Feb 08 2008

Dobson’s new venture: Focus on the Failure! Endorses Huckabee.

Posted by: Neocon in 2008 Race, Conservatism, Religion, Republicans, Rove

Huckabee to Get Evangelical Leader’s Nod.

James Dobson, one of the nation’s most prominent evangelical Christian leaders, is about to endorse former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, The Associated Press has learned.

Dobson, founder of Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Focus on the Family, talked to the GOP presidential hopeful Thursday and later was to release a statement explaining his choice, said Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Dobson.

Huckabee had long sought Dobson’s endorsement, believing he is the best fit to advance Dobson’s conservative, moral worldview.

Until now, Dobson had never endorsed a GOP presidential hopeful during the primary campaign. But he ruled out front-runner John McCain in a blistering commentary on Super Tuesday, and on Thursday the fight for the GOP nomination narrowed to a two-man race between McCain and Huckabee, who is far behind in the delegate count but pledged to fight on. Mitt Romney, a third hopeful trying to claim the conservative label, dropped out of the race Thursday.

The media says the nomination is sowed up. The party pretty much says the same. Even evil Rove said on Hannity and Colmes that the Huckster would have to get some 80% of the remaining delegates in order to win the nomination. So what gives? We’re all still debating why Huckabee is even still playing the home game, and all this does is confuse things more. He isn’t going to win. He hasn’t even been dominating with Evangelical voters, which was a perception spun both way (positive or negative) early on in the race.

And what about Dobson? He’s been playing this ‘I’m not going to endorse’ game for a while now, even making a pledge not to endorse very recently (audio and context at Hot Air) when he gave McCain the no go and Romney the roundabout nod. Is this just desperation at the realization that McCain will be the nominee? Did he really think that his last minute ‘eh, okay’ to Romney would push him over the top? Or are we seeing a more concerted effort by the social conservatives to steer the party? Forget that, are they just trying to have a sliver of say when it comes to convention time?

As I said before, Huckabee no longer serves a purpose in McCain’s narrative. This reads to me like desperation on the part of a religious group of people who feel slighted and ignored by the party process coupled with a self-absorbed candidate as their figurehead who just has to try every last thing to ‘get his’ before the day is done.

It would be very interesting to see a Romney endorsement of McCain as a result of this in. Will Huckabee be successful in proving his relevance or will he inadvertently push Straight Talk and Mitt closer together? (Can’t help but keep hope for that McCain/Romney ticket that won’t happen)

Either way, the Huckster won’t be on top of the ticket. That is guaranteed.

Update 2/11/08 2:20PM CST: Sometimes hail Mary passes work, and that’s disturbing.