HUCKABEE COMES IN 3RD IN NEW HAMPSHIRE!

A huge showing for Huckabee considering the great odds of him not coming even 3rd place just two weeks ago. Its a huge blow to Giuliani, Fred, and Paul.

I bet its those 'Evangelicals', because only the Christian right wingers vote for Huckabee, right? Huckabee is 1st/2nd in Florida and 2nd in California according to the polls, I'm sure all of them are evangelical too.

96% Reporting

	Actual Votes	Percentage	Delegates
McCain	86,802	37%	7
Romney	73,806	32%	4
Huckabee	26,035	11%	1
Giuliani	20,054	9%	0
Paul	17,831	8%	0
Thompson	2,808	1%	0
Hunter	1,195	0%	0

HUCKABEE WINS IOWA CAUCUS BY 9 PERCENT!

THE PEOPLE OF IOWA HAVE SPOKEN: HUCKABEE DECLARED WINNER OF THE REPUBLICAN IOWA CAUCUS!

Here are the results (Source: IowaGOP.org):

1781 of 1781 precincts reporting:

Huckabee - 40,841 (34.4%)
Romney - 29,949 (25.2%)
Thompson - 15,904
McCain - 15,559
Paul - 11,817
Giuliani - 4,097
Hunter - 524
Tancredo - 5

GOV. HUCKABEE'S PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH CCN

I thought this was another great interview of Gov. Huckabee. For those who don't know Gov. Huckabee very well, I recommend you to watch this video.

HUCKABEE'S MORMONISM COMMENT "DON'T THEY BELIEVE JESUS AND SATAN ARE BROTHERS?" UPDATE: HUCKABEE APOLOGIZES TO ROMNEY. MORE UPDATES TO THE STORY

Zev Chafets of NY Times has written up an 8000+ word article on Huckabee and this part got most of the media attention. The article as a whole is positive.

Chapter 3 also contains the admonition to ‘‘keep sound wisdom and discretion.’’ Huckabee is, indeed, a discreet fellow, but he has no trouble making his feelings known. He mentioned how much he respected his fellow candidates John McCain and Rudolph W. Giuliani. The name of his principal rival in Iowa, Mitt Romney, went unmentioned. Romney, a Mormon, had promised that he would be addressing the subject of his religion a few days later. I asked Huckabee, who describes himself as the only Republican candidate with a degree in theology, if he considered Mormonism a cult or a religion. ‘‘I think it’s a religion,’’ he said. ‘‘I really don’t know much about it.’’

I was about to jot down this piece of boilerplate when Huckabee surprised me with a question of his own: ‘‘Don’t Mormons,’’ he asked in an innocent voice, ‘‘believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?’’

The media has finally succeeded in trapping Gov. Huckabee in 'bigotry'. Maybe not.

Here are the developments of this story:

First, the Huckabee campaign came out with this response:

LITTLE ROCK, AR – A report released tonight cites an upcoming article in the Sunday edition of The New York Times Magazine which quotes former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee asking a question about the content of the Mormon faith. In fact, the full context of the exchange makes it clear that Governor Huckabee was illustrating his unwillingness to answer questions about Mormonism and to avoid addressing theological questions during this campaign.

“Governor Huckabee has said consistently that he believes this campaign should center on a discussion of the important issues confronting our nation,” said Senior Advisor, Dr. Charmaine Yoest, “and not focus on questions of religious belief. He wants to assure persons of all faith traditions of his firm commitment to religious tolerance and freedom of worship. Governor Huckabee believes that one of the great strengths of our nation lies in its diversity of thought, opinion and faith.”

After the debate, Gov. Huckabee personally apologized to Gov. Romney about this situation. He reinstated the fact that there should be no religious test. Period.

Here is Gov. Huckabee on CNN explaining the whole ordeal.



You might be wondering, hmm.. Gov. Huckabee has a theology degree and doesn't know what Mormonism is all about? Well, his degree was in biblical studies and no it isn't true that you suddenly become an expert in comparative religions when you major in a different field of study. Usually people take outside time in learning about other religions, Gov. Huckabee hasn't spent time investigating other religions. It is clear though that he knows some commonly heard things about Mormonism, however.

Second, you might be asking - A NY TIMES reporter knows what Mormonism is all about? How is that possible? Well, Zev Chafets is very unique in this regard. He wrote this article defending Romney and Mormonism in the LA Times in Feb 2007. Read the article for yourself.

Who is Zev Chafets? Well here is a short bio: ZEV CHAFETS is the author of "A Match Made in Heaven: American Jews, Christian Zionists and One Man's Exploration of the Weird and Wonderful Judeo-Evangelical Alliance." Clearly, Mr. Chafets specializes in religion and is no typical reporter.

