I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone watching former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s speech at the Republican National Convention tonight. Governor Huckabee addressed how he as a former rival could come speak on behalf of Mitt Romney.
Four years ago, Mitt Romney and I were opponents. We still are, but we’re not opposing each other. No, we are mutual opponents of the miserably failed experiments that have put this country in a downward spiral. The United States of America was originally an experiment. But it was an experiment in recognizing God-given individual liberty and creating a government in which we no one is deemed better than another. And in which all of us are equal.
Not equal in abilities, but equal in intrinsic worth and value. It is the essence, not just of who we are, but what we are. Now let me just say to those who question how once rivals can be now united, it’s quite simple, we have Barack Obama to thank.
He also addressed Mitt Romney’s faith compared to that of Barack Obama’s :
I want to clear the air about something that has been said. People wonder whether guys like me, an evangelical, would only support a fellow evangelical? Well my friends I want to tell you something, of the four people on the two tickets, the only self-professed evangelical is Barack Obama. And he supports changing the definition of marriage. Believes that human life is disposable and expendable at any time in the wound, even beyond the womb. And he tells people of faith that they have to bow their knees to the God of government and violate their faith and conscience in order to comply with what he calls, health care. Friends I know we can do better.
Let me say it as clearly as possible, that the attack on my Catholic brothers and sisters is an attack on me.
The Democrats have brought back that old dance, the limbo. To see how low they can go in attempting to limit our ability to practice our faith. But this isn’t a battle about contraceptives and Catholics, but about conscience and the Creator. Let me say to you tonight, I care far less as to where Mitt Romney takes his family to church, than I do about where he takes this country.
This last statement reminded me of a quote that has wrongly been attributed to Martin Luther, “I’d rather be governed by a wise Turk than a foolish Christian.” I guess you could paraphrase that today by saying, “I’d rather be governed by a Mormon who is a capitalist rather than a socialist who attended a church that embraced black liberation theology.” Which also brings me to another thought – when has Barack Obama ever identified himself to be an evangelical? He has been a member of a United Church of Christ which is by no means an evangelical denomination. I know I’m being nitpicky, but I would say there isn’t any evangelical on either ticket.
Will Mike Huckabee’s speech help address concerns evangelicals and social conservatives have with Mitt Romney? I’m sure it will with some, but with others who have made up their minds? Probably not. One thing is certain that it only helps the Romney campaign. This, along with Rick Santorum’s speech last night, was probably one of the more important speeches in helping Romney shore up the base. It was an excellent speech. The other came earlier this evening with Rand Paul.
You can watch Governor Huckabee’s speech below: