Contrary to what was discussed yesterday, Mike Huckabee today denied that he will actively pursue an amendment to the Constitution that would eliminate so-called “birthright citizenship”, saying:

I do not support an amendment to the Constitution that would prevent children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens from automatically becoming American citizens. I have no intention of supporting a constitutional amendment to deny birthright citizenship

…

If the Supreme Court chooses to review lower-court decisions regarding the 14th Amendment, that is their prerogative, but my priorities for constitutional amendments are to protect human life and traditional marriage

While there was some opposition from readers of yesterday’s bit but I still believe that birthright citizenship is the product of an age that has passed.

Nevertheless it is a good thing that Huckabee is not following Gilchrist in tilting at this particular windmill and that he’s remaining more or less consistent with at least some of his previous statements, including this one:

I think there is reason to revisit that, just because a person, through sheer chance of geography, happened to be physically here at the point of birth, doesn’t necessarily constitute citizenship

In other words, this is all about the difference between personally held beliefs and a political agenda.

Perhaps the fact that Huckabee is able to make that sort of distinction will assuage the doubts of voters who are afraid of his Christian roots.

Now Huckabee needs to explain how he plans to make 10-15 million illegal immigrants leave the U.S. without penalizing their children in terms of the benefits they’ve received while growing up as illegal residents of this country.

Can’t be done. Whither to now?

I wonder if Huckabee realizes how many of his supporters are behind him because of their belief in his character and how damaging this sort of seemingly calculated, politically-advantageous reversal of principle could be to his campaign?