I hope this clears up any outstanding doubts about this issue. Gov. Romney accepted the apology and Gov. Huckabee has said that he would absolutely not talk about Mormonism and he said that no one should/should not vote for any candidate because of their religion.
-------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
Apparently Mr. Chafets is not willing to corroborate the story. He's not willing to admit it, but he's still hasn't rejected the story.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7357.html

Reached Wednesday in Cooperstown, N.Y., where he’s writing a book on the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Chafets told Politico: “I asked him the question about Mormonism and whether he thought it was a religion or a cult.

“He said it was a religion, and didn’t know much about it. There was a pause. Then he asked his question,” Chafets continued.

“He can spin it any way he wants. It was on the wires and picked up by candidates, and I can’t be accountable for that,” Chafets said, adding, “I hope that the article, as I wrote it, was entirely in context.”

Lieberman [Chafets' editor] said she also understood that Huckabee’s question “was an unbidden response.”

Chafets wasn't clear in his answer on whether he explained what Mormons believe to Gov. Huckabee. I'm guessing the context is this: Just as the article suggests, Gov. Huckabee asked that question and then Chafets answered his question. Then the Governor asked more questions and they had a mini-conversation about Mormonism.

This is how the article presents the story:

I was about to jot down this piece of boilerplate when Huckabee surprised me with a question of his own: ‘‘Don’t Mormons,’’ he asked in an innocent voice, ‘‘believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?’’

So my question is, what happened after that? Did Chafets say anything back? It obviously wasn't a rhetorical question. Did Chafets just smile back and say nothing? Or did he actually go in depth about the Mormon faith which led Gov. Huckabee to ask more questions. Remember that this interview was a 4 to 5 hour conversation over a period of a couple days, so it was not a typical 10 minute interview.

Chafets doesn't want to really get in the middle of this and defend Huckabee because they want this article to get more play in the media for business purposes. It's pretty sad, but thats how the media works. The editors look at the columnists notes and also the person's article and try to make additions/deletions as they see it. This one sentence that Chafets used in the article was basically the trigger point for people buy the entire magazine on Sunday. Very unfortunate.

TONY PERKINS: A REVERSE RELIGIOUS TEST ON HUCKABEE

In a Family Research Council Action email sent out earlier yesterday, FRC president Tony Perkins came out in defense of Mike Huckabee. Mr. Perkins knows like I do that if the media succeeds in derailing a candidate just because he has absolute moral views and Christian convictions and not by his/her record, then that would create a dangerous precedent that would effectively ban young evangelicals like me from running for office. Many evenhanded people know that Gov. Huckabee is a sincerely loving and caring Christian, and I can't think of anybody who can better represent us as a Christian.

I agree with Mr. Perkins that if this continues, there will be a strong rise in support of Huckabee regardless of the differences people might have on his policies. Gov. Huckabee is handling the media storm well, and I pray that he would have the strength to keep his composure.

A Reverse Religious Test

Over the weekend I had flashbacks of the brutal judicial confirmation hearings that took place between 2003 and 2005 where certain nominees like William Pryor, Janice Rogers Brown, Charles Pickering, and others were filibustered by the Democratic minority because of what Sen. Charles Schumer called their "deeply held personal beliefs." Those "beliefs" were the religious convictions that led them in part to hold a position that abortion was wrong. There was a reverse religious litmus test applied. A subtle message was being sent that a person had to choose between an active, life-impacting faith and public service. It was wrong then and it is wrong now as it is being applied to Mike Huckabee. Let me preface what I am about to say by first recalling what I wrote last week (Dec. 3, 2007) explaining why I had not endorsed a presidential candidate and at present have no plans to do so. I remain undecided and what I say below does not imply a change in those plans; however, I feel compelled to rise to the defense of Mike Huckabee.

The media had been toying with and even promoting Mike Huckabee, thinking he would go nowhere; however, after FRC Action's Values Voter Summit he began a steady rise in the polls. In my opinion it was not because he finished a close second in the straw poll to Mitt Romney, but because he came out for the first time at our event, co-hosted by Focus on the Family Action and others and spoke unabashedly and unequivocally conservative on all the core social issues. He began to compete for territory that had been ceded to Gov. Romney. That message has resonated and he has not only climbed to first place in Iowa, but nationally he is second only to Rudy Giuliani in the most current polls. There is apparently fear now among the elites that his rise could be real and not a creation of the media.

Enter the reverse religious test that is being applied. In various settings over the last few days Huckabee has been confronted with articles from nearly a decade ago containing statements on the morality of issues like HIV-AIDS, homosexuality and even the need for spiritual awakening in America. He was basically asked to recant. I am pleased to say that he did not recant.

