They Like Mike

The NY Times continues their series of candidate profiles with a long, loving look at Mike Huckabee without ever mentioning the Wayne Dumond debacle where a paroled rapist raped and killed two more women.

However, the Times is on this!  At their "Caucus" blog, that is, if not for Dead Tree readers.  Here is Kate Phillips Big Finish:

We can guarantee you that this will not go away. Mr. Huckabee will be asked and asked about the DuMond case. As he has been.

And the Times may even cover it.  But not quite yet.

As to why not, Dave Weigel explained yesterday (Huck's a lib) but here is the Times today:

Mr. Huckabee never abandoned his stances on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage, but his efforts on these issues seemed more show than substance, some observers say.

“Typically in a legislative session he would put forward a primarily symbolic social issue for the session: a “choose life” license plate, for instance, Mr. Barth said. The bill would pass, social conservatives would be satisfied, and the governor would be free to do the health care and education work he was becoming increasingly passionate about.

He's a Republican that Democrats could love.

AS AN INSPIRATIONAL EXAMPLE:  Just to inspire the Times, this is an oldie but goodie example from 2004 of the sort of story that can be done:

If you're wondering how Gov. Huckabee's hundreds of clemencies compare with neighboring states, get ready for a shocker.  Huckabee leads the pack.

He has issued more commutations and pardons than all of the six neighboring  states combined.

Here are the figures for neighboring states since 1996, when Huckabee took office (and keep in mind the population of these states is nearly 20 times ours):
                >> Louisiana – 213.
                    >> Mississippi – 24.
                    >> Missouri – 79.
                    >> Oklahoma – 178.
                    >> Tennessee – 32.
                    >> Texas – 98 (in-cludes 36 inmates released because they were convicted on drug charges with planted evidence).

Total: 624 vs. Huckabee's 703.

Governors in neighboring states almost never grant killers clemency, while Huckabee has commuted the sentences of a dozen murderers.

Can't fault him for lack of compassion, but maybe his judgment could be better.

Comments

[kim]

Ah, a clever demagogue.
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[clarice]

A southern governor--same thing. Is it something in the water? Everytime they open their mouths I hear the sheriff in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas .

[Appalled Moderate]

Of course, the New York Times has significant influence in the Republican primaries...Just like y'all would be dying to know who I would support in the GOP primaries.

[MayBee]

Are you no longer laying claim to being a moderate, AM? Are you now simply Appalled?

[Other Tom]

Strange New Respect.

[Rick Ballard]

Very nice work, Clarice.

He's definitely on a sand rather than a sound foundation.

[Ann]

I hope RUSH reads that on the radio, today!

[Appalled Moderate]

MayBee:

Moderate = GOP? Not right now, I don't think. I suspect I would feel equally at home in the Democratic party as I do with the GOP, for reasons other than the ones I tend to air here.

I'll keep my name.

[clarice]

Thnx,Rick and Ann.

[Bill in AZ]

NYT continues blowing the headwind in Huck's favor, in spite of his un-electablility, er... wait, BECAUSE of his un-electability. They're afraid of everyone else, especially he who must not be named (Fred Thompson).

[Jane]

All of the media seems to be pushing Huck - even Fox. AND I DON'T LIKE IT!

[hit and run]

Huckabee hasn't gotten any closer to the nomination than Dean in 2004.

I'm not too concerned.

Yet.

But yeah, I agree, I don't like it (though I have so little contact with "the media" that I am basing my dislike on your description.

[Elliott]

Jim Geraghty has this bit from a campaign Q&A:

STUDENT: Recent polls show you surging... What do you attribute this surge to?

HUCKABEE: There's only one explanation for it, and it's not a human one. It's the same power that helped a little boy with two fish and five loaves feed a crowd of five thousand people.

Does this explain the skepticism of Huckabee many of us commenters have expressed? Lucifer does get mentioned a lot down here.