Huckabee's Christmas Ad, Ron Paul Fires Back

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/18/huckabees-christmas-ad-_n_77315.html

Will Thomas
The Huffington Post
Huckabee's Christmas Ad, Ron Paul Fires Back
December 18, 2007

Read More: 2008 Election, Huckabee Baptist, Iowa, Iowa Caucuses, Mike Huckabee, Mike Huckabee And Religion, Mike Huckabee Leading Polls, Political Ads, Republican Primary, Ron Paul, Ron Paul Religion, Breaking Politics News Politics

Mike Huckabee is bringing his Christmas cheer, and his Baptist minister roots, to Iowans this election season. His recent ad, "What Really Matters," features the former governor offering citizens a Merry Christmas.

This isn't your ordinary Happy Holidays event. Huckabee lets loose the Christian spirit, saying "what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ." The ad also features a bookshelf in the background that appears to some like a "floating cross." The ad is a not-too-subtle play to Iowa value voters, who cringe at what they view as an increasingly secularized holiday.

Asked about the ad today, Ron Paul decried Huckabee's religious iconography with his own veiled reference on Fox and Friends:

"It reminds me of what Sinclair Lewis once said. He says, 'when fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross.' Now I don't know whether that's a fair assessment or not, but you wonder about using a cross, like he is the only Christian or implying that subtly. So, I don't think I would ever use anything like that."

Mike Huckabee's campaign today denied that the bookshelf/cross was an intentional reference. Iowa Director Eric Woolson responded:

It's the window frame in the background... Once you've got it in your head that it's a cross, it's a cross.