This morning, for example, the lead story on Drudge was a 1998 article from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporting on a speech that Huckabee gave at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptists calling on the church to wake up following a rash of school shootings. The Drudge headline touted, "Take this nation back for Christ," a subtle but clear warning to secular elites. Columnist Richard Cohen wasn't as subtle last week when he said Huckabee is climbing in the polls because of "his obdurate and narrow-minded religious beliefs."

There is clearly a reverse religious standard being applied to Mike Huckabee, a standard that says there will be no defining religious beliefs. I would hope the other candidates, including the Democrats, would clearly and absolutely denounce this reverse religious test and keep the media from going further down this path. If not, I predict that bible-believing Christians will step over policy differences they have with Mike Huckabee to stand by and support a candidate who is being attacked because he believes, as they do, that their Christian faith should actually impact the way they live. If that happens, the recent meteoric rise of the Huckabee campaign in the polls could look minuscule compared to the tsunami of support that he will get from Christians who are tired of the elites who belittle their beliefs and attempt to rob them of every public reflection of their faith.

HUCKABEE IN 1998: TAKE THIS NATION BACK FOR CHRIST

It is clear that Matt Drudge (www.drudgereport.com) wants to take the lead in derailing Gov. Huckabee's candidacy. He has been relatively kind to the other candidates but he's relentless in his attacks against Huckabee, mostly hitting his views on homosexuality and recently, his past Christian statements.

Here's an article that is getting Drudge's attention.
HUCKABEE: U.S. GAVE UP ON RELIGION

Huckabee said ungiving individuals are responsible for higher taxes.
"I'm often asked why taxes are so high and government is so big. It's because the faith we have in local churches has become so small. If we'd been doing what we should have -- giving a dime from every dollar to help the widows, the orphans and the poor -- we now wouldn't be giving nearly 50 cents of every dollar to a government that's doing ... what we should have been doing all along."
Huckabee also explained why he left pastoring for politics.
"I didn't get into politics because I thought government had a better answer. I got into politics because I knew government didn't have the real answers, that the real answers lie in accepting Jesus Christ into our lives."

First of all, let me say that this quote shows how Gov. Huckabee believes in limited government. The government wouldn't have to be in charge of humanitarian and community development programs if there were private entities who had the heart to lead and fund it.

Here at EvangelicalsforMike.com, we try to focus on the 'values' policies of Gov. Huckabee and also his sermons and speeches. I don't want to give the impression that we want a Pastor-in-chief, even Gov. Huckabee said he's not running for that position. His record in Arkansas running a Government for 11 years tells us how he will integrate his faith when it comes to governance. He didn't turn the government into a cathedral. Instead, he tried to run an effective government that served the people. How he handled the folks from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina was very noteworthy, I hope that gets a lot more media coverage.

Coming back to the article, I believe Gov. Huckabee was right on with this comment. If there were more people with Christ-like attitudes and values, the world would be a much better place. For the non-Christians reading this blog, let me stress that right minded Christians don't believe in forcing our faith down other people's throats. However consider this: if your faith in Christ is what defines who you are how can you hide it? It will require you becoming somebody you truly are not. Even in secular settings, I know the current mantra is "To Be Yourself". So, is it wrong to be yourself?

I hope Gov. Huckabee can reassure folks on how his faith in Christ does not discriminate against those who don't believe in what he believes. He will be the President for all Americans of all religious backgrounds.

GOV. HUCKABEE'S SERMON AT NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH, IRVING TX

Another absolutely awesome sermon by Gov. Huckabee. I was very blessed by it!

There are two parts to this sermon.
LINK

NEWSWEEK: HOLY HUCKABEE!

Gov. Huckabee has made the cover of NEWSWEEK this week. Here are the main stories in the upcoming Newsweek magazine

A Pastor's True Calling
Wife of the Preacher Man
A New American Holy War
This is who Mike is

GOV. HUCKABEE DEFENDS AIDS STANCE

As you might have heard, many of Gov. Huckabee's past statements in 1992 and beyond are coming out in public. One of them was Gov. Huckabee's views on AIDS and homosexuality. Conservatives websites Drudge Report and Hotair.com have been hammering at Gov. Huckabee on this (which surprises me).

Anyways, here is Gov. Huckabee's defending his past views. I thought it was a very honest and detailed statement.

From FIRST READ (MSNBC)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Huckabee defended his past stance and written comments calling for a quarantine of those with AIDS, likened homosexuality to "lying" and "stealing" and again lauded the power of prayer in campaigns while speaking to reporters here.

