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.
To: A concerned Christian. One of the definitions for “Incidental” is not of prime concern, subordinate. Huckabee may have simply meant that the cross image was not the main concern of his very overt ad’s committment to his Christian faith. Nothing was hidden there. It was very explicit. Huckabee is simply ridiculing the bogus appeal to political correctness that seems to alarm the weak minded. This nonsense is very deserving of ridicule. Even if Huckabee made a mistake, can you not find some room for grace here? Can you not look at Huckabee’s comments in the best possible light instead of the worst? Who would you choose in his stead? A pro-abortionist? A socialist? A gay marriage advocate? I’m more “concerned” about your behaviour and speach than Huckabee’s to be sure. Bad mouthing a professing Christian on such shabby evidence does not speak well of you either.
Mr. Donahue, simply put is a coward and lacks the courage or maybe the knowledge of what God has challenged us to do in this world…………He says that if we are ashamed of Him then he will be ashamed of us………Huckabee will be rewarded one day for his boldness.
May I just echo SCOTT in saying — “NOTHING in a television advertisement is incidental. Everything is analyzed, test marketed, and focus-grouped to death. To say otherwise is an outright lie. So, if this guy is the “Christian”… why can’t he simply say “yes, there was a cross in my ad because I’m a Christian”.” He IS lying! and this, as we all know is still a sin.
Since Huckabee cannot be honest about even this small issue, what else is he lying about? I can’t believe this man is as Godly as he claims to be…c’mon–He is preying on others faith and their trusting nature.
After reading this article I have realized that Huckabee is tied more to the Bible than I initially could have even hoped…he is making out to be a modern-day example of what Isaiah wrote. “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me…” –Isa. 29: 13
Huckabee: A man that above ALL else, even honesty, just wants to be president–and he is faking it (with his lips And his TV ads) to get the vote of trusting Christians. I am worried.
What is the big deal if it really is a cross in the background. Its about time America became a little more religous and morally correct. Our nation was founded on Protestant Christians. As far as the Catholics go, the first founders of America were fleeing the Catholic Church and its persecution. Also, get real people, do you really think Mike Huckabee is going to take away religous rights if elected? Im pretty sure he would be impeached by the liberals if he tried to change anything.
What amazes me about this whole “Church State” separation diatribe is that the very people so determined to separate religious values and state are perfectly willing to merge welfare and state, art and state, science and state, economy and state and education and state. Actually, practically anything can be merged with the state, except religious values. So where should politicians get their values? The Bible teaches about civil and legal issues. Should all Christian politicians ignore that teaching and focus on better, complete, more efficient merging of state and everything else? Huckabee is very refreshing. Our founding fathers never intended to federalize a particular church organization, but had no intention on forcing complete secularism on the local states either. The federal government is not to prevent the free exercise of religion over the local state’a authority. Good for you Huckabee!. Don’t back down!
It is about time someone stood up for their religious beliefs. Is this not a country where we are SUPPOSE to have freedom of religion? Does that apply to everyone? or everyone except Christians? I am sick to death of our society being open or tolerate of all religions, except Christianity. Where is my freedom?
This is nonsense, this country has a tendency to forget about the baby boomers and the seniors who were raised on christian beliefs. All my life I celebrated holidays like Christmas, Easter, Holloween, Thanksgiving, now my grandkids tell me that we don’t say that anymore or we don’t celebrate a holiday like that anymore. Were starting to send mixed messeges to our children & grandchildren no wonder this country is so messed up. I do not tell anyone how to celebrate holidays also how to live their lives., but on the other hand don’t tell me how to live mine. I was raised on this belief that (Family, Duty, Honor, and a higher power will sustend us in life, and also in death.
I realize I am a little late to the game I this one, but I must express my distaste for Catholic League president Bill Donahue comments. Bill in the past has been a strong supporter for Catholic causes and outspoken when the media has attacked us. Why he is attacking a fellow Christian for wishing the country a Merry Christmas I do not know. What does he think we should say “Happy Holidays” and be politically correct. I am a Catholic and am ashamed that this man would say such a thing. If more politicians were strong in their faith we might have more honest politicians. Who does Bill support John McCain (pro-abortion Republican canidate) or does he suffer from that strange affection that Catholics have to support Democratic canidates that do not speak out against the killing of unborn babies and hide behind the first ammendment separation of church and state when confronted by it. Whatever his party leanings Bill needs to understand that he does not have to comment on every topic of the day unless it directly effects us Catholics.
NOTHING in a television advertisement is incidental. Everything is analyzed, test marketed, and focus-grouped to death. To say otherwise is an outright lie. So, if this guy is the “Christian” and “values candidate” why can’t he simply say “yes, there was a cross in my ad because I’m a Christian”. Isn’t lying still a sin, or did Almighty GWB issue a signing statement declaring Republicans no longer have to follow the ten commandments.
Why are you people saying that he should have said it was intentional when it wasn’t? Presidential candidacy is (or should be) based on HONESTY. Even if it were intentional, what’s the big deal? America is a Christian nation, founded on Christian principles. Try telling that to Obama or Romney (Mormonism, btw is NOT Christianity). It’s time for a president who will stand up for Christians’ rights. That’s the only thing I may have against Bush. For too long, atheists have been telling Christians we can’t display our symbols, or say Merry Christmas, etc, while defending religions like atheism and Islam. I’m 16, and when I turn voting age, I will only vote for evangelical Christians, if possible.