National Review's Jonah Goldberg on Huckabee

In the December 31st issue of National Review (and here) you can find a disturbing analysis by Johah Goldberg about former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, which goes into detail about why he seems appealing to many conservatives and also why they should run the other way. Here is a paragraph from said article:

So why, why on earth, are so many conservatives rallying around Mike Huckabee? He not only promises to be a different kind of Republican and a different kind of conservative, but makes it plain that he thinks conservatives who disagree with him are grumps. “I’m a conservative, but I’m not angry at anybody,” he says to the tittering glee of the liberal press, who love it when conservatives confirm their stereotypes. That government should do good wherever it can, whenever it can, is Huck’s North Star. Whereas Bush defenders say that compassionate conservatism was mostly a marketing slogan that became more only when political necessity demanded it (the prescription-drug benefit, relentless genuflection to post-Katrina New Orleans, etc.), Huckabee’s bleeding-heart conservatism informs Huckabee’s worldview. He gave clemency to rapists and murderers because forgiveness is a sign of compassion. He banned public smoking in Arkansas because he is his brother’s keeper, and he supports a national ban for the same reason. He imports the Golden Rule even into his foreign policy, believing that if we just do unto Iran, North Korea, and China as we would have them do unto us, everything will be fine. “You treat others the way you’d like to be treated. That’s to me the fundamental issue that has to be reestablished in our dealings with other countries.” This is breathlessly stupid.

Unfortunately to read the entire article you will have to subscribe to NR/Digital or buy a subscription to National Review in print. The link above will only get you half the article. Sorry. You will find the New York Times does that, too. It's called capitalism.

Why National Review chose to endorse Mitt Romney over Fred Thompson is breathlessly puzzling. Not that Romney is a horrible choice, but in my humble opinion Fred Thompson is the clear choice for President, being that he is the most consistantly conservative candidate running.