Here’s what he said…
On AIDS: “Fifteen years ago, the AIDS crisis was just that; it was a crisis, and we didn't know exactly all the details of how extensive it was going to be. There were a lot of questions back at that time as to just how the disease could be carried. You may remember the 1991 case of the person who had contracted AIDS from her dentist.

“There was just a real panic in this country, and what I mentioned was that the only time in human history that we had not quarantined people who are a carrier of a disease for which we didn't know where it was going was this time, and if I were making those same comments today I might make them a little differently. But obviously I have to stand by what I said and the fact is that it was unusual for us to do something unlike medical protocols. Medical protocols typically says that if have a disease for which there is no cure, and you are uncertain about the transmission of it that the first thing you do is you quarantine or isolate carriers, and that's historically how we've done that in the public health community.”

But as the AP notes: “When Huckabee wrote his answers in 1992, it was common knowledge that AIDS could not be spread by casual contact. In late 1991, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 195,718 AIDS patients in the country and that 126,159 people had died from the syndrome.

“The nation had an increased awareness of AIDS at the time because pro basketball star Magic Johnson had recently disclosed he carried the virus responsible for it. Johnson retired but returned to the NBA briefly during the 1994-95 season.”

But Huckabee stuck by his 1992 statement, even after a reporter informed him that in 1988, the Surgeon General wrote, "you wont just catch AIDS like a cold or flu because the virus is a different type."

On homosexuality: “I think people have a right to live anyway they want to, but if asked specifically do I believe that it is a normal behavior, I've said all along that I don't, that I think that it is behavior that is outside the boundaries of the man-woman relationship that is traditional marriage.”

Asked if he thinks homosexuality is sinful, he said, “Well I believe it would be -- just like lying is sinful and stealing is sinful. There are a lot of things that are sinful. It doesn't mean that a person is a horrible person. It means that they engage in behavior that is outside the norms of those boundaries of our traditional view of what's right and what's wrong. So, I think that anybody who has, maybe a traditional worldview of sexuality would classify that as an unusual behavior that is not traditional and that would be outside those bounds.”

Asked about saying that there were public health concerns with homosexuality, and he said, “There are a lot of obvious changes in what we understand about the transmission today that we didn't understand in 1992, and I think that's part of the whole issue here. For someone to dig out that 229 question questionnaire, that's going to happen. There'll probably be some more stuff that'll be dug up before now, and that's fine. The one thing that I feel like is important to note is you stick by what you said, and I'm not going to go around changing my opinion on everything.”

On whether he believes God has chosen him, Huckabee said, “Well I've been very, very careful never to say I think God's chosen me, because I think that's a very presumptuous thing for anybody to try to say. So I don't know that, and I did say on that very day that last time I checked God did not register to vote in one of the states in which there's a primary.

“So this isn't about saying God is going to elect me to anything; people will elect me. And as far as the role of prayer, I would like to believe people are praying, not just for me but for our country and praying that we will have a great country and that we'll have a revived spirit in this nation, getting back to that sense of optimism and hope that I've been talking about on the campaign trail. I think that's clearly what's resonating with a whole lot of people.

About using the words “Christian Leader” in his Iowa ad: “It's a historical fact or a description of my biography to use that term,” Huckabee said. “What I've been interested in is that same ad has another banner equal to that that says one of America's five best governors according to Time Magazine. Nobody's asked me about that one, and it's just as descriptive as is the idea of Christian leaders.

“So there was nothing written into that. A lot of people have tried to read something in, and it's more about those who are reading it in. It was not intended to try to say anything about anybody else. It was simply a description of my own biography, nothing more nothing less than that.

“I think it's more about moral leadership, leadership that relates to consistency in one's own life and belief. I don't think a person has to have a particular religious faith to be elected. In fact, I think it's important that we don't have a religious test. Our Constitution says that we shouldn't have one, and I would agree with that. I don't think that anybody should be excluded.

“Go back and look at the tape when Bill Maher interviewed me on his show on HBO a few months ago. I think I surprised him and probably a lot of people when he asked me about Pete Stark's comment, Pete Stark the California congressman, and asked because Pete Stark that week had said he was an atheist. And he asked me, did I think that should disqualify him for Congress. I said absolutely not and, in fact, if anything, I have more respect for a man, who says I'm an atheist and is honest about it than a man who says he's a Christian, but doesn't live like it. So, that's always been my position. I've said that on national television. I say it here tonight and that would remain my position.”

