Mike Huckabee Defends ‘Merry Christmas’ Ad, Says Cross Imagery is Incidental
Dec. 18: The TV ad features former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee in a red sweater in front of what appears to be a white cross and Christmas tree. (Huckabee for President, Inc.)
In a new television ad debuting Tuesday in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee does the unthinkable - he wishes early voters “Merry Christmas.”
Wearing a red sweater and standing before a glowing Christmas tree as “Silent Night” plays in the background, the former Arkansas governor asks viewers if they’re “about worn out of all the television commercials you’ve been seeing, mostly about politics.”
Behind Huckabee appears to be a white cross, which may be intersecting shelf lines or a window pane and slowly moves to the right on the screen until it’s behind his head.
But the ordained Baptist minister, who has been riding a wave of evangelical support with his open religious appeals, said Tuesday that it’s just a bookshelf and defended the ad.
“If we are so politically correct in this country that a person can’t say ‘enough of the nonsense with the political attack ads could we pause for a few days and say Merry Christmas to each other,’ then we’re really, really in trouble as a country,” Huckabee said, speaking in Houston, Texas.
Click here to watch the ad titled, “What Really Matters”
In the ad, Huckabee says, “At this time of year, sometimes it’s nice to pull aside from all of that and remember that what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ.”
“I hope you and your family have a magnificent Christmas season. God bless you and Merry Christmas.”
Will Mike Huckabee’s new TV ad where he mentions Christ by name and displays imagery of the cross help him or hurt him?
Have no effect (16%)
Hurt him (8%)
Loading …Catholic League president Bill Donahue said Huckabee went beyond wishing people a joyous holiday. Donahue said he was especially disturbed by the cross-like image created in the background of the ad, saying he believed it was a subliminal message.
“What he’s trying to say to the evangelicals in western Iowa (is): I’m the real thing,” Donahue said Tuesday on Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends. “You know what, sell yourself on your issues, not on what your religion is.”
Huckabee said the bookshelf is “nothing more than a bookshelf” and shrugged off the controversy: “I will confess this: If you play the spot backwards it says, ‘Paul is dead. Paul is dead.”‘
He was joking about the Beatles’ recording of “The White Album” and the urban legend that if a portion of the album is played backwards, the words “Paul is dead” is heard, a reference to the very much alive Paul McCartney.
Meanwhile, rival Mitt Romney launched a new TV ad yesterday slamming Huckabee, the ex-Arkansas governor, for commuting the sentences of 1,033 criminals - including 12 convicted murderers. “Huckabee granted more clemencies than the previous three governors combined,” says the 30-second Romney attack ad.
“The difference between us is that I did something he never had to do. I carried out the death penalty 16 times, more than any other governor in my state’s history,” Huckabee told reporters in Los Angeles before attending a Beverly Hills fundraiser. “That’s hardly soft on crime when you make that tough decision and actually carry it out.”
Romney’s state of Massachusetts does not have capital punishment.
The Romney-Huckabee spat continued throughout the day Tuesday.
“Interestingly, Mr. Romney has commended President Bush for the pardon of Scooter Libby, yet he brags that he never gave one as governor,” Huckabee said in Houston.
Returning fire in Columbia, S.C., Romney reiterated that Huckabee is “liberal” on crime and immigration.
Asked about the Christmas ad, Romney said, “We recognize the diversity of faith and we unite over our commitment to religious liberty, and I hope Governor Huckabee, like all of us, is supportive to the diversity of faith and the liberty to worship God as they choose, and I trust that he and the other candidates will do just that.”
Not surprisingly, Huckabee sounded Monday as if he wanted to declare a holiday truce among the Republican presidential contenders.
“I think the country could use a little good will and peace on earth a little more than they can some tit for tat in the political arena,” Huckabee said.
FOX News’ Carl Cameron, Serafin Gomez and Shushannah Walshe, and The New York Post and Associated Press contributed to this report.
I think this is just a suck-up spew cause he is worried
It’s odd to me that Democratic Canadates go in to churches all the time and get to speak.( I thought you would lose your Tax free status for being political) but if a rebublican happes to do something even remotly christian they get jumped on by the media and others.
Voting for Huckabee next November! I believe you’ll be writing him in.
Huckabee is not a conservative, he is a populist. He wants the federal government to run everything, he wants to force Americans to live the way he wants them to live, and increase taxes since he believes that the federal government is the answer to everything.
He’s Jimmy Carter reincarnated, 32 years later and with a change in political affiliation. I can’t see much difference in Huckabee, Giuliani, Clinton, or Obama, they all want to control the people with the government, or with themselves.
“Give me Liberty of give me death!”
Patrick Henry
Its amazing how he is being attacked for using the word God and Christmas. Even Fox says he ”does the unthinkable - wished people a merry Christmas’, What has this country come to? Mike is the ONLY REAL person in the race. All the others are two faced slimey sales men (including Hillary).
GO Mike, Kill the IRS!!!!!
Mike Huckabee seems like a good guy strong values, BUT he will NOT be electable nationally becuase he is running on the fact that he is a Christian. What else does he have to offer us? Strong faith is important, but we also need someone who is going to be able to lead our country, stabalize our economy, and protect us from terrorism. Mitt Romney is a man of faith and integrity, but he also has the experience, knowledge and capability to lead our country towards a brighter future.
How refreshing to hear someone say what he feels without being afraid of sounding “politically correct.” Go Mike, you got my vote. Not just because you have a nice commercial, but because you are authentic and real. You give America hope and make me proud to be a Christian and an American. God bless you and have a Merry Christmas as well!
I’m gonna vote for him all the way to White House. He is the man we need!
Go Huckabee! What a guy–I’m definitely going to vote for Mike come next November, and I know a lot of other people who will be too.
NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE GOV. HJUCKABEE IS DELIVERING, HOWEVER I ALWAYS GET A CREEPY FEELING WHEN POLITICANS “USE GOD” FOR SELF SERVING PURPOSES.
I thank Mike Hukabee for being true to our christian beliefs and not caving to a few people.
Regardless of your denomination, I believe most Americans are sick and tired of the ACLU and others telling and forcing the people to conform to their mentality.