Defending Huckabee ... again??? (Sigh)

This is getting old.

I've been a supporter of Mike Huckabee since 2007. I volunteered with his campaign in 2007/08. I was disappointed when he didn't get the nomination then, and even more so when he didn't run in 2012. I remained on the mailing lists. I continued to post in Huck's Army. I continued to promote him and argue for him in places like Twitter and Facebook.

This year, I got excited that he was going to finally run again. But then ...

He kept making statements that were either not wise, or were twisted by the media and his foes.

I found myself again and again arguing with people. "That's not what he said." "That's not what happened." Again and again.

The latest is his support for the Duggar family after reports that Josh Duggar had been guilty of molesting some young women when he was a young teen.

Mike did condemn the actions. If he had also just said he is a friend of the family and is praying for them in this time of need, that would have been fine. But he went further. He said too much, opening him up to attack yet again.

Yes, he was right. Yes, we should not forget forgiveness. Yes, the media, the Duggar haters, the conservative Christian bashers, are exploiting and sensationalizing this story. Yes, Huckabee was speaking like the Baptist minister he is.

But, frankly, I'm tired of trying to explain what he said or meant.

Sometimes he seems to be still in television pundit/entertainer mode, saying too much or saying things without thinking about what he is saying. Shooting from the hip, often with a quip (though not in this case).

I'm guilty of the same sort of foot-in-mouth tendencies - one of the reasons why I knew I could never really run for office.

And now the issues I disagree with him on - like the death penalty, for example - weigh heavier when the enthusiasm is not there.

At this point, I'm about to give up. I'll vote for him if he gets the Republican nomination, especially given the kinds of candidates the Party of Death seems bent on nominating, but I don't see me volunteering with his campaign, or in continuing to defend him in social media.

Pax et bonum