If you know of just one Republican presidential candidate who isn’t inexcusably ignorant on matters of both religion and science, please do inform me. Mike Huckabee has charmed some of us on the Left into believing that he’s a moderate (as if there is such a thing in either right-leaning party). However, during his 1992 Senate run, Huckabee advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposed increased federal funding for a cure, and said that homosexuality would “pose a dangerous public health risk”. To his credit, at least he didn’t suggest that we just kill ‘em all, but I imagine that probably would’ve been the next logical step.

In 1992, Huckabee wrote, “If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague. It is difficult to understand the public policy towards AIDS. It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague have not been isolated from the general population, and in which this deadly disease for which there is no cure is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crisis it represents.”

Huckabee also suggested that it should be Hollywood celebrities who fund AIDS research out of their own pockets, rather than federal health agencies. He wrote, “In light of the extraordinary funds already being given for AIDS research, it does not seem that additional federal spending can be justified. An alternative would be to request that multimillionaire celebrities, such as Elizabeth Taylor (,) Madonna and others who are pushing for more AIDS funding be encouraged to give out of their own personal treasuries increased amounts for AIDS research.”

Huckabee now claims that his suggestions were given during a time of crisis when nobody knew how the disease was transmitted. However, it was common knowledge in 1992 that AIDS could not be spread by casual contact. Unscientific ideas regarding transmission were only perpetuated by fear-mongering homophobes during that time. In 1992, Huckabee said, “I feel homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural, and sinful lifestyle, and we now know it can pose a dangerous public health risk.”

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