This morning’s NHK proved to be as dreary and as uninteresting as usual.

HuckabeeHuckabee playing Christian rockThis morning’s NHK proved to be as dreary and as uninteresting as usual.

After a long 6 minutes on reporting the weather, reporting how beautiful the mountains look in the sun and how there was nothing to report on traffic, they spent a hasty couple of minutes briefing the audience on the presidential elections in America.They started the package with a brief introduction of Mike Huckabee and it was surprising how nice they could be about the evangelical former Baptist minister who calls global warming a “biblical issue” and wants to replace the income tax with a sales tax.

Of course, NHK should be impartial and factual. But the only two vox pops they had talking about Huckabee was one old man saying how “I think Huckabee is nice and I like him” and another lady saying “well, it’s not too late to become contender.” They also kindly showed Huckabee’s presidential campaign ad as part of his introduction as well as a clip of Huckabee playing the guitar in a Christian concert with the news reporter saying “he even has a license to practice as a minister,” implying that he was therefore a good candidate to head the world’s most powerful country. Perhaps I failed to see NHK’s subtle satire but in reporting this issue it seemed to me like pretty partial coverage. But then again, what else can we expect from the LDP’s official public mouthpiece?


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Comments

Well Mike Huckabee really has no campaign and nothing of importance to say, so I guess you could blame Mike Huckabee for the lack of material. Also his views are completely unfounded and unoriginal. As well, we have had a president for the last 7 years who has preyed on the fear of the ignorant and yet good Christian folk of the US; I don't see how he is any different from bush, we have heard this all before. There is nothing new coming from the republican Christian right, once again.

Obviously he is taken a page from bill Clinton by playing an instrument, trying to seduce America's youth into believing he is 'hip to the times' and isn't a backward brainwashed buffoon.

Also considering the Japanese reluctance to criticize their politicians on the news or even in their comedy, this rosy picture painted of Huckabee is of no surprise to me.

According the the NHK, he has a "strong chance even though he is a late joiner". It will be interesting to see his PR campaign - as you say, no doubt focusing on the Christian community.

And as you say, I think it is becoming a trend for politicians to play instruments in public to warm the hearts of the public. Tony Blair was apparently a great rock guitar enthusiast as he often showed us in schools etc.

I wonder what instrument Hilary Clinton would play...