So last night I sat and listened to Mike Huckabee on Larry King. As might be obvious, I want to dislike Huckabee - on the basis, mostly, of who I think he appeals to; people who want religion to have, shall we say, a more definitive and dominant place in American life.

There’s a totalitarian impulse in that, though of course it’s incorrect to say all Huckabee supporters are like this. And when I listen to Huckabee I’m not sure he’s like that. Indeed, I’m finding it difficult to dislike him as much as I want to.

I do not think and have never said that there’s no place for faith in politics. If it’s honestly held, faith cannot help but influence your politics. My beef has always been with those who want to use religion to either control others or cement their own societal dominance. Why, for example, is it so important that this be officially recognized as a “Christian” nation? If it is not officially deemed a Christian nation - does that infringe upon anyone’s right to be as fervent a Christian as they like? Does it impact their own personal salvation? But that’s not what this is about. What it’s about is showing everyone that we run this show. I’ve always thought that impulse to be rather un-Christian.

But as to how faith might impact your views of the issues, Huckabee last night put forth a pretty articulate case. King asked him all the hot-button questions: Evolution? Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell? Huckabee was dodging and weaving, but I got the sense that no, that isn’t what it all boils down to for him, that faith influences his candidacy in more subtle ways. He sees the importance of music and art education in school. He’s willing to criticize Il Dunce - not for the sake of doing so, but because there might be aspects of how we’ve conducted the war in Iraq or the war on terror that doesn’t exactly square with what the Prince of Peace preached.

The case I hear him making is a case very different from what Tony Snow (”war on God”) or Iowa Rep. Steve King (”Let’s worship Christ”) are saying. Less confrontational and exploitative, maybe. He didn’t seem to be using his faith as a tool.

But then I read stuff like this:

Abortion, environmentalism, AIDS, pornography, drug abuse, and homosexual activism have fragmented and polarized our communities.

And I think, well, maybe Huckabee does bear watching.

For a number of reasons.