Voters' Views: Stephen Parker

The US primary season, in which the main parties select their presidential candidates, kicks off in earnest in the state of New Hampshire on 8 January.

Iowans have already stated their preferences in caucuses. Who will it be in New Hampshire? We asked six residents to tell us who they are supporting and why.

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Stephen Parker
IT worker | Republican

I will vote for Mike Huckabee. He has the clearest and strongest sense of what it means to be a human being.

Age: 44 Lives: Keene Occupation: IT worker Last election voted: Republican In 10 words or less: Single, middle-aged, Catholic American, former submariner, former monk, amateur photographer Voters' Views: New Hampshire

"Participating in the New Hampshire primaries is an honour; they have in the past often been important indicators of the way the presidential elections will go, the following November.

In making my choice, I have taken into account the candidates' stands on various points: war on terror, tax reform, immigration reform, health care reform. But above all, I was looking for the ability to lead Americans into a renewed understanding and appreciation of what it means to be American and, moreover, to be human.

Rather than simply being led in defending a democracy, citizens must be led to cooperate in making it worth defending.

So I will vote for Mike Huckabee. He has the clearest and strongest sense of what it means to be a human being, and this in the face of John McCain's superior qualifications to prosecute a war on terror. This choice gives me some hope."

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Look out for an update of Stephen's views after the primary.

The readers' panel has been selected from as wide a cross-section of people as possible and may not be representative of wider US public opinion.

Your comments:

Huckabee seems a pretty nice guy, but I worry that as president he would deeply split America. Of course, the US is already deeply divided, but as we have occasionally seen from George Bush, there is nothing so divisive as religion. In a country where there are massive battles about religious statues outside courtrooms, and any mix between church and state it seems remarkably risky to have a minister as president. Every single decision he makes will be controversial, especially on the less religious coasts.
tom, b, UK

I think what Stephen means is that Huckabee shares his ideas of what it is to be a human being. The US religious right has never been well known for tolerance of people who's ideas and/or lifestyles differ from their own. Regardless of whether or not Huckabee "belongs" to the religious right, that's where he's placing himself. That's the platform he's forming for himself. In my view, to know what it is to be a human being is to show acceptance of all human beings, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual preference and a host of other things.
Pall Thayer, Reykjavik, Iceland

A clear and strong sense of what it means to be a human being - not sure what that means, but I suspect every human being has it. I seriously doubt, though, having read his issues statements, that Huckabee has a clear and strong sense of what it will mean to be a human being in the unprecedented changes in the environment and the other challengess of the next decade.
dodo, Qatar

Does this guy realize that Gov. Huckabee wants to have "creationism/intelligent design" taught in our schools? That's not "understanding" what it means to be "human", that's just flat out backwards. I want my kids, and every other child in this nation, to have a solid education grounded on facts and not on some candidate's peculiar religious notions, however fervently held. Deliver me from Huckabee.
Sarah , Bridgehampton , NY , USA

The two activities in which glib speech and a flexible audience-prompted content are assets are Religious office and Politics. Mike Huckabee is accomplished on both counts, and I do not trust his sincere-sounding words at all. I don't think we are ready for a theocratic approach to Constitutional democracy.
Abhi Buch, San Diego, Ca USA

He has the clearest and strongest sense of what it means to be a human being. Unless you are a homosexual.
Ali Hassan, New York, NY

While I think Mike would be able to handle the job, I do not feel he would be best for the US. How many death row people did he let out of jail that went on to kill again? He could be Vice president, but never Commander in Chief in my eyes. Lots of reasons to vote for him, but too many errors in judgement in his past for me to support him.
Daniel Robert Smyth, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. USA

Mike Huckabee is certainly one of the most inspiring figures in American politics next to Barack Obama. Unfortunately, though his character and experience suggests he would be an outstanding president, I have serious doubts about his foreign policy knowledge (forget experience). Huckabee seems to have a record of foreign policy ignorance that is as significant an issue for voters as his ability to appeal to an America that is screaming for a humble champion for change.
Hari Iyer, Alpharetta, GA USA

To Stephen Parker Huckabee represents to him what it means to "be American and, moreover, to be human". Yes. As long as you are Huckabee's sort of human. Not if you are gay. Not if you are a woman in need of an abortion. Not if you are an illegal immigrant.... That is not the "human" quality we need in a man who will lead such an incredibly diverse country as ours.
Jim Franco, NYC USA

Huckabee like Obama is charismatic and has the tendency to say the right things to increase its popularity. However, a degree in theology, and loosing 100 lbs hardly qualifies anyone for being president. His proposal of a universal sales taxes on the order of the 24% of so is ludicrous. Obviously the low income segment of the population would suffer the most. Concurrently, such sales tax would also affect consumption, the backbone of the American economy.
Felipe Queiroz, Logan, UT

While Mr. Huckabee is a faithful and truly funny man, the belief that the woman's place is to submit to a man, is not funny in the slightest. Our ideological adversaries abroad are united with us in this singular belief. Is this how we will build our ties abroad?
John Clark, Wilton, NH