Huckabee Pimps Book About Putting Christ Back in Christmas (Like That'll Ever Happen)

• Mr. Allen, let me speak from my point of view: You and most of the other Xians who commented here totally mis-read my sarcastic post. Given the Xian War on Public Education in this country, that's no surprise. Hell, I don't want to get rid of X-Mas: our economy would be even more fucked-up without it. Now, do as this former X-Mas show shepherd says and go buy something, sheeple.

• Mr Coker, Let me speak from an atheist's point of view. We all have our beliefs and usually we feel strongly about them. However, why have you taken such a petty and vicious position relating to Huckabee. If they want to celebrate Christmas and beleive in a incarnate God then accept that as part of the privilege of living our free country. His beliefs do not affect you. It is so evident that you hold a personal bias toward Huckabee and Christmas that it appears that you must have some internal conflict with this faith system. I think you should deal with this and not spill your feelings out all over the public. We live in a country that allows us to believe about "spiritual things??" the way we feel is right. How dare you challange another rights in this area. Will you next tell me that I must agree and belive as you do. You would never have made such a comment about a Muslim believer promoting his book, but christians espose peace and love for others and are not a threat to you in any way. Yet, you see them as an easy target and you openly attack them. Shame on you. You truly lack integrity in this article.

• As a Christian myself, I believe that my Bible teaches me that Christ is not in a particular date, but in me. In the NT, Christ urges us to let our Christianity show through our words and actions, so IMHO, this entire debate over keeping Christ in Christmas is an attempt to hijack Christianity to serve a political purpose. We have quite a few modern day Pharisees and Sadducees running around who love to draw attention to themselves to demonstrate how "Christian" they are. Jesus warned us of these individuals and told them that they were bound for hell. Those who call themselves Christians and are serious about it, need to read the Word daily, and follow it instead of allowing themselves to be swept along on a tide of faux populism, leading them to break the commandments and principles of Jesus whom they say they love/follow. I find their dedication to Christ hard to believe when I see Christian politicians pushing/endorsing hatred, divisiveness, bigotry, discrimination, prejudice, name-calling, stupid labels and slogans, etc, for their own personal and political gain. I find it even more appalling that those whom God has told to seek justice in all things abandon this principle and join these politicians' bandwagons without questioning/closely examining whether the claims they make are true or not. IMHO, when we, as Christians do this, we cease to be examples of Christ on earth and become pawns to our own base, and sinful, natures, and thus, place our souls in peril.

• I don't like Mike Huckleberry; I like Matt Coker even less.

• Mr. Woods, It's interesting that you would quote President Reagan, "Liberals know so much that isn't so!". Mr. Reagan was far from guiltless in this respect, one concrete example being his repeated recanting of the apocryphal story of the Cadillac driving welfare mom, which has been well debunked. Pot, kettle, whatever, or as the Turing test suggests: "addinles regularly".

• Huckster-abee forgot that the three wisemen stopped off at the local mall on the day after Thanksgiving to purchase their gifts of a stupid book, frankinsence and myhrr. (sp? on the last two).

• Is it a home run when a post generates this many comments? Yeah, but what if 90% of the comments are unfocussed or worse? Way worse. "Register"-level worse.

