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Zogby says that we're in the middle of a Huckaboom -- they find that Mike Huckabee is within 1 point of Giuliani in the national polls. Whether the Zogby poll is an outlier or not, Huckabee's surge over the past two months has been remarkable, turning more than one former cheerleader in the culture wars into a tongue clucking nag worried about how "swing voters" will perceive such an extremist party.
Mercy me.
Much of Huckabee's "can-do," likeability quotient rests on his remarkable weight loss story, and the book he wrote about his experience -- crediting his success to diet and exercise. But there's a compelling case to be made that Huckabee lost his weight due to gastric bypass surgery, something he has vigorously denied before.
But still:
- Huckabee’s vague history of diet/exercise doesn’t adequately explain his astonishing result.
- His spokeswoman gives an ambiguous denial.
- Massive and persistent weight loss with bariatric surgery is orders of magnitude more common than with diet/exercise.
- Huckabee’s weight loss record fits the pattern of gastric bypass surgery exactly for rapidity, amount and maintenance, and not at all like that of diet/exercise.
- Huckabee demonstrates changes in physical appearance that appear bariatric both in general and the specific (hair loss and skin changes).
- His particular diet habits are tellingly bariatric.
- Just prior to his rapid weight loss he took an unusual vacation with a furtive itinerary and end date.
- In 2005 he needed an abdominal hernia repair, an expected complication of bariatric surgery, and this was explained to be a Spigelian hernia, a vanishingly rare hernia type that is best explained as an apparent cover story.
- His marathon prowess is not so likely to be an example of exercise inducing weight loss, as it is the expected result of (bariatric) weight loss permitting exercise.
- While running marathons Huckabee is shown carrying that energy supplementation, that is both expected of, and associated with, bariatric marathoners.
- The lack of any identified witnesses to the bariatric surgery/hospitalization is adequately explained by medical privacy ethical standards as well as the rigor of Federal law.
The author concludes that the whole thing could be cleared up were Huckabee to release the CT scan he had in 2005 which diagnosed his hernia.
Could Huckabee's whole act be a flim-flam? Hard to believe I know, but it would be irresponsible not to speculate.
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123beck
Hooray for you
Interestingly, what is wrong with Gastric Bypass Surgery? Kudos should be given, for making the decision to do so…
So much to speculate about.
Shhhhhhh. Don’t say anything bad about Huckabee. I sooooo want him to be the R candidate.
BTW, McCain & Romney are in statistical tie in NH.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/061518.php
I don’t care if he is a big fart or a skinny fart. He is still a gastric fart.
Yes.
Nothing at all wrong with it. Unless you lie and state that all you did was everything but the surgery and all it took was prayer, willpower, diet change etc.
imo this is sorta like wanting to know where and how clinton and lewinsky… well did what they did.
don’t want to know.
none of my business.
don’t care if he lied.
*sigh* It’s always the cover-up that gets ‘em… ;-)
gotta disagree. somethings are private, and i don’t care if he lied.
I don’t think anyone is taking any position on whether there is or isn’t anything wrong with it. The question is whether Huckabee lied about the reason for his weight loss.
If he did lie, then it is telling that he chose the “diet/exercise/willpower” false personal narrative, rather than the “surgical intervention” true one.
he didn’t lie while under oath, did he?
More likely a lap band
i am so reliving the monica years right now. yuck.
I care quite a bit if he had a gastric bypass and lied about it.
That’s why it matters.
Be a man, tell it like it is, Huck!
Sometimes morbid obesity is best treated with bariatric surgery. And you do want people to get treated, right?
I would agree his dramatic weight loss seems nearly impossible in such a short amount of time without surgery.
One thing Rev. Gov. always says when asked about health care ijn America.. Is diet and exercise (not to be confused here with exorcism *g*). His health care plan for average Americans is entirely faith based on diet and exercise alone. No need for a stinking doctor. Although he conveniently forgets (whether he had surgery or not) he was under constant medical care (UAMS), paid for by AR citizens with his coverage as Governor while he underwent his weight loss.
Like every Huck-A-Tale, his version is full of lies and riddled with hypocrisy.
I don’t think it’s okay to pass yourself off as an inspirational leader wrt a particular experience if it’s all bullshit.
If he just said nothing, I’d say it’s his business. If he’s selling books & doling out advice on an experience he didn’t have, I’d say it’s…Hucksterism.
Heh, “…I did not have sexual relations…!”
I do care if he lied. Well, let me rephrase that, since I already think he is maximally unfit to be president regardless of whether he lied.
I do think it should be relevant to anyone still considering whether he is fit to be president whether he didn’t have the balls to be truthful about an important event in his life, and instead chose to adopt a false “macho” narrative.
Maybe Star Jones Reynolds should interview Huck and get him to confess. She did.
