On his show last night, Mike Huckabee took aim at President Obama's Cairo speech, and in particular, the following O remark:
"Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail."
Huck's reply:
"Well, this is the most disappointing statement the President made. Had this country not elevated itself above other countries and believed in the God-given right of each person to be elevated to equality... he [Obama] wouldn't be president.
This nation uniquely believes that we should never, never, never accept the least that we can be, but strive to be our best. Thank God that Lincoln, FDR, Truman, JFK, Ronald Reagan or any other President refused to accept the notion that our nation isn't that special.
We believe that God has elevated us, because we elevated each human life as having worth and value, that we enjoy the greatest freedom and prosperity in the history of America.... I'm glad we believe in elevating our nation and the people in it, and i don't apologize for America, I thank God for it every single day."
Huck's chats are often described as quippy and folksy. What that hides, though, is a certain eloquence. Intellectual chops aren't about obscuring important thoughts behind Lionel Trilling words. It's about taking those thoughts, stripping them of their excess, and leaving only the most important core.
Huck's oft-mentioned rival in the populist territory, Sarah Palin, struggles on this score. She can certainly strip thoughts of the Lionel Trilling words, but also, unfortunately, of nearly everything else. Her speeches are littered with key words like "D.C.", "people", "America", "love it", but there's rarely a unifying theme beyond attacking the usual scapegoats in rhetorical scattershot.
That's her challenge. Turning the populist rhetoric into something that survives once the parades and cheers have left.
Transcript and vid of the Huckabee clip when available.
