Dept. of Not Smart Republican Presidential Candidates

You shall be known by who you hire for your campaign. Case in point number one, from long-shot Duncan Hunter:

In his latest appeal to the Republican base, Duncan Hunter has named Dr. Henry Jordan as his South Carolina campaign co-chair. This Henry Jordan:

COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 16, 1997 12:25 p.m. EDT) -- A state Board of Education member, talking Tuesday about displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools, had a ready suggestion for groups who might object to it.

"Screw the Buddhists and kill the Muslims," Dr. Henry Jordan said during the board's finance and legislative committee meeting. "And put that in the minutes," he added.

The remarks made Tuesday were expunged from the written minutes, but were recorded on tape. The (Columbia) State obtained the tape under the Freedom of Information Act.

Jordan, a surgeon who failed in a bid to get the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 1994, said Thursday he thought the meeting was over and members were engaged in private conversation.

His apology was "Is this thing on?"

Case in point number two, from Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas:

Exclusive: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee plans to make a splash on Capitol Hill on Friday with the surprising announcement that Rep. Don Young of Alaska has signed on as congressional chairman of his Republican presidential exploratory committee.

In a letter to House Republicans, Young says Huckabee will help produce “a reawakening of the conservative values that make our country a land of opportunity.”

What The Politico doesn't mention, because it would require actual reporting and analysis, is that Don Young is the same guy who called for the summary execution of 250 members of Congress on the House floor, claimed that the quote came from Abraham Lincoln when it didn't, and then refused to correct the record even after acknowledging that the quote was false.

Huckabee's supposed to be the sharp dark-horse candidate, right?