Huckabee deflects on wifely submission

Fox News is broadcasting yet another live debate with the presidential candidates, this one including Ron Paul.

As entertaining as the Texas congressman may be, the former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee just dazzled with a bob-and-dodge when asked to explain his signature on the Southern Baptist statement, passed at the denomination's 1998 convention, that "a wife is to submit herself graciously" to the leadership of her husband.

First, he deflected with a barb, saying it's interesting that "everybody" says that religion is off-limits as a campaign issue, except when it comes to him.

Then he made a little joke, saying that if this gathering was going to be a religious service, he'd like to pass the plate, since his campaign could certainly use the money. His slight stumble over the words revealed the rehearsed nature of the quip, which may have been written for him.

Then he said he would not apologize for his faith, and went on to say that that the passage in Ephesians on which the "wifely submission" statement was based meant that both husband and wife submitted themselves equally to Christ. Do note, mes amis, that the Southern Baptist statement only includes the word "equal" in reference to the value of both husband and wife in the eyes of God. It does, however, leave the business of submission to the wife, and likens that submission to the submission of the church to God. So, the husband is analogous to God. Nice.

Huckabee then made his answer about his wife. See, it couldn't be a sexist statement, since anybody who thinks that statement is about ordering one's wife around has "never met Janet Huckabee."

I wonder what her name used to be.