On federal funding for AIDS research and the disconnect between the surgeon general's recommendation and his comments: “Notice what I said in '92,” Huckabee said. “I didn't say that I wasn't for funding, but the question was, ‘Was I for additional funding,’ and I mentioned that there were a lot of diseases that we needed to fund, and that included diabetes and heart disease, and I would add to that Alzheimer's and a host of diseases that effect a lot of American families.

“To single out one disease as the only one that we're going to increase funding for to the exclusion of the others, I think was wrong then. I think it would be wrong now. Do I support additional funding for HIV/AIDS? Yes. I actually did it out of the Governor's Emergency Fund when I was a governor. So my record is one of taking personal initiative to make sure that we did do it, but on the other hand if we only touch that disease, and we leave a lot of people without any consideration who have cancer, who have heart disease, who have diabetes, who have Alzheimer's in their family, then I'm not sure how we can justify that. So that was the point I made then. It's consistent with the point that I continue to make now.”

But what Huckabee wrote then was this: "In light of the extraordinary funds already being given for AIDS research, it does not seem that additional federal spending can be justified. An alternative would be to request that multimillionaire celebrities, such as Elizabeth Taylor (,) Madonna and others who are pushing for more AIDS funding be encouraged to give out of their own personal treasuries increased amounts for AIDS research."

Huckabee added today, “There was still a great deal of, I think, uncertainty about just how widespread AIDS was, how it could be transmitted. So, we know more now than we knew in 1992. All of us do, hopefully, about not just AIDS, but about a lot of things.

“Let me say this, it's flattering that people now are digging back everything I ever wrote and ever said, and there must be something about my campaign that's catching on, but you know if the worst thing somebody can say about me is that 15 years ago, you know, I said that we need to be very careful about this transmission of a disease, then I'm probably going to be okay.”

GOV. HUCKABEE'S FAITH IN AMERICA SPEECH

You might be wondering why I titled this blog post as Gov. Huckabee's faith in America speech. Of course, several days ago Gov. Romney gave a speech at Texas A&M about how his faith informs him. Many expected him to be more specific on how Mormon doctrines influence him and ground him.

Gov. Romney being a Mormon is not the reason why I do not support him. Mormons are as strong, maybe even more when it comes to pro-life, and pro-family values. My concern is his authenticity and his inconsistent and 'timely' shift in beliefs. The concern is that he is not truly pro-life and pro-family in his heart of hearts. Unfortunately, social issues are not the only area that he has been weak on.

I listened to Gov. Romney's speech and I thought it was a great speech. Since I've been following Gov. Huckabee's candidacy so much, the content of Romney's speech was very familiar to me. Gov. Huckabee has been saying the same thing everywhere he goes, he just hasn't gotten much coverage.

Recently Gov. Huckabee said this: "Maybe I ought to give a God speech too, I would have an alter call and an offering at the end". I thought that was hilarious.

Here are some videos that show Gov. Huckabee talking about how his faith defines who he is and how does God come into the picture when it comes to our 'unalienable rights'.

FAITH AND POLITICS



RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES


PASTORS AND PEWS

GOV. HUCKABEE AND CHUCK NORRIS ON FAITH

GOV. HUCKABEE ON KENNETH COPELAND'S BVOV SHOW

I have to be honest, I had some concerns about this interview given Kenneth Copeland's extravagant lifestyle and his preaching of the prosperity gospel. However, after watching all 6 programs, I think this 'interview' was very insightful. It not only helped my spiritual life, I think it also gave me a much better assessment of who Gov. Huckabee is.

NOTE: Gov. Huckabee doesn't agree with the prosperity gospel nor condones any misbehavior of televangelists in general.

The topic was the "Integrity of Character".

To watch all six shows, click the links below:

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

LIST OF EVANGELICALS ENDORSING GOV. HUCKABEE (updated)

This post will be updated continuously as more continue to support Gov. Huckabee. Please check back for more updates.

Last updated: 12/08/07

Here is a compiled list of endorsements of Gov. Mike Huckabee for President by well known evangelicals :

• Baptist leader Rick Scarborough (Endorsement Article)
  
• Don Wildmon founder/ former President of AFA (Endorsement Article)
• Randy Alcorn, Christian Author (Endorsement Article)
• Justin Taylor of Between Two Worlds - (Joint Endorsement Article)
• Joe Carter of Evangelical Outpost
• Matthew Anderson Mere Orthodoxy
• Chuck Norris (Endorsement Article)
• Janet Folger of Faith to Action (Endorsement Article)
• Jack Graham of PrestonWood Baptist Church, Plano, TX (Video 11/4/07)
  
• James Robison, Life Outreach International (Endorsement Article)
  
