Obama and Huckabee
A few thoughts:
The media will continue to misinterpret Huckabee by taking his religion too seriously. The best evidence for what Huckabee has done is past practice. What is certain is that he rocks the true religion of the modern Republican Party: Tax Cuts. The complaints that he has been pushy or thin-skinned are less important than whether he's actually made some effective changes in Arkansas. Those angry at the Republican Party should celebrate. Christian conservatives might have started realizing What Is The Matter with Kansas: economic conservatives have been taking advantage of rural pieties.
I think Romney would do fine as president, personally, but he will go down in flames because he cannot handle the irrationality within the party. I doubt he is religiously convicted. I don't think he's much of a fiscal conservative. He's got a nice haircut. Not that I'm voting for him. But he wasn't too much of a jerk on civil unions and had something reasonable to say on health care. Not what I would have liked, but I recognize that politicians work in the realm of the practical.
When Obamites were asked about why they voted, they repeated "change." Although I'm impressed with his victory, I distrust mantras. Pocket change? Change for what? It is testimony to George Bush that the one thing people are sure of is that they want a change in administration. What has been proven is that Obama pulls from a wide variety of individuals and is probably far more electable than Hilary. He's got the Chicago connection - something Kennedy certaintly needed. I think he has some good political acumen - as Harold Washington had. And idealism. If you want to know who Obama is probably seeking to emulate - it's Harold. And that would be amazing.
Edwards didn't expect such a high turn out, and that it would surge for Obama. Edwards pulled from the party faithful - less so from the independents as Obama did. This should send a message to the Democratic party stalwarts who support Clinton - the economy is important. The bonuses given to people who fire working class Americans isn't very popular.
Obama will be grilled for his association with Jeremiah Wright's church. I think Pastor Wright is brilliant and a Godly man. He is also a liberation theologian. I'm of the view that liberation theology is the most appropriate theology for the day, myself. But it scares people. I have a few quibbles with Pastor Wright, as the friendly Episcopalian.
The media will harness that fear because... its fun to do so. Because it takes at least twenty minutes to describe liberation theology, Barak Obama will justifiably distance himself, for the sake of sound bites. Unless he can just repeat that Jesus also liberated Black people. Unfortunately, he won't be able to take the next step, which is the truth that the path of Jesus liberated us from all identity politics.