• Alright... Ia. As to Huckabee initially taking responsibility (for HIS part) in the clemency of Clemmons� Huckabee, a Republican presidential contender in 2008, issued a statement Sunday night mourning the deaths of the four Lakewood police officers and suggesting that if Clemmons is responsible "it will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system in both Arkansas and Washington state." The Seattle Times, 11/30/2009 Ib. Here�s an excerpt from the actual Fox�s O�Reilly show where Huckabee is later �taking responsibility� again for (HIS part) in the clemency (BTW, Bill seems to be giving his �co-worker� some help here, and Huckabee again denies ever getting objections from the DA, but we�ll see about that)� O'REILLY: Did you study this guy? Did you spend a lot of time on it, or did you just take the advice of your advisers? HUCKABEE: No, I looked at every case file, and I had 1,200 of these a year. This is what people need to understand. Ninety-two percent of the time they were denied. But in this case, the judge in the case was also recommending and the parole board on a 5-0 vote, because at the age of 16, the sentence he got for the crimes he committed back in 1989 was excessive for anything else that was in Arkansas. O'REILLY: OK, but it was a bad guy in prison, and the prosecutors told you, so they say, "Hey, this is a hard-core guy. This isn't some kid who went wrong." HUCKABEE: We didn't have any information from the prosecutors. We sent notices, which is the practice in Arkansas, to five different people: the attorney general, secretary of state, the prosecutor, the judge, and law enforcement. The only official that we have record of getting notification from is the judge who agreed with the recommendation of the parole board. So that's what we acted upon, what I acted upon. I'm responsible for that. And, you know, my heart is broken for four families tonight. O'REILLY: Well, it's not your fault, governor. I mean, look, you've got 1,200 of these cases a year. You've got to look at them. I'm not saying it's your fault. I don't think anybody watching thinks it's your fault. But the judges in Washington state, come on. I mean, this guy moves from your state, Arkansas, to Washington state, and then he racks up eight felony charges. Eight felonies, including the rape of a 12-year-old. HUCKABEE: That's inexcusable, Bill. II. As to Huckabee�s (and his supporters) ongoing false claim that there are no existing records regarding the DA�s original objections PRIOR to Clemmons� clemency� ��Huckabee commuted the sentence on May 2, 2000. The decision reduced Clemmons� sentence to 47 years and rendered him eligible for parole immediately. That started a new process: an appearance before the parole board. Judge Humphrey weighed in again, writing, �I strongly support parole in this case.� (BTW: this jug-head judge later officiated at Clemmon�s wedding). [Larry] Jegley (the DA) got notice this time. His office objected, according to Arkansas records. The objection was overruled. Clemmons was free.� The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA), 12/01/2009 III. As to Gov. Huckabee�s �judgment� relating to his commutations (BTW: the county prosecutor, Larry Jegley, voiced concerns about Huckabee all the way back in 2004)� �Huckabee's clemencies became a campaign issue when he ran for the Republican presidential nomination last year. He was criticized by prosecutors and political rivals for releasing prisoners who went on to commit more crimes. �It's a crying shame that a sitting governor would be so insensitive to victims' rights," Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley told an Arkansas newspaper, The Leader, in 2004. In one high-profile case, castrated rapist Wayne DuMond was set free by the Arkansas parole board at Huckabee's urging, according to news accounts. DuMond later suffocated a mother of three in Missouri and was sentenced to life in prison, where he died in 2005. A Southern Baptist preacher, Huckabee sometimes was motivated to release prisoners at the urging of pastors or other acquaintances, according to news accounts. His clemencies also benefitted the stepson of a staff member, and even Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, who received a pardon for a 1975 traffic offense. Huckabee, who sometimes jammed on the bass guitar with his band at campaign events, pardoned Richards after meeting him at a concert.� The Seattle Times, 11/30/2009 One�s �commitment to Jesus,� playing some kind of musical instrument, giving money to the Republican Party, or its affiliates, being some kind of an in insider, etc., seem to be Huckabee�s biggest biases�all this from a seemingly �Once-In-A-Lifetime� type of guy; actually, it's pretty common. IV. Finally, According to the CATO Institute, Huckabee�s record as a tax and spend conservative, on raising taxes, increasing spending, etc. (BTW: the CATO Institute is a leading conservative think tank in the United States)� ��Most of the leading Republicans running for president show some support for Bush's ideology, but no other candidate so completely embodies it. As governor of Arkansas, Huckabee dramatically increased state spending. During his two-term tenure, spending increased by more than 65 percent � at three times the rate of inflation. The number of government workers increased by 20 percent, and the state's debt services increased by nearly $1 billion. Huckabee financed his spending binge with higher taxes. Under his leadership, the average Arkansan's tax burden increased 47 percent, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, including increases in the state's gas, sales, income, and cigarette taxes. He raised taxes on everything from groceries to nursing home beds. Huckabee answers these complaints by pointing out that he "cut taxes 94 times" while governor. True. But most of those tax cuts were tiny, like exempting residential lawn care from the sales tax. Some cuts reduced overall state revenues by as little as $15,000. On net, Huckabee increased state taxes by more than $500 million. In fact, Huckabee increased taxes in the state by more than Bill Clinton did.� CATO.org, under Publications--Opinions & Commentary. This information is not hateful, nor is it bias, or failing in relating the facts, it�s not lying or the issuance of falsehoods, it�s not Huck-hating, nor is it a series of distortions or exercises in twisting. If Huckabee wants to run for President again, and there�s anyone who wants for vote for him, then go right a head and do so. Please do. So please, "true believers," do not promote YOUR bias regarding Huckabee, etc. with a shield of not very supportable or outright non-supportable arguments and accusations. Because, the truth will come out, it will prevail--no matter who you pray to, no matter who you vote for, and no matter who wins political office. Verify, evaluate and judge for yourselves.

