Should Jamie Lynn Spears Heart Huckabee?

Andrew writes:

Isn't Huckabee the obvious representative of all the Jamie Lynn Spears' out there? I mean: he's got a following for a reason.

Oh, snap.

Except, of course, that there's actually a serious argument for why Mike Huckabee (or any social conservative) ought to find his strongest constituency among people with the misfortune to grow up in a world where meeting your boyfriend at church and having his baby out of wedlock aren't mutually exclusive propositions.

Take it away, Reihan ...

Comments

Someone should tell Sullivan that the plural of Spears is "Spearses."

Posted by James | December 21, 2007 10:56 AM

From the linked article:

"Between 1992 and 2004, for example, the percentage of people who said they agree that “the father of the family must be the master in his own house” increased ten points, from 42 to 52 percent, in the 2,500-person Environics survey. The percentage agreeing that “men are naturally superior to women” increased from 30 percent to 40 percent."

If true, this is highly, highly disturbing.

Posted by Hector | December 21, 2007 11:04 AM

I hate to break it to ya, Ross. But if you think there ever has been, or ever will be, a world where meeting your boyfriend at church and having his baby out of wedlock ARE mutually exclusive propositions, then you're a wee bit on the naive side.

Posted by LaFollette Progressive | December 21, 2007 11:32 AM

Hector.

Well it might be depending on how you view it. I read a survey like that and think to myself.

In the time between 1992 and 2004 more peoples consciousness was raised as to the importance of having a fathers within the home as to the well being of children and wives.

That these same people when presented with a limited number of answers as to questions about men, fathers & family: used the opportunity to express their strong support for traditional family structures.

Viewed this way, perhaps its not as disturbing?

Posted by Fitz | December 21, 2007 11:45 AM

While it is widely believed that Casey Aldridge was the lucky gent who knocked that sweet lil' thing up, the truth is:

It was me.

Posted by Ross Douthat's Hair | December 21, 2007 1:17 PM

People who meet their boyfriend at church and have their child out of wedlock are Huckabee's constituency, because Huckabee is the candidate for people who think sex ed and condoms are objectively bad and don't work.

Posted by SDM | December 21, 2007 1:31 PM

Fitz typed: "In the time between 1992 and 2004 more peoples consciousness was raised as to the importance of having a fathers within the home as to the well being of children and wives."

For gawd's sake! I wish more people would care about constructing sentences that don't commit atrocities against the poor English language.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | December 21, 2007 1:58 PM

We should give credit to Spears for at least not getting impregnated by a blood relative. That's not uncommon in Huckabee's part of the world from what I hear.

Posted by Bruce Bartlett | December 21, 2007 7:40 PM

If true, this is highly, highly disturbing.

Perhaps, but it's also highly, highly predictable, after being browbeaten with the "women are superior, men are apes or thugs" routine for 30 years.

Posted by Mike S. | December 21, 2007 10:36 PM

"If true, this is highly, highly disturbing.

Perhaps, but it's also highly, highly predictable, after being browbeaten with the "women are superior, men are apes or thugs" routine for 30 years.

Posted by Mike S. | December 21, 2007 10:36 PM"

Oh no, men had to hear mean things said about them by professors at Vassar. Waaaaaa! Compared to what women have gone through through much of history, this is nothing. When you have one sex controlling most of corporate America, the government and the media and you still think you are somehow a victim because of your sex, you are just beyond a pussy. Be a man and buck up. This is why right-wing radio is for wimps who like to think they are victims. It reminds me of that scene in "American Dad" where the main character met another white conservative straight male in a church and they were complaining that they only have most of the power these days instead of all of it.

Posted by Reality Man | December 22, 2007 12:04 AM

How can you this to you have many onir you can apotb or you can have it?

Posted by Missy | January 3, 2008 5:05 PM