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Politico's populist pop quiz

By: Lisa Lerer

December 24, 2007 10:51 AM EST

At first glance, John Edwards and Mike Huckabee seem like complete opposites. The Democratic trial lawyer and Republican preacher seem straight out of central casting, ready-made rivals for a clichéd Hollywood take on the electoral process.

But if you close your eyes, it’s easy to get confused. Both deliver a message chock full of populist rhetoric, targeting middle-class voters tired of rising costs and growing income inequality.

On the stump, the two play up their humble beginnings and rail against a shadowy conglomerate of rich CEOs and out-of-touch politicians. And they both do it in an unmistakably Southern twang.

Of course, it’s a superficial comparison. The two take radically different tones on the trail. Huckabee, unfailingly upbeat, describes himself as “a conservative who’s just not angry.”

Edwards delivers the secular version of a fire-and-brimstone sermon, warning audiences of the coming “epic battle” they must wage to reclaim their democracy from corporate interests.

They also tout slightly different victories. While Edwards sells himself as the only Democrat who can win in red states, Huckabee flaunts his triumph over the “Clinton machine” in Arkansas.

And then, there’s the small matter of their actual policies. From subprime mortgages to taxes, the two stand on opposite ends of the political spectrum, offering different solutions on issues that matter to middle-class voters.

Huckabee, at least, denies a connection. When asked if he was recognizing Edwards’ “two Americas,” Huckabee was quick to dismiss the idea.

“It’s not about two Americas; I think we’re one America,” he said. “But there’s certainly a different level of anxiety among different Americans. I don’t think that means we’re a divided country.”

The candidates might not see the similarities, but we certainly do.

To highlight them — and to have a little fun for the holidays — we’ve put together Politico’s first-ever Populist Pop Quiz.

We’ve pulled quotes from Iowa stump speeches and press conferences given by both Huckabee and Edwards over the past week. Can you identify which candidate said each of the following statements?

1. “No young person is more equal than another person because he has a higher IQ, or a higher net worth, or because he lives in a nicer home, or his clothes have a label of a designer that the other guy doesn’t have. That’s not what gives us equality.”

2. “There is unfortunately some disconnect between people who have never struggled and those for whom everyday life is a struggle.”

3. “The richest people in America are getting richer. The big corporations’ profits are going through the roof. What is happening to the middle class? What is happening to working people in this country?”

4. “Is it still possible that this country will elect a president not because he had the most money but because he really did represent the most of the ordinary Americans in this nation who understand what it’s like to live to work to try to raise a family? And for many Americans, it’s working with no net underneath us.”

5. “This election is about right and wrong. This election is about what is moral and what is not. … It is immoral to have veterans going to sleep under bridges. It is immoral to have children whose parents have to fend for health care at the hospital. This is not America.”

6. “I’ve been concerned for some time about the fact that the economic growth in the country seems to be completely concentrated at the top, with big corporations and the richest Americans, and middle-class families are struggling.”

7. “There’s nothing unique about me. Virtually everyone in this room has a parent or a grandparent who struggled and sacrificed, and they worked for you, and they did that for a reason. We can’t have that taken away.”

8. “For my family, summer was never a verb. We summered in hay fields and chicken yards and all kinds of stuff."

Holiday bonus question:

The candidate on his holiday plans: "We have an unusual tradition that after the Christmas Eve service, we go out and eat Chinese food."

Reporter: "Is that your effort to relate to the Jewish community?"

Candidate: "No, it's Chinese food."

Reporter: "A lot of Jewish people go for Chinese food on Christmas Eve."

Candidate: "Oh. We just like it and go out for it."

Answers:

1. Huckabee, 2. Huckabee, 3. Edwards, 4. Huckabee, 5. Edwards, 6. Edwards, 7. Edwards, 8. Huckabee, Bonus: Huckabee.

From “mbecker908” of Redstate:

Here is the link:

http://redstate.com/blogs/mbecker908/2007/dec/17/huckabee_is_to_the_left_of_all_the_candidates

The cry of the Huckabots is that Bubba Jr. is more conservative on everything than the other candidates. Let's take a look.

2. Economics. Simple factual stuff.

FACT: The average Arkansan was paying 47% more in taxes when BJ left office than when was first elected.

FACT: State spending rose at three times the rate of inflation.

FACT: He did nothing to expand the economic base of the State in ten years as Governor.

WITH RESPECT TO OTHER CANDIDATES: Rudy cut taxes and spending in NYC during his eight years as Mayor. He did this in the face of an overwhelming liberal establishment that was opposed to his programs that included the NYT.

Romney held the line on new taxes in Massachusetts during his term as Governor and managed to balance the budget which had an $8B shortfall.

Fred voted consistently in the Senate to reduce taxes and as a Federalist, favors moving Federal programs from Washington to the states, and letting the states kill them or fund them as they see fit with state, not federal, money.

McCain is viewed as a budget hawk because of his opposition to earmarks and his Medicare Part D. On the bad side he opposed the "Bush Tax Cuts".

Bottom line: BJ has a record of spending and tax increases that none of the others do. They have all held the line and opposed or reduced taxes and spending when they had the opportunity.

He is clearly to the left of all other candidates.