• How cynical is Mike Huckabee? Let me tell you the story of Wayne Dumond. In 1984, Dumond, who had a long criminal history, abducted and sexually assaulted a 17 year old girl. He was convicted of the crime and received a very long prison sentence. That would have been the end of it, except that the victim of this terrible crime happened to be related to a man named Bill Clinton, who was elected President in 1992. Well, Wayne Dumond became a conservative cause celebre. He was proclaimed to be an innocent victim of the evil Bill Clinton. The girl who was raped was portrayed as a liar. Conservatives intensely campaigned for his release. The problem was, that Dumond was actually guilty. The victim steadfastly stood by her testimony. When Dumond was up for parole, she actually begged Governor Mike Huckabee not to release him, saying that next time he would be careful not to leave his victim alive. But Huckabee was under heavy pressure to release the "victim" of Bill Clinton, so he pressure the parole board to release Dumond. Once free, Dumond moved to Missouri. Soon after, two women turned up dead. Wayne Dumond's DNA was found under one of the dead woman's fingernails. Two dead women, because Mike Huckabee wanted to keep his base happy. And this man wants to be president? What would he do as president to keep his base happy?

• I do not think religion belongs in politics at all. I get uneasy when a candidate or their supporters use religion and religious values to convince people to vote for them.

• Human nature is very predictable. There has and always will be disagreements, especially concerning political or religious topics. Those, who for whatever reason do not like Mike Huckabee (or any other public figure ), are going to "pile on" whenever they see or hear something that looks like it could be used as a weapon to inflict damage. This is human nature so I can deal with that, we all do because we're human. However, in discussions surrounding the senseless and savage slaying of the police officers in Lakewood, Washington, it is vital that we recall an English language word sometimes used know as "facts." Fact simply means "reality" or "truth". I have noticed that in much of the media and in various postings on this topic, "facts" are often left out of the equation, or they are distorted beyond recognition into something we English speakers refer to as "lies." Those easy to identify "Huckabee Haters" will most likely skip this post because reality and truth to them is like flashing a cross to a vampire. That's okay. There may be others, however, who are genuinely uninformed and are open to actually learning what I will call the "actual facts." First of all, you no doubt have heard Mike Huckabee's name mentioned in many, if not all of the stories on this topic because he "commuted" or changed the 108 year sentence of Maurice Clemmons to 47 years back in the year 2000. He has taken full responsibility for the decision he made back then. However, a number of his fellow "conservatives" are not taking their responsibility for the "actual facts." I could list names here, but I might miss one or two and I think we all know who they are anyway. The case before Governor Mike Huckabee nearly a decade ago was that of a 16 year old African-American youth named Maurice Clemmons, who had received a disproportionate sentence of 108 years for burglary and robbery charges. In his teen years he had burglarized an unoccupied home, stealing a cell phone and appliances. He also had stolen a purse from a woman without the use of a weapon and had been caught in possession of a firearm. Due to these crimes, he had already served 11 years of this lengthy sentence in an Arkansas prison and was now in his mid to late twenties by this time. Eleven years was already more time than most similar cases would have received for the entire length of their sentence. Under Arkansas law, governor's do NOT parole anyone. It is done by the "Post Prison Transfer Board." That board can recommend "clemency" which simply means leniency or mercy. In this case, they recommended by a 5 - 0 vote that Maurice Clemmons sentence be reduced. Governor Huckabee reviewed over 1000 of these cases each and every year of the 10 1/2 years he was Governor. Ninety-two percent of the time over this period, any request for "clemency" was denied. Most of those that were granted were for clearing a person's record for a minor offense from 20 years previous. The trial judge in the case supported the commutation. During the 30 day period legally required for "public comment", there were no objections registered by any authorities, despite claims of the local prosecutor that he "was afraid something like this would happen." If this were true ( which it is not) this prosecutor has failed to