• Keith Butler, Pastor - Word of Faith International Christian Center in Michigan
• Matthew Staver, Founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel
• Dr. James T. Draper Jr. – Colleyville, Tex.
• Dr. Jerry Vines – Woodstock, Ga.
• Dr. Daniel L. Akin – Wake Forest, N.C.
• Dr. Jay Strack – Orlando, Fla.
• Dr. Billy McCormack – Shreveport, La.
• Stephen Strang, publisher of CHARISMA, CHRISTIAN LIFE, NEW WOMAN, NEW MAN magazines (Magazine Endorsement)
• Jerry Cox, President of Arkansas Family Council – Little Rock, Ark.
• Jim Pfaff, President and CEO of Colorado Family Action – Castle Rock, Col.
• Kelly Shackelford, President of Free Market Foundation – Plano, Tex.
• Phil Burress, President of Citizens for Community Values – Ohio
• Thomas A. Glessner, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates
  
• Matt Reisetter, Evangelical leader in Iowa
  
• Star Parker, President of CURE (Endorsement)
  
• Rick Calhoun, Former Chairman of the Arkansas Eagle Forum
  
• Zig Ziglar, Christian author/ motivational speaker
  
• Jerry Jenkins, Christian author (left behind series)
  
• Tim Lahaye, Christian author(left behind series)
  
• Joseph Fuiten, Pastor of Cedar Park Church in Bothell (and 29 others in the Seattle area)
• Karen Testerman, Founder and Executive Director of the Cornerstone Policy Research;* New Hampshire
  
• Michael Farris, Chair of Home School Legal Defense Association* and Chancellor of Patrick Henry College;* Virginia
  
• Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Springdale
  
• Michael Heath, Executive Director of Christian Civic League of Maine
  
• Bishop John Gimenez, International Overseer of Rock Ministerial Family, VA
  
• Pastor Anne Gimenez, Co-founder and pastor of Rock Church in Virginia Beach
  
• Dr. Mark Bailey, President of Dallas Theological Seminary
• Tim LaHaye, Christian author
• Chuck Hurley, Iowa Family Values Activist
• Dr. Charmaine Yoest, Vice President of Communication, FRC
• Jerry Falwell Jr., Chancellor of Liberty University
  

News Releases from the Huckabee campaign regarding endorsements:

11/27/07 - Huckabee announces Faith and Family Values Coalition
11/19/07- Jerry Jenkins and Zig Ziglar
11/16/07- Washington State faith leaders
11/16/07- Star Parker
11/13/07- Matt Reisetter
11/11/07- General faith community
11/09/07- Prominent Southern Baptists
11/28/07 - Endorsement of Jerry Falwell Jr.
12/04/07 - Endorsement from Georgia Right to Life Coalition
12/05/07 - Iowa Pastors Coalition
12/05/07 - Dr. Yoest joins Huckabee campaign

CNN YOUTUBE DEBATES: HUCKABEE'S HOMERUN PERFORMANCE

I was both amazed and perplexed by the CNN Youtube debates. On one hand, I was amazed by the eloquence of Gov. Huckabee's answers and the other hand, I was frustrated that he wasn't asked any significant questions on policies. All of the God questions went to him.

Pundits agree that Gov. Huckabee won the debate. Gov. Huckabee's ability to speak to all Americans in a humble and direct way not only inspires Christians, but also non-Christians. I have not ceased to be amazed at how he does this.

Here are some of the main questions that were asked:

ON THE DEATH PENALTY, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?


DO YOU BELIEVE EVERY WORD OF THE BIBLE?


WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE SUPPORT OF THE LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS?


WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION?


WHY DON'T AFRICAN AMERICANS VOTE REPUBLICAN

Mike Huckabee Announces 30-member Faith and Family Values Coalition

More great news...

Former Southern Baptist Convention President James Draper Joins Christian Activist-Syndicated Radio Host to Lead 30-Member Coalition for Huckabee

Little Rock, AR – Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee announced that Dr. James Draper, former pastor, past president of Southern Baptist Convention, and recently retired president of Lifeway Christian Resources, will join Christian activist and syndicated radio host, Janet Folger, as a co-chair in the formation of the Faith and Values Coalition for Mike Huckabee.

“I’m proud to have this impressive group of faith leaders join me in my efforts to reach out to Christian and social conservatives across the country,” Huckabee said. “I don’t come to these people for their support, I come from them. Together, we will continue to spread my message of hope and optimism.”[Read more.... ]

John King CNN: Faith and Politics mix easily for Gov. Huckabee

Link to Article

This article goes to show that Gov. Huckabee is not the typical politician. He has the ability to communicate the tenets of his faith in such a genuine way that it doesn't appear that he's judgmental or negative. This article is a must read.

