Statement from Rick Scarborough, president of Vision America Action, in response to the Iowa Presidential Caucus results
- Rick Scarborough
- Jan 4, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Tonight Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama stunned the pundits of the East and West Coast establishment by winning the Iowa Presidential Caucuses of their respective parties. Huckabee overwhelmed all comers in the Republican race. Obama likewise overwhelmed all comers in the Democratic race.
Bill Crystol reminded the viewers of the Fox News Network that ever so often someone (can you say Jimmy Carter?) captures the imagination of the voters and against all odds rises to the top. Huckabee may just be such a man for the Republicans and Obama for the Democrats.
While many will speculate as to why they did so well, I would like to offer my opinion.
Mike Huckabee reminds most Americans of their next door neighbor. And for those who do not have a next door neighbor, he reminds them of the
neighbor they would like to have. He is not a throwback to the America of the Fifties--he is an example of the America I know today.
All over fly-over America there are millions of normal men and women who go to work everyday and come home every night with one simple goal--to live their lives quietly, rearing their children to become successful, and giving a portion of what is left every week back to their Maker, attending the church of their choice and offering their lives in service to God and others. Millions!
People relate to Huckabee because he is genuine. People feel like a vote for him is a vote for themselves. And they give to him what no amount of money can buy--their devotion and their vote. I believe Mike Huckabee has the potential to change the face of American politics by giving the system back to the people.
He was outspent 15-1. Yet he won. He was trashed by negative attack adds in the eleventh hour for which he chose not to respond. Yet he won.
Obama won because as an African-American, running in a state that is 95 percent white, he won without ever mentioning that he was black. He won as an American without playing the race card.
This bodes well for all Americans, of all races, and illustrates that Americans are better than they are often told by the press. Two relative newcomers have, for the moment, positioned themselves as the men to beat in this year's primary season.
Huckabee and Obama have at least two things in common. They both battled their own party establishment and they both emphasized the importance of faith. While I adamantly oppose the conclusions that Obama draws from his faith, which allows for the killing of the unborn and his views on same sex marriage, I applaud his courage to acknowledge his faith.
Clearly the most important commonality between them was how the people responded to them.
Both called for change and both avoided negative campaigning. And the people responded. These candidates are not perfect and Americans are not perfect, but tonight illustrates that we are moving in the right direction.
It's a new day in presidential politics and only God knows where it will end. But it will not be boring.
Rick Scarborough is an ordained minister and the president of Vision America Action. He is currently speaking across America, encouraging Christians to vote their values. Scarborough has been featured on CNN, HBO, MSNBC, Fox News and numerous television stations, radio stations and newspapers worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.visionamerica.org/.
