Mike Huckabee’s newest ad leaves little doubt who he’s pitching (evangelicals in Iowa) and who he’s swiping (Mitt Romney).
The most striking and hard-to-miss aspect of the ad are the giant words “CHRISTIAN LEADER” that scroll across the screen. Hmm … I thought he was running for president, not pope.
Anyway, from Huckabee himself:
“Faith doesn’t just influence me; it really defines me. I don’t have to wake up every day wondering, ‘What do I need to believe?'”
“Let us never sacrifice our principles for anybody’s politics, not now, not ever.” (from his rousing speech at October’s Values Voter summit)
We believe in some things. We stand for some things. We live or die by those things.” (again, from speaking to the Values Voters)
Michael Luo breaks it down in The New York Times:
Mr. Huckabee is clearly using his faith to differentiate himself from his Republican rivals. His rise in Iowa polls has been fueled by evangelical Christians, who represent an influential voting bloc. Many of them have been dissatisfied by the Republican candidates who have sat atop national polls. But the emphasis on faith could also be seen as an allusion to Mitt Romney, whose Mormon faith troubles many evangelicals. Mr. Huckabee has waffled in recent interviews about whether he considers Mormons to be Christians. Officials in the Southern Baptist Convention, the denomination to which Mr. Huckabee belongs, have warned their members about Mormonism being contrary to Christian orthodoxy. Mr. Huckabee’s claiming of the label “authentic conservative” and his call for conservatives not to compromise their principles could also be taken as a shot at Mr. Romney, who has been criticized for shifting positions and tone on abortion, gay rights and gun control.