RINDGE, New Hampshire (CNN) -- The Cathedral of the Pines is a rural New Hampshire jewel, a perfect spot for prayer or reflection, tucked into the rolling hills.

Mike Huckabee is as comfortable at the pulpit as he is on the campaign trail.

And it's the perfect place for a preacher-turned-politician like Mike Huckabee to take a walk, and take a break from the rigors of the presidential campaign.

Huckabee is the surprise of the Republican race, and a real-time lesson in the often blurry line between God and politics.

"I put my head on the pillow and I just want to make sure that the father above is pleased," Huckabee told CNN when a recent interview turned to the subject of his his faith influences his politics. "In essence, I can say that I have one client I have to please."

This past Sunday, he demonstrated his comfort at the pulpit in a Baptist church in South Carolina.

"I am here today to talk about Jesus and not to talk about me," Huckabee told congregants.

"If you have been a pastor as I have and then you run for office, you have people who are incredibly uncomfortable with all that," said Huckabee, who was a small town Southern Baptist pastor before entering politics.

Huckabee is anything but uncomfortable about faith-based politics, often discussing his faith, and making it a central theme of his new Iowa TV ad.

"Faith doesn't just influence me -- it defines me," Huckabee says in the ad.

Not since religious broadcaster Pat Robertson sought the Republican nomination in 1988 has someone so openly defined by faith had such a prominent role on the national political stage.

"It's very rare to have someone who has a religious background; who's been a pastor; who has also served in high public office such as a governor or senator and can put those roles together effectively," said John Green, a University of Akron professor who studies the role of religion in politics.

In a recent interview with CNN, I asked Huckabee if he felt a "calling" to run for president -- and he responded with his trademark sense of humor.

"I'm not going to go around saying God wants me to be president, because the last time I checked God isn't registered to vote in any of the primary states," Huckabee said. "Now if he shows up to vote, I am certainly going to solicit his support."

His strength in Iowa comes from evangelicals who see him as one of their own.

"His pro-life stance. His stance on the marriage issue. ... Iowa has a pretty large constituency that comes from a conservative pro-family, pro-life perspective," said Steve Scheffler of the Iowa Christian Alliance.

Huckabee's biggest short-term challenges are building deeper organizations in Iowa and other early nominating contests, and improving his fund-raising.

But a longer term question, if there is a longer term for his candidacy, is whether the focus on faith that works in conservative states like Iowa and South Carolina becomes more controversial elsewhere.

"Most Americans are very comfortable with religion and politics," Green said in a CNN interview Tuesday. "But there is a large minority of Americans, perhaps 25 percent, perhaps a third of the electorate depending exactly how you ask the question, that would have some real downs about having someone with a religious background, a clergy person in high public office."

But, so far, Green gives Huckabee high marks on his handling of the issue.

"Up to this point, [former Arkansas] Gov. Huckabee seems to have done a very good job of talking about his faith and politics in a very comfortable and apparently sincere fashion -- that's a bit unusual," Green said. "There are many politicians who have a hard time putting those two things together.

"Of course, we're looking at Republican primary voters now, which are a group of people that tend to value faith to a very great extent," Green added. "This strategy may not work as well in a general election."

Huckabee, of course, would love the chance to put that question to the test.

NEW HUCKABEE AD: 'BELIEVE'

Another great Ad from the Huckabee campaign. They truly know how to use the money they have wisely.

To contribute to the campaign for more great Ads, CLICK HERE.



CONTRIBUTE HERE.

CONCORD MONITOR: Huckabee charmed his congregations

I thought this was a great article that really does show where the present 'Former Governor' Mike Huckabee came from and his road from the pastorate to politics.

LINK TO THE ARTICLE

Excerpt:

Everybody knew Mike Huckabee," said Dewayne Tanton, director of the Harmony Baptist Association, an organization of area churches. "He meant a whole lot to Pine Bluff while he was here."

Television was a big reason why. In both Pine Bluff and Texarkana, where Huckabee went to preach in 1986, he hosted a show called Positive Alternatives. In Pine Bluff, it was a 30-minute weekly spot that focused on community events. It aired on the church's station, Channel 65, "The Channel with a Heart."

Huckabee was comfortable on camera and made others feel the same.

"He made you feel better about yourself," Tanton said. "On the show, he interviewed different churches. Any pastor could come on . . . and talk about upcoming programs. If it was the Christmas musical, he'd ask what musical you were doing, who wrote it, how many are in the choir."

But the show wasn't all religious. It also covered the local Little League, and it featured cancer telethons and events at the mayor's office. Huckabee believed that being a good Christian meant more than just going to Bible study, congregants said. It meant taking your kids to ball games and the county fair.

