Reince Priebus, the chairman of the
Republican National Committee (RNC), has offered former Arkansas
Governor Mike Huckabee as a “reasonable” model on gay rights.
According to the National Review,
Priebus cited Huckabee as “a model for a lot of people in our
party” on issues such as marriage and abortion.
“I always tell people: Listen to
Governor Mike Huckabee,” Priebus said. “I don't know anyone that
talks about them any better.”
Priebus was trying to make the point
that the GOP needs to sound “reasonable” to attract voters.
Writing at Right
Wing Watch, Kyle Mantyla noted Huckabee's long record opposing
gay rights.
“Ummm … does Priebus really think
that Huckabee has a good record of sounding 'reasonable' on these
issues?” Mantyla wrote. “Does he actually even know anything
about Huckabee's anti-gay views?”
“Huckabee was, after all, the
candidate of choice for a cavalcade of rabidly anti-gay Religious
Right activists for a reason, and with whom he continues to
associate.”
“Huckabee has declared that, if he
became president, he would reinstate Don't Ask, Don't Tell and
proclaimed that he is looking for 'spiritual warriors' who will not
allow the nation to fall 'to the hands of those who would enslave us'
but will instead stand and fight against marriage equality.”
“If this is the sort of stuff that
Priebus thinks will make the GOP seem 'reasonable,' then the party is
in even deeper trouble than we imagined.”