Huckenfreude

Huckenfreude (n): Pleasure derived from the outrage of prominent conservative pundits over the rising poll numbers of Mike Huckabee. Particularly sharp when the pundits in question are partisans of Rudy Giuliani, but extends to supporters of Mitt Romney as well. Usually experienced by evangelicals, crunchy cons, populists, and other un-airbrushed elements of the conservative coalition. Tends to coexist with an awareness that Huckabee isn't actually ready for prime time, and that his ascendancy may ultimately do their various causes more harm than good.

NB: Not to be confused with the more obscure phenomenon Huckengersonfreude - the pleasure derived from the outrage of columnists who liked Huckabee so long as he sounded like George W. Bush on immigration, instead of like his natural constituents.

Photo by Flickr user Yaquina used under a Creative Commons license.

Comments

I believe the "meeting of Hispanic civil rights leaders" Gerson is refering to is the one described at my name's link. It featured not only a once-mainstream, now-radicalized racial power group, but - surprise! - TysonChicken as well. Since that time, the national treasurer of that "civil rights" has parroted the "the border crossed us" line (basically denying the U.S.'s territorial claims), and the "civil rights" group might end up being involved in a class action against TysonChicken; the attorney in that case says Gerson's "civil rights" group might have helped TysonChicken hire IllegalAliens.

As for Huck's plan, the 120 days is unworkable, but since releasing the plan he's stated that those who left could come back within "days, maybe weeks".

Posted by Huck's meeting | December 14, 2007 2:43 PM

I believe the "meeting of Hispanic civil rights leaders" Gerson is refering to is the one described at my name's link. It featured not only a once-mainstream, now-radicalized racial power group, but - surprise! - TysonChicken as well. Since that time, the national treasurer of that "civil rights" has parroted the "the border crossed us" line (basically denying the U.S.'s territorial claims), and the "civil rights" group might end up being involved in a class action against TysonChicken; the attorney in that case says Gerson's "civil rights" group might have helped TysonChicken hire IllegalAliens.

As for Huck's plan, the 120 days is unworkable, but since releasing the plan he's stated that those who left could come back within "days, maybe weeks".

Posted by Huck's meeting | December 14, 2007 2:44 PM

What's the term for the joy pundits get from coining new words that are variations on Huckabee's name? I've seen Huckaboom, Huckabomb, Huckabasher, Huckster, and now Huckenfreude (and that's not to mention all the witty examples of "Huck You" or "Huck Off" that can be found on the internet and in certain tabloids). Other candidates might include: Hunkabee (the Fair Tax is dreamy); Huckabinge (i.e. pundits overdosing on Huckabee coverage); Huckableed (for the erosion of support Huck will receive as folks learn about his record); Huckatee (t-shirt supporting Mike Huckabee); Huckaplea (the video of Huck begging the Arkansas legislature to raise taxes); and Huckabrie (a tasty Arkansas cheese).

Posted by Blackadder | December 14, 2007 3:19 PM

HucksterHucksters: those who are inflating Huck for some reason or other. Related: HuckaHuckaHUCKA!!!!

Posted by TLB | December 14, 2007 4:00 PM

As a Rockefeller Republican, the thing that bugs me most is that the party is flirting with someone who (1) doesn't believe in evolution but (2) does believe we need massive government action to combat global warming.

Of all the combinations in the world, do we have to run with that one? It's taking this Sam's Club Republicanism a little far.

Posted by J Mann | December 14, 2007 4:35 PM

As a Rockefeller Republican, the thing that bugs me most is that the party is flirting with someone who (1) doesn't believe in evolution but (2) does believe we need massive government action to combat global warming.

You'd prefer he patterned himself after Inhofe?

Sure, I'd prefer he believe in both evolution and global warming. But for a Christianist conservative, 1 out of 2 ain't bad.

Posted by Jay | December 14, 2007 6:09 PM

Offtopic, but CC licenses vary so much that "a Creative Commons license" can mean anything at all, from practically public domain to practically proprietary. It would be better to name the specific CC license you're using it under.

Posted by Bleg | December 14, 2007 6:24 PM

Huckaventionism: misguided, well-meaning government intervention in private life meant to enforce some sort of virtue such as smoking cessation, weight loss, outlawing foie gras, etc. Just as rigid feminist marriage to legal abortion has morphed the Democratic party into an entirely different animal than the "New Deal Coalition", the "pro-life" model of post-Roe Republicanism is morphing into huckaventionism before our very eyes.

Posted by Doug Barber | December 14, 2007 6:54 PM

Why is it that the anti-Latino posters seem to always combine words into a single word (IllegalAliens, MexicanGovernment, etc.)?

Posted by Reality Man | December 15, 2007 12:01 AM

Paulenfreude: pleasure derived from knowing that neocon bloggers get really annoyed when Ron Paul supporters post comments that attempt to redirect the discussion to Ron Paul, regardless of relevance to the original topic.