That message was so important to Huckabee that when Beech Street First Baptist Church in Texarkana asked him to pastor there, he insisted on starting another television station.

"When he got here, he just made it happen," said Burns Barr, the station's director. "There was no obstacle he couldn't overcome. If you told him, 'We can't do this; we need $100,000,' he'd come up with $100,000."

Eventually, the people of Texarkana, a city of less than 30,000, embraced Huckabee as their own.

"There were people all over town who referred to him and thought of him as their pastor, but they'd never set foot in the church proper," said Harris, who lived there at the time. "But if they had a death in the family or if their son went to jail, they'd call Mike because he was the only preacher they knew."

Gov. Huckabee's Thanksgiving Letter

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a "Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father." Since I am a preacher who loves to expound upon written texts, I want to share with you an excerpt of this proclamation:

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence [sic] have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battle-field, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and with one voice, by the whole American people.

When I read these words, I was floored by President Lincoln's optimism.

By the time that Mr. Lincoln had issued this proclamation, more than 350,000 men from both the North and the South had died in bitter fighting—at a time when the national population was only 30 million. (It would get even worse; another 300,000 would die before the war's end.) Still, the President remained positive during a time of crisis. Even though the country was falling apart right before his eyes, Mr. Lincoln still could find a reason to give thanks to Almighty God.

Today, we have serious problems in our country; there is no denying this fact. The threat of terrorism is real. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have divided our nation. The economy has been weakened by high gasoline prices, rampant foreclosures, and a weakened U.S. dollar. On top of this, respect for traditional moral values, such as marriage and family, are under assault from the left-wing elements of our society.

Despite these problems, I remain hopeful. I truly believe that America's best days are still ahead of her. And for this, I am thankful to God.

I am thankful that one day the war on terror will end, not because we have lost, but because we have won!

I am thankful that one day our economy will rebound, not because of governmental micro-management, but as a result of America's entrepreneurial resolve.

I am thankful that one day the born and the unborn will be equal under the eyes of the law in every state.

Now I can't promise you that these goals will be achieved in my lifetime or even in yours. I cannot predict the future. However, I can promise you that if I am entrusted with the office that was once held by Abraham Lincoln, I will fight to restore America's collective optimism.

America needs a President who is not moved by what he sees. Instead, America needs a President who will be moved by what he sees in his heart.

What I see in my heart for this great country can hardly be expressed with words. But with your continued prayers and support, I pray that I will be able to express these ideals through my actions as President.

Thank you. God bless you. God bless America.

And, before I forget, happy Thanksgiving.

Mike Huckabee

Video: Zig Ziglar Endorses Gov. Mike Huckabee for President

Zig Ziglar, a prominent Christian motivational speaker has endorsed Gov. Huckabee for President. Here is a video of him speaking about his endorsement of the Governor.



For those who don't know who Zig Ziglar is, here is an excerpt from his website ZigZiglar.com

Zig Ziglar

A talented author and speaker, Zig Ziglar has an appeal that transcends barriers of age, culture and occupation. Since 1970, he has traveled over five million miles across the world delivering powerful life improvement messages, cultivating the energy of change.

He has shared the platform with such distinguished Americans as Presidents Ford, Reagan and Bush, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Paul Harvey, Dr. Robert Schuller, plus numerous U.S. congressmen and governors. A well-known authority on complete and balanced success, Zig Ziglar has been recognized three times in the Congressional Record of the United States - for his work with youth in the drug war, and for his dedication to America and the free enterprise system.

Zig Ziglar's corporation is built upon the same philosophy he expounds to his audiences - hard work, common sense, fairness, commitment and integrity. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Ziglar offers public seminars, customized educational programs, workshops and keynote speakers - all focused on personal and professional development. Profoundly affecting the lives of people, Zig Ziglar has a client list that includes thousands of small and mid-sized businesses, Fortune 500 Companies, U.S. Government agencies, churches, schools and non-profit associations.

In addition, Mr. Ziglar has written twenty-five celebrated books on personal growth, leadership, sales, faith, family and success, including See You at the Top, Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World, Top Performance, Courtship After Marriage, Over The Top and Secrets of Closing the Sale. Nine titles have been on the best seller lists; his books and tapes have been translated into over thirty-eight languages and dialects.

In 1998 Success For Dummies and Confessions of a Grieving Christian were released. Not long after that the 25th Anniversary Revised Edition of See You at the Top and Staying Up, Up, Up in a Down, Down World were released. His autobiography, ZIG, was published in July 2002, Conversations With My Dog in 2003, and his NEWEST book, God's Way is Still the Best Way, has just been released!