Rich, I think, is correct. Any fuss over this ad is only going to rebound to Mike Huckabee’s advantage, and as there’s bound to be a fuss, well, you see how it goes. As for the “birth of Christ”, Jonah, it’s a sad reflection of our times that that’s a statement that could potentially be controversial. I haven’t been to a Christmas church service since, if I recall correctly, some point in the 1960s, but I’ve never had any doubt that December 25th is a celebration of Jesus’ birthday (when that birthday actually took place is an entirely different, and largely uninteresting, discussion) to be marked with midwinter gusto, carols, over-eating, over-drinking, good intentions, Dickensian good cheer, Berlin’s song, family reunions, Christmas Trees, Nativity plays, Good King Wenceslas, repeats of Morecambe and Wise (it’s a British thing), Ho, Ho, Ho, It’s A Wonderful Life, a maxed-out credit card, and totally insincere grumbling about the evils of materialism. Long may it continue.
Meanwhile the BBC, as thin-lipped and sanctimonious as the sourest of parsons, has decided to censor the greatest Christmas song of them all.