explain something very important. In 2007, Clemmons was back in prison for a parole violation. This prosecutor ( who likes to blame Huckabee) not only failed to pursue charges, he actually dropped them, which allowed Maurice Clemmons to go free. Clemmons then moved 2300 miles away to the state of Washington and there continued to avoid extradition back to Arkansas or be locked up by Washington authorities as he displayed signs of psychotic behavior. Governor Huckabee is responsible for the commutation in 2000 and has openly admitted that on several occasions. Video of this is available almost any place you want to look on the internet. The Governor has also stated emphatically that he would obviously not have commuted his sentence in 2004 after Clemmons had been re-arrested or in any of the years following. Huckabee has clearly and openly explained his decision in 2000, but obviously cannot explain the decision of the very vocal prosecutor in Little Rock. Now to some of those glaring "actual facts" often purposefully hidden by some of the radio "talking heads" and others, and again - I think we all know who they are. 1. Clemmons was NEVER "pardoned." He was not even considered for a pardon. Yet, that word is used all over the place to describe Mike Huckabee's actions. 2. The commutation didn't release him. It made him "parole eligible." Clemmons had to meet the conditions for the parole board. At this point, he was obviously no longer a teenager as he had already been in prison for 11 years. Since he met the conditions, the parole board did release him. 3. Despite what you may have read or heard, there are NO records that the prosecutor, law enforcement, the Attorney General, or victims objected in any way to the commutation. The only response Huckabee did receive was letters of "support" from members of the community and the trail judge himself ! 4. Clemmons was back in prison by 2004 and would have stayed there until 2015 due to violating his parole. However, for whatever reason, the prosecutor did not properly file the paper work in order to keep him locked up. 5. The Maurice Clemmons of the year 2000 obviously did not exhibit the traits and behaviors that he would express years later during several arrests in the state of Washington. 6. "Religion" had nothing to do with the commutation. I have seen these charges mentioned in actual news stories and they are honestly laughable. The Governor's own personal faith or any claims of faith by inmates did NOT factor into any sort of decision making. Nothing in the record itself even suggests something so ridiculous. He has mentioned many times in public and/or in writing that he values soldiers and police officers VERY highly with fireman and schoolteachers a close second. I know he regrets commuting his sentence making him "eligible for parole" more than any of us can even begin to imagine. For just 30 seconds, put yourself in his shoes an hour after he realized what had happened. He has repeatedly stated this was HIS responsibility and it was based on the evidence at that time. He can and has taken full responsibility for HIS actions, but it is an impossibility for him to take responsibility for the actions of other people nor for the misinformed words of commentators. Mike Huckabee is not only a "once in a lifetime" political candidate. In my view, he is a "once in a lifetime" sort of a human being. In or out of politics, he has more character and class in his little finger nail than most of his "haters" do collectively. Again, Governor Huckabee publicly took responsibility on the O'Reilly Factor November 30th,2009 for what HE did. He can not take responsibility for what he DID NOT DO. That would be like blaming this killers parents for the murders because they did not raise their son properly. Or--for a suspect to admit to crimes he did not commit just because newspaper headlines said he may be guilty. Any focus on other human beings, other than the murderer himself (now deceased) would have to be be directed to the judges who most recently set him free. They had his entire (and recent ) record in front of them in which they could base their decisions on. Governor Huckabee obviously could not do that years ago in Arkansas because the most heinous by far of all the crimes HAD NOT BEEN COMMITTED YET ! A 4 year old could figure that out. I believe this tragic situation would make the Governor an even BETTER President, rather than a more flawed one. All the false and hateful comments about Mike are "natural" because we all possess a "human nature." However, believers have been called to a "super-natural" way of life. My request would simply be that if you are a "Huck Hater", at least consider looking at the "actual facts" with an open mind. The truth might just set you free.

