Huckabee's attack on Romney's religion--fair game or not?

Question

Republican Mitt Romney retorted to questions about his faith by surging rival Mike Huckabee on Wednesday, declaring that "attacking someone's religion is really going too far."

In an article to be published Sunday in The New York Times, Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, asks, "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071212/ap_on_el_pr/romney_huckabee;_ylt=AvxL6MLi0YRmJ_9UBjzh0kiyFz4D

Answer 1

just when you thought republicans couldn't look any dumber....

priceless

smart move on huckabees part though - appearing more bigoted will certainly draw more of those base votes in.

why don't democrats have debates over the invisible sky fairy?

Answer 2

I guess a Huckabee supporter needs to answer this. First of all, Huckabee has not attacked Romney's religion, so this question is false to begin with. Romney does however seem to try to hide from his religion. He seems semi-ashamed of it. The media has made a big deal over Huckabee being a pastor. People should be able to run for President no matter what job they have held in the past. You want to disqualify Huckabee because he had a religious occupation? Also, just because he was a pastor doesn't mean he would force christianity on everyone. In fact, he has said in every debate that he wouldn't! But people don't listen to that, and keep on with their rants that he will set up a "theocracy." P.S. "Jackie Oh!", you are a few years late with the ethics violations. They were all filed by Democrat congessmen, and they were all dropped because they had no evidence. Reply to LDS girl: All baptist churches are different, but my church (baptist) is NOT racist. We have some black members, and they are treated the same as the white members. I believe that most if not all baptist churches are not racist.

Answer 3

I'm a republican and a mormon, so I can answer you on this. Mike Huckabee went too far. You can't use a religion against a candidate. It's against the constitution. You know, the part that says freedom of religion? But it's true, mormons believe that Satan is Jesus' brother that, before the earth was created, wanted to be our savior by forcing us to do what's right. Instead, God chose Jesus because Jesus believed in freedom to choose to be righteous. That's why Satan went evil, to try and make people go against Jesus to prove to God that he was right. So basically, Huckabee's a jerk because he's attacking a Christian religion and he's a Christian minister.

Answer 4

Is Huckabee running for President of the United States, or in his mind is it President of the American Theology Society?


The More Huckster shoots off his mouth, the more like Bush he appears, with the Hillary ability to slander the opponent in any way possible.
All I see is alot less votes for the Huckster because of his bigoted attitude toward different religions, evolution, and his HIV comments. The American people can see through his charade and see him for the GWB clone that he is. Maybe others will decide to go for Obama and leave the GOP's to hash out religious differences instead of the issues.

Huckabee is the Democrat Parties best secret weapon so far this election year.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, In America Religion has a weird part to play, But what can you say about "Christians" who have tenants in their Bible that read "thou shall not kill" but yet they go off and drop nuclear weapons and cluster bombs on millions of people, Kill Women and Children and call it "Collateral Damage" All Religions are warped and should have no place in Politics, Primary reason. All Politicians are Liars, The Bible says we should take care of our planet, yet America's Politicians and half of its people, who claim they are 90 percent Christian don't want to do anything about Global Warming" Who cares if this man believes jesus and the Devil are brothers, jesus was a human being and his brother may have been the devil people do some evil things. Some people who believe in the Bible say Mary Magdalene was a Prostitute some say she was the girlfriend or wife to Kristus. Who cares! Some people paint him white some brown some black, some Italian, Some, Irish, who cares, what should be important to American people is. how is this guy or girl going to pay for our falling bridges, health care, stop terrorists from killing us, poor people, 48 trillion dollar debt, Recession, New Business, Pollution, decrease America's dependence on oil, and Wars

that is what should be important..

Answer 6

Well, he lost my vote. I hate negative questions when they occur in everyday conversation, but to be posited by a candidate for President is inexcusable.
It has been my experience that people use negative questions for 2 reasons:
1. intellectual laziness- didn't Paul Martin destroy Canada? Huckabee has no excuse, he has a staff to fact check so that he can turn this "question" into a declarative statement with citations... of course the answer to this (and most negative questions) isn't nearly as important as the question itself.
2. to drive the answer/ opinion- don't you like this shirt?
again, the answer doesn't matter, because everyone knows their self-defined "right" response

Huckabee and his big burly brain can take a seat, unless I completely overestimate the American polity, there is no room for this transparent, indirect form of bigotry. What an ***.

Response to Robert G:
One rarely uses negative questions when seeking genuine knowledge. In the realm of politics, where each word matters (politicians and bureaucrats use a linguistic scalpel, we use a sledge hammer), he knew full well what he was doing.

Answer 7

I am a republican, and i don't care about this argument. I think religion is not a big part in my decision.

Romney wasn't my first choice anyways, McCain was my first and Huckabee was my second.

Answer 8

Completely inappropriate attack on an issue that is irrelevant to be president. Attacking Romney based on his religion is a desperate attempt to discredit a religion that is based on the same one Huckleberry believes in. He has proven to not only be a foe for social causes and civil rights, but also a foe for other religions. He's dangerous with dangerous ideas, and should be taken very seriously.

Answer 9

Who is the judge? It's a question. If Romney doesn't feel he should answer something like that then, he doesn't have to. I think Huckabee is way out of line saying what he's saying but, there will always be someone who thinks it's a brilliant question.

Answer 10

I like Huckabee, but I think that comment was in bad taste. Maybe fair game, but alot of things that are fair game in politics are still in bad taste. Huckabee should know better than to comment about theological differences in a public setting.

Answer 11

Context please. Don't take words out of context, they can take on a whole different meaning when you do. The writer of the article knows this, but note for whom he works.