Huck can’t bury a trick.
it probably wouldn’t bother me if it wasn’t for the monica flash backs.
… but i’ll try to back off now.
But, that would destroy his ‘Southern Strategy’ image…
The rumor is that it was done after usual working hours and not at UAMS.
Maybe this will make it easier to accept. Clinton never relied on a “I am a very massively monogamous person who would never even think about looking at another woman” narrative to gain political power.
(Or, at least, I don’t think he did. If he did, then never mind.)
It’s one thing to not want to answer questions about the weight loss- it’s quite another to write a book on the subject claimin that ya did it all with prayer and willpower and making this one of the central tenets of your campaign- when in actuality it was a surgeon’s knife.
In this case, voters have a right to know if the Huckster’s a man of huge willpower or a liar.
Selise- to my mind, the 2 examples are entirely different. And, especially important is comment ES made above. We rarely disagree, but this time we do.
I could care less if “Gomer” did or didn’t have surgery, if he lied well we all no what happens when the truth comes out! And it will come out!
Mitch McConnell on the NewsHour says that Democrats caved on funding for the Iraq war because things are getting better in Iraq, that even the NYT was saying things were getting better there, and that as we all know they were against the war from the beginning.
This is another example of a Republican citing a supposedly “liberal” newspaper (when in fact its executive editor Bill Keller is a neocon apologist of the Bush Administration) to give cover to their own failed and bankrupt policies.
WASHINGTON - After a month’s worth of mostly negative media reports, his campaign’s decision to decrease his activity in the early nominating states and the rise of GOP rival Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani’s national standing has plummeted in the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, providing more evidence that the contest for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination is wide open.
According to the poll, Giuliani — who has been the clear leader in all previous NBC/Journal surveys this year — is now tied nationally with Mitt Romney at 20 percent among Republican primary voters. They are followed by Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, at 17 percent; Arizona Sen. John McCain at 14 percent; and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson at 11 percent.
For Giuliani, it’s a decline of 13 points since last month, when the former New York City mayor led the GOP field at 33 percent — followed by McCain at 16 percent, Thompson at 15 percent, Romney at 11 percent and Huckabee at 8 percent.
That is the issue…The Huckster’s “little frailty”..
(snip)
(snip)
artimes
I’m with selise on this one. I think it is a lot more important to realize that Huckabubba is a grasping, narrow minded, anti-evolution, anti-science religious nutcase. A gastric bypass surgery, seriously who cares?
The Huckster and the Mormon are takin each other down daily- Rudy should be profiting but people are startin to catch onto the fact that he’s a dick. McCain could win after all- and he’s probably the toughest gooper to beat- if the uber goopers will forgive him for disagreeing with Clusterfuck from time to time.
Absurdly OT: Is anyone else’s grammatical sensibilities aggrieved by the new comments doohickey when it reads “1 New Comments. Click here to load them!”? For some reason, that really chaps my hide.
It can’t be too difficult to program the doohickey to read “1 New Comment. Click here to load it!”, when there is only one new comment.
Feel free to tell me to stop being an obsessive professor and STFU.
Well, you just knew something like that was going to happen. EDIT! WANT!
bass-trick guy-pass: didn’t Larry Craig do that, too?
We constantly (and rightly) skewer the press for raising such stupid issues, yet here we are doing it. Let’s not fall into that trap. Huckabee has a lot more substantive issues to deal with.
House Intelligence committee is going after Rizzo and Rodriguez, telling the WH to f*ck off!
OT…Hoooo Raaaaaaa!!!!!!
link
It’s just not that important. Happy Holidays!
I don’t know if he did or not but he supports using allowing public medical funds such as medicare to pay for gastric by pass.
He may very well be like star jones (yikes) and just doesn’t want to admit it. But I don’t think he would lie about this I don’t think he would care.
Is he doing it by keeping the Senate in pro forma session?
yes!!!
Reid’s statement:
transcript of Reid’s speach:
Mr. President, I turn to the issue of nominations
I have been working with the White House over the past several days in an effort to reach an agreement that works for both sides.
We were unable to reach such an agreement before the Thanksgiving holiday.
That led to my calling the Senate into pro forma sessions to avoid the President’s very objectionable recess appointments.
My hope was that I could avoid that prospect for the coming holidays. I tried to work with the President.
But he indicated he would still use the recess to appoint nominees who are completely objectionable on our side of the aisle.
Our only solution to prevent this is to call pro forma sessions again.
Mr. President, I thought, I could be a grinch.
I could tell the President that I would not move any nominations given his demand to make controversial recess appointments.
That would mean over 40 other Republican nominees would not move forward today.
A smaller number of Democratic appointments – 8 – would also not move.
But I’m not going to do that tonight, Mr. President.
I am not going to meet intransigence with intransigence.
We will confirm those appointments this evening.
