Huckabee's Defensive Posture

(AP)

It's getting bumpy out there for Mike Huckabee.

After weeks of glowing coverage over his aw-shucksiness, the honeymoon for the Baptist minister is over – as predicted in this space.

And how is he dealing with the rise in critical coverage? Opening up the first page out of the political playbook and attacking the messenger.

Take for example the biggest recent story about him -- the story of his release of a serial rapist during his tenure as Arkansas Governor, as reported by Murray Waas in the Huffington Post:

As governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee aggressively pushed for the early release of a convicted rapist despite being warned by numerous women that the convict had sexually assaulted them or their family members, and would likely strike again. The convict went on to rape and murder at least one other woman.

Confidential Arkansas state government records, including letters from these women, obtained by the Huffington Post and revealed publicly for the first time, directly contradict the version of events now being put forward by Huckabee.

How did the man with the Newsweek Cover respond? He gabbed with my buddies at MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and took issue not with the story's substance, but the story's location:

Let's first of all look at the source. The Huffington Post, one of the most left-wing blogs in the blogosphere, There are factual errors in what they have printed. Some of it is outrageously incorrect.

So he took a little bit of heat and decided it would be easier to discredit the website and the author rather than the story itself. Not only do I appreciate Murray Waas' work – his investigative pieces for National Journal were must-reads – but I consider him a friend as well. I figured I'd pick up the phone and see what he thought of a presidential contender taking him on like this. His response?

We carefully and meticulously reported our story, and would have hoped that the governor, as anyone else, if he had any complaints about what was written about him, which have kept those to the reported details of the story itself, instead of attempting to dismiss the very important issues raised by the story because of what he alleges is an ideological bias by the publication which posted the story.

It was telling that Governor Huckabee had to resort to attacking the Huffington Post as the only means to deflect attention from the substance of the story.

As to any personal bias that the governor believes that I have had, I actually had largely praised his tenure as governor of Arkansas. The sharp reduction of children without health insurance or Medicaid coverage while he was governor, for example, was newsworthy. But it is also a very legitimate news story to examine the role he played in freeing a convicted rapist from prison, who went on to rape and murder again, the judgment he used in doing so, and whether he has told the truth about the matter.

Note to now-frontrunner Huckabee: If you want to keep pushing forward in this campaign, you're going to have to do a bit better than assigning intent to a critical report here or there. If you only deal with damaging reporting through taking shots at the writer or the publication, you're only putting off dealing with the story.

Political baggage -- like interest on a credit card -- piles up if you don't confront it. You always end up having to pay up.

[mattcat25]

Mike Huckleberry seems nice enough, but he%u2019s part of the established Grand Old Republican Conservative Right Wing Party. Nice guy and Jesus-Jesus, God-God won%u2019t change the detrimental agenda against the American Middle Class.

The Moral Values presented by the GOP has been:

War
Destruction
Death
and, Corruption.

America doesn%u2019t need to continue to vote against their better interests

[giantrobot2]

It''s so sickening to see Mitt Romney using money from his campaign members donations and his own purse to pay for negative TV ad''s about Mike Huckabee. How disgraceful is that.

It goes to show he doesnt have anything good to talk about achievements he did, so he resorts to cheap shots attacks. Anybody in the world can take the easy way and critize other, but it takes a real champion to stand up to that imaturity and talk about positive things.

Mike Huckabee knows the American people want to have a President that will bring them up, not someone who can cast stones for 4 years in the White House.

It''s totally disgraceful act that Mitt Romney is stooping soooooo low with paid TV ad''s on his own party. Gets you wondering if he really is on the other side just in a mask. He is a flip floper going from super liberal to just recently Republican values. I don''t trust Mitt Romney at all. I can''t vote for a person like that.

Mike Huckabee is authentic, trustworthy, honest and has a lot of maturity. That''s why his poll numbers are skyrocketing all over American.

[billy_2727]

I''ll be honest, I have not read much about Huckabee''s record in Arkansas, and I do not doubt that he had good approval ratings. He portrays to live by the bible, and says he''s the only one with a theologian degree. But one of the alarming issues that I have with him, is that he says he doesn''t know much about the lds(mormons), even with his theologian degree, and then slips in a derogatory question about the LDS faith. I for one would like to know whether Huckabee knew the answer to his own question before he asked it. This will tell a lot about his integrity as a Christian. And if he really didn''t know the answer (even though southern baptist preach this in there sermons), then maybe he should explain reasoning for asking. Huckabee''s whole strategy seems to be building on the uncertainty of Romney''s religion. If you want to know more about Romney''s religion maybe you should talk to his church.

[giantrobot2]

Mike Huckabee facts:

1. He will Eliminate the IRS:
This means you will receive 100% of your paycheck.

2. He will drastically reduce Gas prices:
Switch to alternative fuels, changing supply/demand.

3. He will reduce global warming.
Switch to alternative fuels, no carbon dioxides.

4. He will reduce threat of terrorism.
New fuels cause middle east gov. crack down on them.

5. He will reduce rising Health care costs.
New programs that prevent diseases, not just fix them.

6. He will lead up not just hard right or hard left.
Excellent communicator, will bring parties together.

7. He will lead with principles rather than money.
He cares everybody not just those on Wall Street.

8. He will give Hope to America and enthusiasm.
He plays bass guitar in a band, dynamic personality.

9. He will carry out his goals, not talk about them.
Lost 110 pounds, kept it off, ran 4 Marathons-26.2m

10. He knows the American people is the real boss.
As Governor, his picture frame only shows citizens.

Vote for Mike Huckabee, otherwise you will not be able to enjoy these benefits

Since the other candidates don''''t have anything to say on what they can do for America, they take the easy road and resort to taking cheap shots at Mike. Don%u2019t fall into their trap any longer with negative attacks, let''''s show the critics and the naysayers that Americans have pride and we are ready to elect an honest, humble, trustworthy man for US President.

[thymos1]

Two big problems in Huckabee''s record, that the media seems to be ignoring, for now, at least.

1. He is on record as believing in creationism / intelligent design and not Darwinism and the Theory of Evolution.

2. His stance on quarantining AIDs patients in the early 90s, was during a period of time when it had long been confirmed that it took VERY intimate contact to contract the aids virus, and thus there was no need to even consider a quarantine at that time.

[dhspoon]

How was previously being IGNORED by the press and political pundits a "honeymoon"? Guess some folks don''t even know what marriage is like anymore... Governor Huckabee has earned his recognition the hard & sincere way. His past positions are not extra "baggage" but the heart and soul of who he is. The more people simply discover the sincerity & positions of Mike Huckabee (against the growing trivial mud-slinging), the more of a grassroots surge will emerge.

[lanefiller1]

Anyone interested in what Huckabee is really like face to face should try this funny (but it actually happened) column:
http://goupstate.us/index.php/lanefiller/2007/11/02/title_14