Huckabee's night in the sun
One benefit of going on a late-night show that has no writers? You get treated to a nice, long, nationally-televised interview. Mike Huckabee might have had to face the wrath of picketing Writers Guild of America members on the way to the "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" studio today, but he managed to score a friendly national forum on the eve of the Iowa Caucuses. (According to the Associated Press, Huckabee claimed that he didn't know he'd be crossing a picket line, saying he thought there was "a sort of dispensation given to the late-night shows." There wasn't. But David Letterman, who owns his show, made a separate deal with the writers' guild. So Hillary Clinton didn't cross the writers when she made a brief cameo from Iowa in the opening of "Late Night.")
As for Huckabee? He endured gentle jokes about his weight loss and his rock-band days. He played bass with the band. He dove into a lengthy description of the national sales tax. And he managed to fit in a few swings at rival Mitt Romney. According to a transcript provided by NBC, Leno asked about Huckabee's press conference this week, in which he announced that he wasn't going to air a negative ad. Huckabee said he'd been outspent by Romney, spending $400,000 on ads compared to Romney's "8 or 9 million." (Not all of those Romney ads were negative, but Huckabee didn't distinguish.)
"It's a substantial difference," Huckabee said. "We just kept getting hammered with negative television ads, negative radio ads, and mail pieces. And finally decided, 'We had better answer this, or somebody is going to believe all this stuff."
"So they work, negative ads," Leno said.
"Well, they seemed to," Huckabee said. "Then he started hammering John McCain over in New Hampshire. John McCain may be a rival of mine in the presidential race, but I have nothing but respect for him. He's a great American hero. I think he's a great American and a wonderful man, and a great guy.
The audience applauded.
Huckabee then said that after making the ad, "I needed to go take a shower or something like that or give Romney a shower maybe. I don't know."
"So then you get a little conscience saying not to," Leno asked, "but then why show it to the press at the press conference?"
"Well, they were very cynical about it, but the point is, if we hadn't shown it, they would have said, 'You didn't have an ad. You're just bluffing us,'" Huckabee said. "If I had really wanted to be disingenuous what I would have done is run the ad for three days and then said, 'Oh, I have a conscience now. I think I'm going to pull it.'"
"You did that very well," Leno said, mimicking Huckabee. "'Oh, I have a conscience.'"
Huckabee is a slimeball! At least Romney is upfront about his ads... Do we really want a president like Huckabee that always claims he simply didn't know.. For example. ` 1. It was just a bookcase not a cross. (Who cares if it was a cross just admit it,) 2. I didn't know it was a picket line. 3. I am not going to run a negative ad but here it is before I don't run it. 4. I was just having a conversation with a reporter when that comment about romney's relegion came out.
Doesn't this sound like another person from that Arkansas ?
Huckabee is too cool! he's got my vote!
He is slick. My goodness it must be in the water in Hope. What I find so amazing is that he keeps saying Romney is dishonest and suggesting people shouldn't believe the ads, but everything in Romney's ads is true. He has never contested anything specifically that is not true. Huckabee's ad, the one he didn't air but was shown to reporters that was shown nationally on FOX is amazingly dishonest and deceptive. I wish he had run it, it would have ruined him. He starts the ad by saying "I just have to set the record straight, what Mitt Romney is saying isn't true." But then the ad just lays into Romney. It doesn't dispute anything in Romney's factual ad. It says things like Romney didn't execute any criminals....well Mass doesn't have the death penalty. it says he raised taxes and fees and he did not raise taxes. He raised fees that hadn't been raised in years, but according to the poorly educated Huckster fees are just like taxes so I can say he raised taxes. The fact is, if fees are too low, the people receiving the services are being subsidized by taxpayers. Taxpayers have an interest to make sure fees are set at the right level so the users of the services pay their own way. This whole attack ad ploy was planned from the beginning to focus people away from the issues in Romney's ads and focus them on the "big rich guy is picking on the poor boy from Hope" routine. Nevermind that HUCK actually did raise taxes significantly, pardoned over 1000 criminals including 12 murderers, pushed for taxpayer subsidized benefits for adults who are in this country illegally, and was found guilty of numerous ethical violations while in office in Arkansas. What a brilliant smokescreen created by another brilliant politician from Hope. If America buys this crap we don't deserve a solution to social security, health care and energy dependence on the middle east. Huckabee surely isn't going to solve these problems.
Until Mike Huckabee can tell us exactly (or even in general terms!) what Mitt Romney said that was dishonest, I'm going to have to assume that it's all true. I've found that when you are in the national spotlight you tell the truth in specifics and you lie in generalities. It's the best way to keep from getting caught.
Hopefully Huckabee's support will have waned enough that he will only get 2nd in Iowa, then he can be done, and will no longer be able to spoil the election for conservative Republicans
So Mike didn't know about a picket line? Not even his staff? How far this guy will continue to make a fool of himself? I don't understand why he didn't respond to Mitt's ads but instead resort to personal attacks especially from a Christian and former Baptist minister who now is the real dishonest and a hypocrite. If the Christians don't see the real Mike then they are either made up their minds no matter what because Mitt is that 'Mormon' member. America, wake up! Judge the candidates base on their experience and character. Mitt Romney has it all.
So Mike didn't know about a picket line? Not even his staff? How far this guy will continue to make a fool of himself? I don't understand why he didn't respond to Mitt's ads but instead resort to personal attacks especially from a Christian and former Baptist minister who now is the real dishonest and a hypocrite. If the Christians don't see the real Mike then they are either made up their minds no matter what because Mitt is that 'Mormon' member. America, wake up! Judge the candidates base on their experience and character. Mitt Romney has it all.
Huckabee tapped my foot in the bathroom stall at the airport.
Romney is smart, succesful and honest. Huckaby doesn't have a clue. I'm not sure he knows where he is half the time. Religion has nothing to do with potential for running the country. Romney has strong family values and a clear understanding of the issues. Huckaby can't even keep up with the issues. It's a joke to think he could run the country. Why is he running?
Romney is a fraud and a fake, and a liar and a man who thinks he can buy the Presidency. He's the Steve Forbes of 2008. If Huckabee wins tonight and it looks like it might happen, Mitt will have demonstrated that it isn't money that buys the American people, but hardwork, blood, sweat, and tears like Huckabee.
Romney is a fraud and a fake, and a liar and a man who thinks he can buy the Presidency. He's the Steve Forbes of 2008. If Huckabee wins tonight and it looks like it might happen, Mitt will have demonstrated that it isn't money that buys the American people, but hardwork, blood, sweat, and tears like Huckabee.
Me thinks the Huckster doth protest too much! I give credit to Mike Huckabee for being personal, friendly and charming. At first I was quite impressed with his folksy style, but the more he talks, the more he betrays himself. While running on the strengths of a strong Christian ethic he continues to resort to the least Christian tactics. In his very public but not published "attack add" he makes an insinuation that Mitt Romney is the liar "If a man is dishonest to get the job then he will be dishonest after he gets the job." If you side step Huckabee's "good ol boy" rhetoric and evaluate these two candidates on their respective accomplishments and merits you will soon learn Romney is a smart, disciplined, successful leader turned statesman and Huckabee is a hypocritical hillbilly turned politician.
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