by Evie Stone

Former Presidential candidate and Cinderella Iowa Caucus winner Mike Huckabee opened his remarks to the RNC with a scathing critique of the "elite media"'s coverage of Sarah Palin over the past several days. He called it "tackier than a costume change at a Madonna concert."

Media digs out of the way, Huckabee went on to acknowledge the groundbreaking nature of Barack Obama's nomination, but added that symbolism is not a reason to elect a President.

I say with sincerity that I have great respect for Senator Obama's historic achievement to become his party's nominee — not because of his color, but with indifference to it. Party or politics aside, we celebrate this milestone because it elevates our country.
But the Presidency is not a symbolic job, and I don't believe his preparation or his plans will lift America up.

 

Huckabee, who famously grew up poor in the town of Hope, Arkansas (much like another politician you may have heard of), bit back at the DNC talking-points about Republicans being out of touch with the financial needs of regular working Americans.

I really tire of hearing how the Democrats care about the working guy as if all Republicans grew up with silk stockings and silver spoons.

(snip)

I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich, but because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me.

He went on to paint Obama as naive on foreign policy, keeping up the McCain camp's line that the Democratic nominee is "not ready to lead."

Maybe the most dangerous threat of an Obama presidency is that he would continue to give madmen the benefit of the doubt. If he's wrong just once, we will pay a heavy price.

John McCain will follow the fanatics to their caves in Pakistan or to the gates of hell.

What Obama wants to do is give them a place setting at the table.

Huckabee's speech closed with the lesson that America's freedoms are carried on the shoulders of those who serve in our military, as John McCain did during his harrowing ordeal in Vietnam.

I wish we all would remember that being American is not just about the freedom we have. It's about those who gave it to us.

McCain's service, Huckabee said, had "earned" him a seat in the Oval Office.