Mr. Huckabee claims Divine providence was responsible for his recent surge in the polls in Iowa

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John Schroeder at the Article Six Blog (Religion in the 2008 Presidential Campaign: Commentary by an Evangelical Christian and a Mormon) discusses "the speech." It's important to note that John is a practicing evangelical.

Initially, John discusses various reasons for not giving such a speech. Then, John gets to this section of his essay:

A reason to do this speech…

There is; however, at least one very legitimate reason to do this speech that I have found. It comes from this post at “Falwell Confidential” in the wake of Jerry Falwell’s son announcing what was reported as a Huckabee endorsement last week, but in this post appears to be otherwise.

Mr. Huckabee also said that Divine providence was responsible for his recent surge in the polls in Iowa, as he noted that he is the candidate with much less capital firepower than his rivals. Despite his fundraising shortfall, his message seems to be resonating with voters.

Divine providence? Are you nuts? You're about to spiral downward with language like that.

Only the most extreme conservative Christians believe that type of nonsense you're spewing. Most Christians and about all other Americans are seriously turned off by that type of rhetoric.

Now, please note - this is not a preacher saying what he thinks of Huckabee and his rise (something we have reported on prior), this is a citation of Huckabee himself! Huckabee is doing nothing short of claiming that he, personally, is God’s selected candidate. And people are worried about whether Romney will take orders from SLC?!?!?!?!

Exactly! Romney's not running for pastor-in-chief. Yet, it appears Huckabee is.

Reason has to be restored to the discussion of religion in presidential politics. Romney’s speech needs to address not so much his faith, but faith that would claim divine ordination to a secular office.

Taking the press to school on this would be a mistake, that’ll just make them angry and uglier. But Romney needs to take Mike Huckabee seriously to task. There simply is no place for such claims in a presidential campaign - NONE!

I repeat, this guy, John, is an evangelical. He isn't a member of Mitt's faith. Yet, he knows the best candidate when he sees him/her. And he's seen that best guy in Mitt Romney!

Update: RICHARD COHEN at IBD Editorials has a wonderful piece here:

Huckabee, Not Romney, Owes An Explanation

It is absurd that Romney feels compelled to deliver a speech defending his beliefs and that Huckabee does not have to explain how, in this day and age, he does not believe in evolution.

But it is singularly appropriate that Romney's speech be delivered at the Bush library. For it is the 41st president's underachieving son who put such emphasis on religious belief — and has shown us all, with his appalling record, that faith is no substitute for thought. A mind honed on the whetstone of doubt might have kept us out of Iraq.

The Republican presidential field has some feeble minds and some dangerous ones as well, but none has done as much damage as Huckabee already has. Religion does not belong in the political arena. It does not lend itself to compromise. It is about belief, not reason — no one ever said, "Come, let us believe together" — and is ordinarily immutable.

Romney is a shifty fellow, but he will always be a Mormon and it will never make a difference. Should he become president, he will still light the national Christmas tree and pardon the Thanksgiving turkey and host the Easter egg roll on the White House lawn.

Inevitably, Romney's speech will be compared to JFK's. But when it comes to being beholden to a religious doctrine, it is Huckabee and not Romney who has some explaining to do.

What's more, Huckabee is the one who is capitalizing on religious intolerance. He says he's a Christian leader, but the evidence proves otherwise. He's really a shameless follower.