• There is no question in my mind that the GOP has within their power the ability to force Obama into being a one termer, but that is only if they get behind Governor Mike Huckabee. Not sure if he will run again , but it would be nice to have a true fiscal and social conservative (not to mention an adult) in the White House. Those who know him best support him the most. There is a reason for that. They know his real record, not the twist fest and nearly humorous distortions that even some "conservatives" engage in. I personally know people who lived in Arkansas during his time as Governor. When Huckabee arrived, Arkansas was a corrupt state, with education, unemployment and infrastructure ranking among the lowest in the USA. And despite lowering taxes more than any Arkansas governor in state history, he has always answered for one significant tax hike to rebuild the state's foundational woes. What you don't hear much of, is that he signed the bill into law after the voters passed a ballot initiative in favor of the tax funded projects...by 80%! Huckabee didn't raise taxes, the people did. And to say that the most visible advocate for the Fair Tax Plan in American politics is liberal with economic policy, seems more than a little odd. That is not a liberal vision regarding tax reform and economic recovery. It, like many of his ideas and accomplishments, is an example of thinking outside the box and being bold enough to enact creative solutions to big problems,without worrying what the polls will say the next day. He answered to no establishment. He was loyal to no lobbyist. What his record shows as an executive leader, is that he is the most deserving person to credit for the literal modernization of the state. By the end of his era, Arkansas proved to be a model for restoration. It had a booming economy, low unemployment, better schools (went from 48th to 9th place), higher incomes and a relatively low tax burden compared to many states. And, though he arrived with the biggest state debt in history, he left with a surplus of millions. Mike Huckabee is in a league of his own. He has the most experience of anyone in the GOP bullpen at this time and has a likeability factor that would run off of any chart. Plus, his communication skills would even be envied by Ronald Reagan. Comparing Mike to Mitt Romney or some of the other "establishment candidates" would be like comparing Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson. If Obama wins a second term, it won't be because of the liberals. It will be because many so called "conservatives" were so ill-informed and boneheaded where Huckabee is concerned that they failed to unite behind the wisest, most talented leader our nation has seen in a generation. Rush-Beck-Coulter-Malkin and their ilk offered up Obama for us the last time around , and it would appear they are gearing up for act two in 2012. Had they been honest with themselves and their audiences in 2007-2008, they would not be whining 24/7 today about the socialistic drain America is swirling down -- because it's quite possible Mike Huckabee would be President today.

• I have to admit I'm pretty bewildered by this article. Was this posted last year or is Mr. Coker caught in a time warp (or a warp of some other nature)? BECAUSE "A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS" WAS WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED BY GOVERNOR HUCKABEE IN 2009! To set the record straight,the governor's Christmas offering for this year is "CAN'T WAIT TILL CHRISTMAS!" It's unclear to me which book Mr.Coker is referencing or if indeed he is even aware of the more recent book, which is the focus of the current tour. I could set the record straight on many of Mr. Coker's assertions but I think instead I'll leave it to you, gentle reader, to weigh in on the credibility of this journalist. Mr. Coker has shown himself woefully inaccurate on the facts, all the more glaring an oversight in that the facts in question actually concern his main topic! Sadly it is difficult to find much of redeeming value in Mr. Coker's words which turn out to do little more than create a most ungenerous opinion piece.

• Oh my gosh...I can't believe OC Weekly would publish this trash!!! I'll never pick one up again at my local car wash and will trash its reputation wherever possible!!Coker you are a true hate monger! No matter what your opinion is of someone you should never write an article like this! You are the type of person that makes our society so much worse. This is very stupid journalism. Obviously OC Weekly will hire mental midgets as journalists...I'm sorry...I mislabled you....you aren't a journalist at all...you are just an immature little boy! Grow up little man! Get a little pride and don't write such stupid junk! No wonder you write for OC Weekly and not a legitamate publication.

• Everyone should know by now that Christmas has absolutely nothing to do with Christ! I say allow it to return to the Pagan origins it came from. We know Jesus wasn't born anywhere near December 25th and that Constantine incorporated the pagan solstice custom to lure pagans into becoming "Christian" well, at the time it was all Catholicism anyway. Just like changing the Sabbath to Sunday, the "Holy Mother Church" has incorporated much paganism into what we like to call Christianity under the guise of Divine Decree. If you don't believe me, I challenge you to look it up! But who cares; right?....

