Huckabee contemplates suicide for “guys who spent tens of millions of dollars and aren’t further ahead”
I was disgusted when I saw the video below. How long will Huckabee get a pass on this kind of language? Who wants their President talking this way? Last time I checked, suicide is at best morally ambiguous and at worst a mortal sin. How can a “Christian leader” talk so lightly about such a tragic act that takes over 30,000 lives per year (and another 24,000-750,000 attempted suicides) in the United States and leaves a massive wake of devastation?
“…and the point is, with limited resources, if you look at where we are, even in the national polls, we’ve spent a nickel to the hundred dollar bill of some of these guys. It’s not that I’m depressed thinking where we are, heck, I’m pretty encouraged. If I were some of these guys who spent tens of millions of dollars and weren’t any further ahead, I’d have to be sitting in a warm tub of water with some razor blades in both hands at this point saying how much money does one have to spend uh, you know, to get on track?“
First, let’s set aside that he gets his math wrong by two orders of magnitude (he meant to say a nickel for every dollar unless he believes that Romney has spent $654M in Iowa). Those kinds of gaffes are par for the course for Huckabee.
What is he saying here? Is he saying that Romney should be depressed and commit suicide? Is he saying that if he were in Romney’s place he would be committing suicide? That seems more likely. In that case, what does it say about the moral fiber and character of Romney vs. Huckabee that Mitt is nowhere near considering suicide given that’s where Huckabee would have ended up were their situations reversed? Do we really want someone so unstable and suicidal as our next POTUS?
Huckabee fans, before you accuse me of being willfully literal in my interpretation of Huckabee’s comments, let me assure you that what I think Huck is really saying is that he feels really good about his position in Iowa and that Mitt should feel really bad.
I just object to the way he’s saying it. It is crass, mean spirited, and unbefitting a public office holder, much less a “Christian Leader.”
I sent emails to the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) letting them know about Mike Huckabee’s disgusting and trivializing remarks about suicide. These are leading suicide prevention and issue advocacy organizations.
If you feel similarly, you can email the AAS at info@suicidology.org and the AFSP’s Public Relations Manager, Wylie Tene at wtene@afsp.org.
UPDATE: Apparently, this story first broke back in October. And, it’s not the first time he’s done it, and he’s been called on it in the past. “Razor blades in a bathtub” is a regular part of Huckabee’s repertoire.
Implication? He must actually think that this line is funny and continues to use it despite being made aware that it can be taken the wrong way!
December 28th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Well, the unmentioned here is that Huckabee doesn’t have to continually address his mormonism during an election campaign. Otherwise, it’s not necessary to get too offended by his comments. Whenever, I hear something by which I’m inclined to be offended, I ask myself the question: “is there really anything else the guy can say to promote himself?” With respect to this comment, the answer is “not really.” I mean, earlier on these boards Huckabee was criticized for his lack of money and organizational talent. I responded (playing the Devil’s advocate) that Huckabee’s retort would be “yeah, and look at where I am in the polls without all of that money or talent!” In this video, you see basically that response. So ask yourself: What else can he say? Should he say “You’re right, I’m a no-talent hack who should never be elected president?” Obviously that option is out for him, so what he did say is about the only thing left to him to say.
December 28th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
p.s. as for the suicide reference–let’s get over this “more offended than thou” stuff. At least he didn’t say “you people” or “those people” or “extra chromosome people,” or a myriad of other innocuous phrases which are not intended to offend but over which people seek offense. (okay, I’ll grant you that Gore did intend to offend with his chromosome comment)
December 28th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Gee Andrew, I’m not big on the whole finding reasons to get offended phenomenon in today’s culture, but I really think that this comment is awful. The image it conjures up is disturbing. I suppose people can disagree on this, but that’s my view.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I agree, I find the comment disturbing, it’s in the same bent as the “shooting” allegories in Huckabee’s recent hunting outing. (It’s not offensive, it’s disturbing.)
December 28th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
I have to admit that Huckabee was #2 on my list up until lately and this comment dropped him to not even on my radar. We recently had a relative that we had been raising as a son commit suicide and for Huckabee to take this topic so lightly and think that it is even remotely reasonable is dispicable. But I guess we see why he didn’t have such a hard time with his son’s actions. I thought going after that story was stretching earlier, but now I know how ignorant and loudmouthed this man is and then how hides behind his golly-gee whiz demeanor and I don’t think this man should be anywhere near the whitehouse.
Yes it may be more emotional for me but there are plenty of people in this country that have been closely involved with someone that has either attempted or committed suicide and for him to even suggest such a thing is outrageous.
Shame on that man!!!!
December 28th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Do we really want a President that would commit suicide under pressure. Actually being the President is going to be a lot tougher than the campaign for it. Especially now when the world is in upheaval. Sometimes jokes reveal a startling level of truth. Whether a joke or Huckabee’s honest feelings, everyone is right to say it is disturbing.
The whole hunting expedition is disturbing as well. He has shown that he really is pro-gun, but he seems to have also shown that he isn’t as concerned with gun safety. I couldn’t believe it when he fired his weapon in the general direction of the reporters. Making reporters jump and squirm may be fun, but that is not the way to do it.
December 28th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Well, I am as shocked as you folks are offended. Huckabee clearly was NOT endorsing suicide and if he was making light of it, then let me ask how many of you folks have made fun of anyone else? (blacks, hispanics, jews, the retarded, the depressed, drug addicts, and mormons, etc., etc.). No one can answer this question “No” and be telling the truth. And no, the fact that he’s running for president doesn’t place him on a higher plane. I had hoped that the political nature of this forum would not serve to blind your eyes to a comment which was not intended to offend (and THAT’S the real test here too).
