Also, Romney has 14% support in the latest national republican poll but no one is calling him fringe.

--
When we hear freedom we know it doesn't mean armed occupation. --felagund

My intention certainly is not to conflate those people who hold views such as Huckabee's with everyone who labels themselves "Christian".  There is a large contingent of Christians who do not agree at all with Huckabee's views.  Huckabee belongs to a particular group within the Christian community which holds a fundamentalist view of the Bible, its authority and its place in ones daily life.  Southern Baptists, Charismatics and Pentecostals are the primary people within this group.  They apply an often strict and literal interpretation, especially when it comes to matters of sexuality or morality.

My larger point is that in the vast core of the country, which would include all of the upper and lower midwest, central plains and all of the south, Huckabee's views are anything but fringe, especially among these churchgoers.  They are mainstream views.  Call it the Bible Belt or "conservative America" but the fact remains, what he is saying would have widespread agreement in both the religious and non-religious communities in much of those parts of the country.  In this and in many other parts of the country, just being openly gay in your everyday life is a tremendous act of bravery and daring.  And I'm not talking about flaunting ones sexual identity, but just living publicly as a gay person.  My wife and I have a number of friends who are gay, and fortunately they are able to surround themselves with a loving and supporting group of friends and co-workers.  But the general attitude they encounter in their daily lives when they are outside of a circle of support sometimes makes me ashamed of my fellow Ohioans.  The level of intolerance, judgment and self righteous indignation they encounter on a regular basis is appalling.  And much of that behavior is enabled and encouraged by some in the local religious community.

I guess "whack-job" is an appropriate term to apply to some of these people.  Unfortunately, at least around here, they often seem to be the rule and not the exception.

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity"