First, They Came For The Fat People

Mike Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani blame Michael Moore (actually, in the movie, it looked to me like Moore had lost weight recently):

The former Arkansas governor told reporters in a conference call Wednesday that he hasn't seen and probably won't see Moore's documentary "Sicko," which calls for an overhaul of America's health care system.

"Frankly, Michael Moore is an example of why the health care system costs so much in this country. He clearly is one of the reasons that we have a very expensive system. I know that from my own personal experience," said Huckabee, who lost more than 110 pounds and became an avid runner after he was diagnosed with diabetes.

"I know how much more my health care cost when I didn't take care of myself than when I do take care of myself, not only in terms of doctor visits but regular diseases, illnesses, chronic things that come up, monthly prescription bills," Huckabee said. "All of those things have gone dramatically down since I've taken care of myself and worked to live a healthier lifestyle."

No comment could be obtained from Moore, but Meghan O'Hara, producer of "Sicko," questioned Huckabee's motives in criticizing Moore.

"Looks like Mike Huckabee is auditioning for some insurance company dough, since he's raised just about no money and sparked zero interest since jumping into the race," O'Hara said in a response provided by Moore's production office. "I wonder what the good governor would say to the French, who drink more, smoke more, eat more cheese and still live longer than us despite paying less for health care?"

...Tuesday, Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani cited the filmmaker when he said promises of universal health care are hollow and simply not manageable.

"If you try to do socialized medicine, a la Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama or Michael Moore, you're going to end up with a disaster," the former New York mayor said.

O'Hara said the comments by Huckabee and Giuliani illustrated problems with the GOP approach to reducing health-care costs.

"No wonder the Republicans are in such trouble - their entire plan to fix the health care system in this country is to tell people to lose weight," she said. "Maybe if Mike Huckabee and his Republican friends stopped sucking up to health-insurance campaign contributors they wouldn't feel the need to blame Americans for this crisis. Just because he stopped eating Twinkies by the bushel doesn't make that an outline for a national health care plan.