Posted by imp | December 15, 2007 4:51 AM

Sam's Club is your present. It is your future.

Posted by SammySay | December 15, 2007 5:36 AM

Rockefeller himself was concerned with environmental issues, JMann.

According to Wikipedia (so, take issue with this if you like):

Rockefeller Republicans were moderate or liberal on domestic and social policies. They typically favored New Deal programs, welfare, and civil rights—usually promising to run them more efficiently than the Democrats. They were strong supporters of big business. In fiscal policy they favored balanced budgets and relatively high tax levels to keep the budget balanced. They sought long-term economic growth through entrepreneurship, not tax cuts. In state politics, they were strong supporters of state colleges and universities, low tuition, and large research budgets. They favored infrastructure improvements, such as highway projects.

In foreign policy, Rockefeller Republicans were internationalists and anti-Communists. They felt the best way to counter Communism was sponsoring economic growth (through foreign aid), maintaining a strong military, and keeping close ties to NATO.

There's a term for Rockefeller Republicans today: Democrats.

Posted by Elvis Elvisberg | December 15, 2007 9:06 AM

Reality Man: because it's all one guy. He changes his handle a bunch, but if you hover over the link back to his site you'll see that it's always the same blogwhore.

He's been around for several years, but the obsession with Mexicans and the McElwainesque concatenation/capitalization are both relatively recent phenomena; I strongly suspect that he suffered some sort of mental episode in the last two years and that immigration has become his idee fixe since.

Posted by Doctor Memory | December 16, 2007 2:53 AM

"but the obsession with Mexicans"

Why not? No other group will have such an immense impact on america's future demographics. An obsession with, say, Canary Islander immigrants might be a little weird. Outsized impact calls for outsized scrutiny.

Posted by pjgoober | December 16, 2007 2:53 PM

Crunchy Cons? Is that even a thing? I thought that was just some failed marketing project Rob Dreher cooked up.

Posted by Justin K. | December 16, 2007 3:52 PM

The Huckabee candidacy for the Republican Party is like the Rev Jim Jones or Pat Robinson on steroids. Obviously a nice guy but so was George Bush and look at what we've had as president for the last 7 years.

I prefer Ron Paul and he can win. See, President Ron Paul – Could He Really Win?

Learn how outside economic and foreign policy events just might elect Ron Paul.
http://www.ronaldholland.com/presidentronpaul.htm is a two part article on how current events outside the political process could elect Ron Paul as President.

Posted by Ron Holland | December 18, 2007 12:25 PM

HuckenCluck...
The repetetive chorus of "I'm a caring
christian"...from yet another snake-oil salesman
trying to convince the rubes that he's genuine.
Oh... "George bush was a nice guy too"??????
Not even close to truth... smarmy, condescending,
arrogant, downright hostile to opposing viewpoints...THESE are George Bush's observable character traits.. have you been asleep for the last 7 years???
My ability to take Ron Paul(and his supporters!)
just got halved... if ANYONE out there thinks
Bush was/is a "nice guy" they need their f-king
heads examined.

Posted by mark A. | December 18, 2007 2:59 PM

The pearl-clutching of the patrician right over Huckabee's current popularity is nothing new for the Republicans. It is, in many ways, a replay of the 1988 GOP schism between the supporters of George H. W. Bush and Pat Robertson.

Posted by "Fair and Balanced" Dave | December 18, 2007 4:36 PM

Every Democratic candidate is acceptable to me. Every GOP candidate will prove to be an poor choice to voters and unacceptable to the world. Bring it on.

Posted by Ricardo | December 18, 2007 8:09 PM

Rich Lowry correctly calls it Huckacide.

After pouring over every record I could find about his past in his actions and statements ( I have 60 that I kept the links from ), including what the Arkansas republicans have to say about the man who was supposed to be one of them, Lowry's coined term is right on the money.

The Huckster sells pipedreams for votes; Flat tax, Abortion Amendment, Same-sex Marriage Amendment, God looking over our shoulder who apparently only speaks through him.

This pathetic clown is a liberal reinvention and so far it appears Iowa has been sucked into it.

Posted by Winghunter | December 18, 2007 10:05 PM

ROSS, Huckenfreude literally translates from German to mean "The joy of Huck". You probably meant HuckenShadenFreude "The joy of Huck's demise". (Although you may be twisted enough to mean both). When you contract out the "Schaden" to make a clever word-combo, you end up giving it the opposite meaning. Your word and this blog post are being picked up over the blogosphere and ensuing great confusion as to what you really mean.

Posted by Chris | December 20, 2007 11:25 AM

Pollster: "Are you voting for Huckabee?"

Hispanic voter: "Si, senor - he deserves the Oscar for his 'I, Claudius'."

Posted by Rod Blaine | January 21, 2008 2:02 PM