And, I will keep the Senate in pro forma session to block the President from doing an end run around the Senate and the Constitution with his controversial nominees.
I, for one, hope for better in the New Year.
He is back on c-span2
Why do we care more about Huckabee’s lie than Ghouliani’s or Mitt’s or any other of that sorry bunch? They’re all liars.
I did read, in an article about Huckabee at the Iowa State Fair (can’t remember where I read it, maybe Newsweek or the ChiTrib, that he turned down other tempting offerings and ate a pork chop “on a stick.” That doesn’t fit with any bariatric surgery diet that I’m familiar with. Don’t those folks basically eat tablespoon-sized portions forever, and have to be especially careful about meat?
P.S. I’m with Selise and Hugh and anyone else who DOESN’T CARE about the surgery or the lies.
It’s not that he HAD the surgery, folks. Who cares about that?
It’s that his health plan for America is based on his own personal experience of diet and exercise, as is his best-selling book.
If his personal experience of only a reasonable diet and regular exercise was enhanced and enabled by bariatric surgery, then he’s a fraud and a liar, and he’s applying that non-existent diet and exercise experience to rip-off book-buying patriotic Americans as well as sell his hope-and-a-prayer health care “plan.”
Which means he’s a huckster, in a way many Americans will understand. And old-time American huckster.
And aren’t Baptist preachers supposed to tell the truth?
McCain has been getting something of a free ride because his poll numbers are so low. But he would be 72 when he became President if he won the election. He has a vile temper and is as vindictive as Bush. He is a superhawk determined to keep us in Iraq forever (also like Bush). He is supposed to be a maverick and a straight shooter but as his kowtowing to the religious fundies or his less than forceful criticism on torture show he flip flops with the best of them.
I don’t care whether he had his gut sewed up or not. I think it’s interesting though hardly curious that all this stuff on the Huckster is coming out as he surges past the thuglican establishment candidates. It doesn’t matter. His people are so faith-based they will vote for him anyway. Out of forgiveness, if worst comes to worst.
The whole election model that has dominated our country since 1968 is going off the rails. People don’t have time to watch teevee news anymore because they are trapped in traffic jams; the newspapers are mostly sports, funnies and real estate ads. They go to church, though. This is screwing up the pollsters and consultants no end, because what they know isn’t working anymore. It doesn’t help the thugs that they were selling crap to begin with, but the disturbance is more general. Look at Hillary’s campaign, which is being run by the old book. She should be miles ahead.
So the Huckster is a sign of the times. He won’t get past the convention, which now looks like it is going to be open. Whee! More than enough popcorn around for everyone.
I miss Molly Ivins. So please bear with me if I stray OT.
I’ve been cleaning up the piles on my desk this week, and came across a Sept. 7, 2004(!) column by Ivins under the heading, “Cleaning up after GOP Lie Fest”. In the second paragraph, she wrote,
I feel like the janitor in that photo of Madison Square Garden after the party, facing a sea of garbage that needs to be collected and thrown out. Even after several days and with alert bloggers to help, it’s hard to catch all the lies” (emphasis added.)
Ah, plus ca change, plus la meme chose.
Good golly, I miss Miss Molly!
Bob in HI
Yes, but, he’s allowing some ‘non-controversial’ appointments to occur… Hmmm…
See @ 32..that is his reputation in Arkansas.
Ummm….he doesn’t have a theology degree either, does he? Would you expect a baptist minister to lie about that?
As someone said on the radio just last night, the White House isn’t a parsonage and the USA is not a mega-church. I want religious faith OUT of the political process!!
Hugh
I wasn’t arguing in favor of McCain, only pointing out that he’s benefiting and could be a tough nominee if he got past the primaries. He’s old and stupid, but he appeals to indies- and that’s who will pick the next prez.
I second that! I am more interested that Reif is going to keep Bush from appointing anymore useless bags of shit to any gov post!
In a presidential candidate, lying matters- we see that every day with the sack of shit in the White House. The huckster may be cut from the same cloth.
Being suspicious about the Huckster’s weight loss is like being suspicious about Bush’s sobriety. Both claim to have conquered their problems through sheer willpower. Both might be lying. Now it’s clear why the Huckster is surging to replace the Decider!
Would love to see the Huckster win the gooper nomination and then tank in the general. Might cause a permanent divorce of the gooper party from the snakehandlers.
Which is a good argument for us to go with either Edwards or Obama since both do well against McCain in general election matchups.
Even if he had no surgery.. the hypocrisy of his denial of medical supervision/benefits he received nor thinks others would need/deserve if in a similar situation. (Huckabee is about like Ron Paul when it comes to universal health care).. Return America to Little House On The Prairie.
Thanks Steve AR, for the clarification up thread.
Seems like there’s nothing left in the GOP but snakehandler’s.
