Amidst an in-depth profile of Republican contender Mike Huckabee in The New York Times is a tiny tidbit that makes me question his presidential fitness. When offered a free meal by Times' reporter Zev Chafets, his first choices were TGI Friday's and the Olive Garden. Regardless of his politics, that poor decision-making has cost him my vote.
In spite of his penchant for low-end chain dining, Huckabee managed to drop over 100 pounds over the last few years thanks to diet, exercise and God. Since his big loss, he's pushed to reduce the obesity rate in his home state of Arkansas, which is one of the top 10 fattest places in the country. Perhaps the most well-received plan proposed by this "small government" Republican are 15-minute exercise breaks for government employees. Sadly, since Arkansas' smoking rate — 26 percent of adults — exceeds the obesity rate, I suspect that a lot of people will be using that extra time to spark another cancer stick.
This article appears in Jan 9-15, 2008.