Tim, it is your comment which is over the top here. Although I am not voting for Huckabee I will defend him by saying that there is not possible way you can construe his comments to think that he would fall prey to thoughts of suicide while president.
Ben B. I had a close friend who committed suicide and so you do not have the market cornered on this matter. And no, Ben, you have no more right to be disturbed by this comment (unless you want to), than do I. Let us all rise above this petty carping unless Huckabee starts talking about euthanasia–then we can talk. There are sooo many things that he stands for that a majority of Americans and Romney voters will detest. Do we have to go around with a chip on our shoulders looking to be offended by innocent comments (isn’t there a scripture about this too?)?
As for his hunting skill–now that’s a fair comment. He’s not the smooth operator with a firearm that he is attempting to make himself out to be. Knowing his penchant for quipps, I half expected Huckabee to say “yep, I learned to shoot from Dick Cheney.” Now, that would have been funny, but I’m sure that someone would have taken offense at that too (but Cheney would not).
December 28th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Andrew,
It is disappointing that you rationalize like my teenagers and many in society do today. Trying to make your mistakes and ill advised comments/actions justified by saying that other people are doing it. It is sad and week. I never said I had the market cornered on this matter nor did I say I had more right to react, in fact I said what I did to show that my emotions may draw more of a response to this statement by Huckabee than some others. How is talking lightly about suicide, one form of premature death, any different from talking about euthanasia, another form?
I’m shocked you would bring out the scripture comment as well in regards to thinking that I am out with a chip on my shoulder. Weak at best. Like I said, he was my #2 choice but has made a dramatic fall due to his IGNORANT statements that he has said recently. If he can’t keep his mouth shut when it should be or he doesn’t know enough about the subject he is talking about and proves inept then he has no place in the white house.
“The fact that he is running for president doesn’t palce him on a higher plane”?????????
Oh now we get into the fun discussion about who is and who isn’t a role model for citizens of the world, especially kids. This is one of the biggest reasons why I am backing Mitt. He has held himself to a higher standard in his office and his life and I applaud him for it and want him to be a true example of what a good civil servant should be. Not hounded by ethics investigations, not making faulty judgements on releasing convicted murderers on the consultation of his pastor, and not making ignorant comments about somebody killing themselves when they are down.
Why don’t we tell him that it is OK to make fun of an Arab’s clothing or any other type of uncalled for comment while he sits in the oval office because we shouldn’t have to deal with petty carping over small things right?
I’m sorry but I don’t see this comment as a small thing. I see it as a foreshadowing of many things that would come from this man.
December 28th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Andrew, let’s assume for argument’s sake that everybody makes fun of someone whether it’s people who commit suicide or someone else. There are lots of things that people might do in private that would be completely inappropriate in a public forum (e.g. while appearing on national TV).
From this stand point, why is making a crass “joke” like this any more acceptable than Huckabee letting off a few big farts, picking his teeth, and cleaning out his nose on TV? Sure, we all have to handle personal hygiene, but I’d rather not see you doing so on TV, and I definitely don’t want to see the President of the United States conducting himself this way!
Now, to the extent you believe that this kind of remark is appropriate in public because it is something that “we all do” on our own…well, this is where we disagree. Perhaps you ought to allow us to wallow in our disgust over the comment without inflaming the emotions of others on this since it’s apparently no skin off your back.
I for one would rather not have Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels represent my party for the Presidency. (http://imdb.com/title/tt0109686/)
December 28th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
This says to me that this is not just a slip of the tongue. The article linked has *multiple* instances where he makes this same “joke”. The first time, it could be construed as him saying it in a joking manner, without realizing that it would be horribly offensive to people who have had to deal with suicide in a very personal way. But after the outcry from it, you would think that he would then tell himself, “Alrighty then, that’s not an okay joke. I better think of a better analogy to use the next time I’m trying to make that point.” And then strive to make sure that he uses that analogy! The fact that he hasn’t tried to make even a slight change in this behavior tells you that he thinks he’s actually being entertaining when he says it. Do we honestly want someone that stupid and naïve running the country? (Stupid is a harsh word, I’ll admit, but I’m sticking to it anyway. I think it fits the situation perfectly.)
If you say, “Well, it’s a spur of the moment thing, he’s speaking off the cuff, he can’t be held responsible for saying it,” then I have to say that we need to elect someone into the White House who *can* be held responsible for what comes out of their mouth. This has been an ongoing joke for him - not just once or twice, but multiple times.
My mother never let me get away with saying swear words because “they just slipped out.” I don’t see even a sliver of difference between the two.
Havs
http://www.votemittforpresident.com
December 29th, 2007 at 1:04 am
Loose lips sink ships.
I too liked Huckabee, for a while, but as the media has presented him to us in a similar manner as the others, he has said things that are disturbing and not something I would expect my commander and chief to say in public.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
This is the first time I have written a comment where I did not give my full name. I’ve always felt that by identifying myself, it keeps me from resorting to name calling or using hateful speech…and it keeps me honest. However, this is one time I cannot because it is too personal. I too have noticed Huckabee’s graphic and violent language and find it unsettling. But the comments about committing suicide were especially upsetting. If you’ve lost someone close to you by suicide, it isn’t a joke you make. My father committed suicide when he was 26 years old, I was five. He was a wonderful loving father who was so unhappy that the only way out for him, he thought, was to take his life. I am now older than my father was and I still miss him. When friends learn that my father died, when we were both young, they always ask how. I have never ever been able to tell them how, except to say he got sick. I still cannot think about it without tearing up. So, Huckabee’s comments, to me anyway, seemed to reveal a cruel streak. I am not accusing him of being cruel. But he sometimes reminds me of the old Temptations song “Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend, Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within”. Maybe a bit dramatic….