• Well, I supplied facts on this board-check it out. Oh, and the anti-Christian stuff? No, not too many Christians out there, or here it seems. I am not criticizing Christians; most who say they are, are not. Period. And the liberal/conservative mumbo jumbo. Those are your biases, I never mentioned a thing along those lines. It never even entered my mind to think on those terms. Like I said, dunces. As far as dirt on liberals, it's all there. One notorious figure is Hillary Clinton. A thorough examination of this person reveals much in the way of her true character. Not good. But don't everyone already know this? I mean, Rush, Hannity, Beck, O'Reilly, Ingraham, Levin, Medved, Savage, Boortz, and so on, remind us daily of the liberals' foibles. Fine, I don't care. But really what's missing is a good counter part to that great phalanx. That way many wont think "their side" is so good. Their not.

• Wow. Mike Coker is a disrespectful christian hating writer. That should have been the title of this article. Whoever hired him as a writer should fire him. What has happened to journalism? Fair truthful reporting? This is so wrong on so many levels. Disgusting.

• Ronald Reagan said, "Liberals know so much that isn't so!" . Wouldn't it be wonderful if Liberals investigated Liberals as much as they investigate Conservatives? Wouldn't it be great if they held the standard half as high for themselves as they do for conservatives like Huckabee. Huckabee is given an anal exam, but the Liberals bypass the exam of themselves. They just skirt all the facts even when they know them to be true. Kind of like the ethics violations in Congress. Whatever unethical and unlawful thing is done is still pardonable and acceptable in their eyes. Mike Huckabee troubles Liberals because he brings the U. S. Constitution to the table with its huge God Factor. Our constitution is a standard based on an unchanging God. That troubles some folks in our society who want God out!

• Unfortunately hypocrisy infiltrates all lives including your own, mine, and the OC Weekly. As someone who works at a church, I do find it ironic that the OC Weekly would post this article degrading Christians and then at the same time, every Easter, call us asking if we would like to advertise for our services. I believe this is the same hypocrisy that both Michael and Roy have issues with. If the issue is hypocrisy, please feel free to write an angry email to the OC Weekly denouncing them for such behavior. However, I am simply going to go out on a limb and guess that the anger is not geared toward simple hypocrisy but rather anyone who claims to believe in the Bible and the God in which it declares.

• Unfortunately hypocrisy infiltrates all lives including your own, mine, and the OC Weekly. As someone who works at a church, I do find it ironic that the OC Weekly would post this article degrading Christians and then at the same time, every Easter, call us asking if we would like to advertise for our services. I believe this is the same hypocrisy that both Michael and Roy have issues with. If the issue is hypocrisy, please feel free to write an angry email to the OC Weekly denouncing them for such behavior. However, I am simply going to go out on a limb and guess that the anger is not geared toward simple hypocrisy but rather anyone who claims to believe in the Bible and the God in which it declares.

• whoever wrote this is a tool! you're a liberal tool bro! suck it. Huckabee is a good man and s straight-talker, unlike your bias liberalism.

• Oh my...say it ain't so Mike... In 2003, Eugene Fields received a six year prison sentence after his fourth conviction of driving while intoxicated in five years. Gov. Huckabee granted clemency over the objections of the local prosecutor and sheriff, the Arkansas Prosecuting Attorneys Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). A spokeswoman for Mr. Huckabee, Charmaine Yoest, said that Mr. Fields�s political donations (to the Arkansas Republican Party) and connections played no role in his clemency. About two years after Mr. Fields�s sentence was cut to 11 months, he was arrested again for DWI as his truck crossed the center line directly into the path of an oncoming police car.

• Such important things as faith,hope,love and family put Matt Coker to sleep ?zzzz Wow, dude then you take Christ's name in vain to boot?(Christ,no wonder this loser lost.)Speaking of lost Matt...I once was but now am found amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.Christ changes lives and hearts everyday.Merry Christ-mas Matt,I pray God will soften your heart.My goodness how sad, especially this time of year to be so unkind...

