Ok, I’ve had a long day at work today, and our Christmas party is tonight*, so I’m going to make this as short as possible.

First up, a nice video comparing Reagan’s “I’m paying for this microphone” remark in 1980 to Thompson’s “I’m not doing hand shows today” last week (via Right Wing News):

Now, I’m supporting Thompson (for now), but even I think there’s no comparison between these two events. Yes, it was a great moment for Fred and it showed us how he wasn’t going to take crap from anyone, but I think any similarities between the two events ends there.

And, I’d like to point out, that until Fred said “No hand shows today”, several of the other candidates DID raise their hand or were in the process of doing so:

I’ve circled them, and they are (from left to right), Rudy Giuliani (who lowers his hand and then shrugs), Mitt Romney (who DID have his hand up and then, when it’s clear the audience is eating this up, lowers his hand and proclaims “I’m with him!” and starts clapping), Mike Huckabee, and everyone’s favorite “maverick”, John McCain. Clearly in this instance, Fred Thompson led and the others followed…rather easily, I might add.

As you probably already heard, Iowa Congressman Steve King endorsed Fred earlier this morning. In typical MSM fashion, MSNBC jumped the gun and got the story wrong, saying that King was going to endorse Romney.

Next up, a pretty damaging hit on Mike Huckabee (simply the latest one, it won’t be the last, I’m sure):

One issue likely to get attention is his handling of a sensitive family matter: allegations that one of his sons was involved in the hanging of a stray dog at a Boy Scout camp in 1998. The incident led to the dismissal of David Huckabee, then 17, from his job as a counselor at Camp Pioneer in Hatfield, Ark. It also prompted the local prosecuting attorney— bombarded with complaints generated by a national animal-rights group—to write a letter to the Arkansas state police seeking help investigating whether David and another teenager had violated state animal-cruelty laws. The state police never granted the request, and no charges were ever filed. But John Bailey, then the director of Arkansas’s state police, tells NEWSWEEK that Governor Huckabee’s chief of staff and personal lawyer both leaned on him to write a letter officially denying the local prosecutor’s request. Bailey, a career officer who had been appointed chief by Huckabee’s Democratic predecessor, said he viewed the lawyer’s intervention as improper and terminated the conversation. Seven months later, he was called into Huckabee’s office and fired. “I’ve lost confidence in your ability to do your job,” Bailey says Huckabee told him. One reason Huckabee cited was “I couldn’t get you to help me with my son when I had that problem,” according to Bailey. “Without question, [Huckabee] was making a conscious attempt to keep the state police from investigating his son,” says I. C. Smith, the former FBI chief in Little Rock, who worked closely with Bailey and called him a “courageous” and “very solid” professional.

Naturally, Team Huckabee is denying it (well, wouldn’t YOU?). Look, you can’t hold someone responsible for what someone else has done (libs try and do that all the time). It’s that whole “sins of the father” (or son, in this case) bit. What this kid and his friends did was horrible, but it should not reflect on Mike Huckabee beyond maybe faltering slightly as a parent. Naturally a father is going to do whatever he can to protect his kids. As a father myself, I’m not going to fault the Huckster for trying to protect his son … as long as that protection is legal.

And that’s what is so damaging about this story. It isn’t what the kid did, but in how Huckabee chose to handle it. Instead of using LEGAL ways to defend his son, he instead chose to abuse the powers given to him by the people of Arkansas. And if that is indeed the case, then he’s not fit to be President.

Finally, John Hawkins took a poll of conservative bloggers for the 6th annual Conservative Blog Awards (he sent me an invite, but I just couldn’t find the time to answer it). As usual, I didn’t make the cut. I’m sure if there was a category for “Most Underrated Blogger”, I would have made it (I’ve been called that a couple of times by other conservative bloggers). Alas, ’twas not to be. =)

Anyway, congrats to everyone else who did make the list (even those who’d rather not have made it).

*I’ll TRY not to have too much to drink, as I’m out of “practice”, but if you see some light blogging by me tomorrow, don’t be surprised!

Update: Steve pointed out that the guy on the far left was Rudy, not Tancredo. I enlarged the pic and yes, it is Rudy. I edited the post to show that.

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