Can someone explain Mike Hackabee to me?

Nor I.  But I'm a liberal from Northern California, so I'm about as far away from an Arkansas Baptist as you can get.

I did watch, finally, Jesus Camp last night.  I think there's a growing segment of the population that wants someone closer in line with their religious beliefs ruling this country.  I can't say I blame them.  I'd like someone more in line with my religious/political/personal beliefs running this country too.

If you don't like who's leading the pack in your party, then it's time to decide who you DO like, and get out there and work for him. 

I say we have a national election between Huckabee and Clinton - an Arkansas battle...

It would be cool though, what other President invites a movie title of "I *heart* Huckabee"

Aside from his religious leaning and politics, you gotta respect the man for being an active runner, including completing a marathon. 

I love the commercial. I watched it about 10 times before I realized it wasn't a joke. Or rather that he wasn't a fictional character. I chose that video because it's decidedly unpresidential. This one actually bothers me tho:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-BFEhkIujA

While people are trying to explain things to me, can someone explain why Christians are so against evolution? Why can't it be embraced? Honestly, if they just went with god created life as a single cell knowing it would evolve into humans, wouldn't that actually be a stronger case? I've never understood all the science vs. religion stuff. Religion should be embracing science as proof of god's greatness, not fighting it. They just end up looking stupid later on. How's that sun circles the earth stance treating you?

P.S., I'm an atheist, hence the small g.

Actually, the A was a typo, I didn't realize it until you pointed it out. I just spelled it wrong. As for cheating, I don't think that's presidential either, but then again I didn't vote for him the first time he ran, which was just after he was caught cheating, and the next time I believe he was already elected the second time, although I didn't vote for him the second time either. I agree with you that I do have a problem with some religions, Catholic church in particular. Unlike the Catholic church, and despite what you say, I do not feel that everyone has to have the same views as me, or that mine are necessarily right, or that I won't change my mind on something at some point in the future.

To my original post, I wanted to know why he was getting so popular, so quickly because I couldn't, even as a republican, figure it out. Thank you though for explaining that a winner will emerge. I was unaware. 

I think part of his appeal is his "regular guy" appeal. He just seems like a real person.

As my username suggests, I am from Idaho. North Idaho. Where republicans rule. I am pretty middle of the road though and not big into religion. Basically a fiscal conservative and social liberal.

I cant really explain why I am starting to like the guy but if someone made me cast a vote right now it would probably go to Huck.

Kinda like Jimmy Carter.  At least Huck doesn't have a knucklehead brother (does he?). 

Knowing nothing of his religion of politics, I would like the guy just on his sense of humor.  Whether he came up with the idea for the comercial or not...I think the Chuck Norris thing is funny...And I think anyone that is going to the white house, needs to have a sense of humor!

Here's my take:

"Evangelical Christians" (whatever that means) are supporting Huckabee because he's not Mormon.

I would say Huck's Chuck commercial is as presidential as, say, playing the Sax on the Late Show with Jay Leno.

x2 on Huck being an everyday kind of guy.  He grew up a long way from a silver platter, he lost a bunch of weight, he's running a shoe-string campaign, he's not afraid to say what he believes even if it will offend you.

I find that kind of integrity more appealing that someone who is constantly saying whatever it is they think will win them the most votes.  And for many many many republicans, we like the fact that he is an ordained baptist pastor just as much as many many many others are terribly afriad of that fact.  I don't like it because I think he will seek to impose his beliefs on the country through governmental action... I like it because I think it will govern the way he acts, personally, as he carries out the duties of president.

Having the [not necessarily exclusive] debate over religion/evolution has taken place here before... and I think Huck's answer in the second video you posted is a good summary.  He correctly identifies that we all have a presuppositional faith in something, whether that is that God did it, or that it was a meaningless accident.

To your point, there actually are many Christians who think that God was the agent of Evolution... that he did it, but that the means he used was macro-evolution (though I am not one of them).

For many others, including me... when we traced things back far enough we got either God or meaningless nothing, and chose God.  Then we had to work forward from there, and we got to God has spoken.  Then we got to the Genesis account to answer the "where did this all come from" question.

Perhaps it is the topic for another thread, but I would argue that there is LOTS of compelling scientific evidence to support the young earth creationist worldview, and that there is no genuinely-unbiased scientific evidence that convincingly contradicts it.

Anyway, other than concerns over what an overhaul of the tax system would do, I'm the type of guy that thinks Huckabee does have what it takes.  You can yell at me if you'd like... I work in Washington DC, so I'm fairly used to having an unpopular view.

Republicans will undoubtedly have an uphill battle through the entire election process, given the general distain for the current administration... but I must say that once again the dems seem to be trying their best to avoid putting up an overwhelmingly likeable candidate to oppose them.

Just my $.02.

nice post.

Being a liberal (although orthodox in a radical sort of way) Christian who has no problems with evolution... I will say this about Huckabee, I am intrigued by his downhome regular guy persona.  His move to simplify the tax code is ultimately doomed to fail.  However, as a pastor myself, I am stymied by his decision to embargo all of his sermons... if I were ever to run for office, any sermon that I preached would be fair game for people to understand what I believed and who I am.  It's a matter of integrity.  Clearly he is trying to hide something... either some perceived liberal leanings from the evangelical right, OR more conservative positions from a moderate undecided base...

Peace,
Brian

I don't know much about the dude either, but I honestly do not think the country needs someone who may be so religously charged. I'd have preferred Romney, honestly - blah blah, he's Mormon and Christians are against Mormons, but come on, we've already done the "let's bomb the Arabs in the name of Jesus" thing with Bush and look how that turned out...we don't need that again. I go to church and consider myself a Christian, though I am of a more liberal variety than the average Huckabee supporter is, I'm sure. Which worries me because if it comes down to a Conservative Christian or an African-American Democrat, Obama is totally screwed...which says a lot about the sad state of this country.

PS- not all Christians discount evolution, and evolution and creation do not have to be mutually exclusive. At least I don't think so.