I’m not sure it makes me any less disgusted with Reid for the way he handled the FISA situation. I also still want Hillary, Barack, and Joe B. to explain WHY they couldn’t be bothered to join Chris Dodd in his filibuster.
We have a sorry-ass bunch of folks representing us and I am just plain pissed off about it. The Huckster’s lies aren’t worth my mental energy.
Hugh
I supported Edwards last time and will support him this time as long as he stays in. If he wins Iowa he has a chance.
Excellent!!
Here’s another before and after of Huckabee.
Ruh, Roh!
OT…
TPM
That’s a pretty dramatic change. Do you know the dates of each?
I would guess he did. But if so, why hide the truth? Why dissemble? I think I just heard him on tv talking about the importance of being truthful. Hmmmm.
the state police investigator says huckabee said straight out (paraphrased)
“you are getting fired because he wouldn’t get the dog killing incident dissapeared”
this is on rachael maddow right now
It’s not possible or even desirable to stop all Clusterfuck appointments.
I agree — I’m for Edwards. Although I did send Dodd a very small donation and a note of thanks for his stand on FISA and amnesty for the telcos.
I like Dodd, but he isn’t in the running.
off topic but as far as republicans being “for state’s rights”
this is on think progress right now;
man oh man oh man
Any candidate who gets less than ten percent of the vote in Iowa should hang it up- it’s all over.
They aren’t dated.
Republics used to scream to have balanced budgets too. Of course, that was when they were safely in the minority and words were all that mattered.
I agree, he’s not in the running. And frankly, because he’s not, I haven’t informed myself about his positions on the issues. But I admire that he left the campaign to take a stand on the FISA issue, and $25 seemed a small way to show appreciation. I think he’s the kind of Democrat we want in Washington, unlike Reid, Pelosi, DiFi, and a host of others.
Now he’s a first class candidate for a face lift!
I just noticed that Time Magazine named Vladimir Putin its Man of the Year. Could they have made a choice that was more irrelevant? I would have gone with Bush and Cheney, the worst tag team Presidential duo for disaster, criminality, cronyism, and incompetence in our history. If they had wanted to be more cutting edge they could have made a choice related to global warming or peak oil, but that would have required a mindset that wasn’t mired back in the 1950s.
Was disappointed to see that congress has endorsed the ethanol fiasco and plans to multiply it’s absurd impact six times….total pandering to farm states and archer daniels.. no excuse for this shit.
Has even one prez candidate come out against ethanol?
Like I said… Hmmm…
Double Ruh, Roh!
argh. i tried, but i apparently don’t have the will power to resist replying.
i completely agree with and support ES’s analysis (except for the first sentence). i think huckabee would be a shitty president for the reason’s ES describes - not because he may have lied about having surgery.
and just to be clear - is there any real evidence or is it just suspicions based on no actual medical knowledge?
if he had bypass surgery but claims it’s because of diet and exercise, yet another example of hypocrisy. If medical insurance helped pay for it i find it troubling indeed. I imagine there are cases where it is medically necessary, but the truth is it CAN be done with diet and exercise. If insurance has paid for ANY of it i would be disgusted. There are so many in our once-great nation who cannot afford essential medical care and to have insurance cover the cost of a procedure that is necessary merely because the individual is too effing lazy to apply the needed discipline to succeed with diet and exercise ….
That’s not strictly true. You can’t have snakehandlers without snakes.
(I titled my post “Huckabariatric”! And man, do I wish I had known about this yesterday…)
On a related front EPA denies California air stands waiver using above energy bill as cover ha ha ha… details at http://gristmill.grist.org/sto...../153455/67
Aarrgh… Still no KO…
The ethanol scam is also having an impact on the worsening world food shortage. The UN reports that world food supplies are the lowest since ~1980.
Alison whatshername again? I TiVo it, watch it later sans commercials…
No keith again…
NO KO he has abandoned us!!
I suppose the essential question for Democrats like myself, should Huckabee actually win the nomination, is which Democrat is best positioned to beat him, and why?
Huckabee looks like he’s on his way to the “dumping syndrome”, sometimes associated with this particular surgery. Booyah
Keith has the night off. Do we believe them??? Maybe it is another sorted plot under way for Keith’s call you know who a “Bald faced Liar” for all to see!! Oh no1 Some one tells the truth.
These destroyed CIA tapes. Drip, drip, drip.
What’s the “dumping syndrome” ? Find yerself havin ta take a dump all the time er what?
Yeah the tape story is lookin very promising.
OfT - I luv the fact that OhDana is demanding a correction in the NYT’s headline about destroying the tapes.
So tomorrow they can run another headline, putting it right back on the front page again?
Brilliant move. Oh, Dana…
Huckabee lies about everything…But if the Bariatric surgery is true, then his whole spiel about exercise, diet..the book the Tv shows are a l