than a Democrat who will drive our economy further into the ground with all of their programs that they have no way of paying for other than raising taxes, printing money, or borrowing from China? Why do you insist on defending a war that we cannot afford either in the cost of young American lives or in dollars? This war is only inciting hatred for us around the globe which makes it easier for the terrorist groups to recruit new members. Let's bring our soldiers home, protect our own borders, invest in our own infrastructure, and fix our own economy before it is too late.

[ellen]

As a pro-lifer, Huckabee has remained "of interest" to me, but Ron Paul is BOTH pro-life and pro-peace. I am fascinated by Ron Paul's message, and have become more convinced of it, with each passing day. The message takes time to digest, but it is utterly sound. What could be more sound than the Constitution, for example?

Sometimes the tone of some of Ron Paul's supporters is hard to take, but they are good people, just way excited about their candidate. I appreciate Mr. Huckabee for NOT treating Paul's ideas with disdain, and even thought, at one point, that a Paul/Huckabee ticket was a possibility. Too bad...

[Shary Keller]

Once again, he hits it out of the park, rooting for the Champion of the Constitution and his r3VOLution.

Andrew...what can I say...I 3VOL You!!!

[Larkin G. Mead]

As a Huckabee supporter, I do agree that Ron Paul should be included in the debates. His fiscal conservative values are crucial to this campaign, however, as a Huckabee supporter, I do not ascribe to any of McCain's or Paul's social liberal leanings.

In any event, a debate will not take place before March 4 and McCain will in all likelihood wrap this primary campaign up soon. I was very impressed with Ron Paul's campaign and his supporters who have been as fervent about their support for Ron as we Huckabeee supporters have been with Mike.

It is time for the Republican Party to unite and take this campaign to the Democrats, Clinton and Obama. These two Socialists must be stopped as they are both imminent threats to our national security and their Marxist policies threaten the survival of this Republic and our democratic principles.

Congressman Ron Paul is a fine man and I sympathize with all of his faithful supporters and their revolution. As a Huckabee supporter, we have had to "lick our wounds" time and time again as the conservative talking heads and the establishment Republicans have done everything to derail Mike's campaign. Ron and Mike have a lot in common and both men are worthy of our support, but, the establishment folks in the Republican Party will not allow either Mike or Ron to be our banner carrier in 2008. What a shame, what a national disgrace.

[A.J.]

One would have thought Huck learned something about being ignored from the debate in South Carolina. Apparently not. Huck, huck, huck. I want you out of the race, so please go right ahead, ignore the good Doctor: The more you do it, the faster your eventual drop from the race. Remember Ghouliani? (I'm guessing you don't, as you can't even remeber there are indeed three candidates left in the race.)
Ron Paul, FTW!!

[Dave]

"Actually, I think Mr. Huckabee only spoke the plain truth."

Actually he didn't. Ron Paul continues to gain grass root support despite the MSM blackout, and the other candidates have vocally dropped out. So what plain truth is he speaking?