• Wow, wow!! I am GLAD that Coker had the grapes and the insight to write a piece like this. It seems whenever anyone supports the idea that Christmas, and every other so-called religion-based holiday, has been, in good taste, "watered down" for mass public consumption to either reflect or at least take advantage of our consumer based society's behaviors (Daddy needs a new flat screen), it's somehow a "bad thing." Bull. All the Jesus hypocrites swirl out from under their rocks for review. So if all you so-called "good Christians" find that behaviors like shopping, and other "evils" on (or even around) Christmas are not good, or somehow below your noble standards of behavior and representation of what true Christmas celebration is all about, like Huckabee does, then please, set the example for the rest of us and wait until at least after January 1st to buy his book--lest you too fall victim to Pagan-inspired Christmas indulgence rituals. In fact, if you have children, tell them, "Sorry children, no toys (that's shopping you know, Jesus does not want that, He talks to me), we do faith, love and hope, zzzzzz...at Christmas, so let's just tell inspiring stories, I have twelve to share" and see how far that gets you. But please, before any of you get too weepy-eyed thinking of times gone by when all we did was hope, love, and family as our simple Christmas celebration (when was that, anyway? I think it was just before the first slave boat arrived), please remember that God never asked anyone to celebrate Jesus' birthday, nor did God ever set any standards for such an occasion. Never. So maybe, just maybe, Christmas shopping, or whatever you do, can be good (think jobs, tax revenue to pay for programs to help the poor, happy kids). BTW, if Huckabee wants Christmas to again be about the simple things, then why is he pimping his book at Christmas time? He is selling it, isn't he? You do have to buy it, don't you? Shopping? Hmmm. Well, that's ok, as long has he's doing it, it's ok. To better understand why someone like Coker might write such an article, maybe some of you need a refresher course on Huckabee: Recall how Mike Huckabee--the good conservative Christian--first won his way into political office: ��Dick Morris, who had previously worked for Bill Clinton, advised Huckabee on his races in 1993, 1994 and 1998. Huckabee commented that Morris was a "personal friend." A newspaper article reported on Huckabee's 1993 win as Lt. Governor in Arkansas: "Morris said the mistake Republicans always make is that they are too much of a country club set. What we wanted to do was run a progressive campaign that would appeal to all Arkansans." Morris elaborated, "So we opened the campaign with ads that characterized Mike as more of a moderate whose values were the same as those of other Arkansans." Consequently, Huckabee abandoned his earlier support for the Council of Conservative Christians (CofCC) when in April 1994 following an adverse media campaign against the CofCC, Huckabee withdrew from a speaking engagement before their national convention. Huckabee repeated the accusations made by various media and left-wing organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center recalling his past association with the CofCC saying, "I will not participate in any program that has racist overtones." Hmmm. Well, I guess you gotta do what ya gotta do to get into office...like changing to look like a moderate, side with left-wing organizations, throwing a screwball Christian group who got you there in the first place under the bus, and so on. But, read on... In 1994, Huckabee was re-elected to a full term as Lieutenant Governor. However, the amount of money spent by Huckabee on the campaign gave cause to accusations of possible corruption. In subsequent investigations it was revealed that while Lieutenant Governor, Huckabee accepted $71,500 in speaking fees and traveling expenses from a nonprofit group, Action America. R. J. Reynolds was the group's largest contributor. Money from an evil cigarette company? Hmmm. Well, it�s what you have to do in order to one day serve in government as one of God's own. Not like those others. And, to do what exactly? Well, recall the following: As Arkansas governor, Huckabee commuted and accepted recommendations for pardoning twice as many sentences as his three predecessors combined, in total 1,033 prisoners, including Maurice Clemmons, of which Arkansas' Pulaski County prosecuting attorney vehemently objected to the commutation. After his release in 2000 (he still had about 50 years left to go), Clemmons was arrested a number of times for multiple offenses including child molestation and aggravated assault. AND on November 29, 2009, four police officers were murdered in Lakewood, Washington (Clemmons being the only suspect) who was later shot dead by a Seattle police officer on December 1, 2009. Do you think Huckabee was inspired by God to commute Clemmons' sentence? I wonder if "evil" Bill Clinton would have done the same thing? Maybe not, as I'm pretty sure God doesn't speak to Bill Clinton. Sorry Hucksters, these are just the facts. Maybe Huckabee will write a book about what lessons he learned from all those experiences. But will Fox promote it? Will Hucksters buy it? Will it sell like the pap he�s now pushing? Am I being disrespectful? Is your bubble popped yet? Somehow, I doubt it. Maybe Coker has more insight on who the real Huckabee (and his ilk) is/are than any critic of his article might have. Does that make Coker (or me) a low-life? Does that mean he believes in nothing? That's he is nothing, and will be nothing in the after life? Isn't that the providence of God alone? Do "good" Christians really think like this? Maybe Coker (and me) really are sick of all you self-righteous, very, very ill informed and mostly poor excuses for decent people (so-called Christians). And maybe we are not the only ones. Hopefully, more and more will stand up to all of you dunces. Believe me, almost none of you stand on the moral high ground. And God knows it. Maybe God, when He is interacting in your lives, will remind you of that fact from time to time--and perhaps you should listen once in a while. I'll wager that such are the true sentiments behind what inspired Coker to write this bit piece; Huckabee just happens to be the latest in an ever-long train of snake oil pushers to hit the station. Coker's article merely draws you all out for inspection. And it ain't pretty. Anyway, I invite your dribble responses. Thank you.

• Hey Huck, How about giving your book away for free so Xmas will be lest about $$$$ and gifts.

• Repent Matt Coker you are a joke, and you will regret what you have said, when you stand before the man and our Lord Jesus Christ. oc weekly no mas. wally

• Crap...has anyone else noticed how long OCWeekly has kept this pathetic piece on the boards? They must be desperate for public imput. Sorry OCWeekly...your ratings are not all that great and now we all know why!

• Listen, Bible-toters, there is bigtime irony afoot here. Huckabee preaches that Christmas has become about shopping and materialism and such, contrary to the Creator's intention. So what does he do? He hawks his new book at a mall during Christmas season. Get it? No? Then try this one: Huckabee got whatever attention he got a few years ago in large part owing to his stunning display of self-control and discipline: losing 100+ pounds through exercise and diet. He was all over Arkansas singing the praises of diet and exercise. That's how he lost his weight, he said. --Except for one thing: all indications are that he got a gastric bypass. If so, the diet and exercise didn't do it. That would make him a Big Fat Liar, not a guy who should be advising us about how to live. As for the free will theodicy: suppose I give my nephew a gun, knowing he'll likely be incautious, cuz he's a kid, which could result in his killing somebody. Suppose that happens. All eyes are immediately on me. So I say, "Don't look at me! Sure, I figured he'd do something like that (cuz I know stuff), but don't forget that the kid acted on his own free will!" I sure am a swell guy, aren't I? And aren't you all swell for coming to my defense!

• "Then why did the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-being One let it happen?" Because He gave us free will.

• Wow! This isn't funny, witty or in any way thought provoking. It's just mean and pathetic. I personally am not into name calling, but the author of this awful piece deserves a tongue lashing. And as for OC Weekly, really? This �Coker� guy has got to go!

• Matt, I am sorry you have such minute knowledge and understanding of God interacting in our lives. You have shown how ignorant you truly are. Of course God has the power to change things and keep things from happening at any moment, but why would he. He has given us the freedom to choose and He allows us to live with the consequences of our choices. If you chose to live without Jesus, why take it out on Huckabee and write such derogatory and untrue statements?

• Why is it that low-life such as coker get paid to write crap when good, honest people out there are unemployed? I couldn't believe that OC Register would print this kind of yellow journalism!

• It appears that Matt Coker believes in nothing,so that is what he will become. Nothing. In this life and the next.

• So, the writer of this article is either extremely sarcastic or shallow because they have obviously forgotten the meaning of Christmas. you don't have to hate on him just because he has firm beliefs. Liberals are supposed to be the tolerant ones right? You are doing a disservice to your own worthless magazine.

• Mr. Huckabee deserves this and more. "Huckster" indeed.

• This is just plain disrespectful. I get it, you don't like Huckabee and you don't hold the same beliefs as Christians. What is the point of this article? Just to wine about some weird bitterness you have toward him and Christians? Does it really hurt you if he is signing a book about Christmas? Try writing about something positive rather than always taking the easy way out by criticizing everything you see.

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