Huckabee: Bush Should Be Commended for Iraq Surge

By: Joy Lin
Topics: Mike Huckabee

(CBS)

From CBS News' Joy Lin:

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Mike Huckabee stood by comments he made yesterday that despite his criticism of the Bush Administration's manner of conducting foreign policy, he had respect for President Bush and Condoleezza Rice.

He added today the president should be commended for the progress that's been made since Defense Secretary Robert Gates took over at the Pentagon.

On his criticism of the Bush Administration's actions, Huckabee said, "It goes back to the heart of the Rumsfeld doctrine of simply ignoring what his best military advice was telling him – that we needed up to 400,000 troops on the ground and we limited the number at 180,000 and dismissed those military commanders who didn't go along with the number and had that number in mind and stuck with it."

"I think under Secretary Gates, we've seen a much more open mind and cooperative spirit that's worked much better. The surge is working. Under General Petraeus, we have the right strategy, and the President should be given all the credit for that as well."

On a political note, Huckabee tried to answer for a comment his new campaign manager made to CBSNews.comthat "we think we're going to win Iowa."

"We've never said we had to win Iowa," Huckabee told reporters when they asked him about campaign manager Ed Rollins' comment.

"We've certainly said we need to be in one of the first three seats out of there – either first class, business, or coach. Now that Ed is wanting to upgrade us to first class automatically, I better call Ed and ask him does he have the frequent flier miles to make sure we get there."

"We'd love to win here obviously. We're playing to win, we're not playing just to show. But as far as, are we out of the game if we don't win? Of course not, cause we're looking at the other polls. We're doing okay in New Hampshire, not great. But we're overwhelmingly leading in South Carolina, we're actually leading in Michigan, and we're leading in Florida."

"We just know this, if we do win in Iowa, it is a true upset of the classic form to have been outspent like this and outmanned, to win here is huge and it would give us a great momentum going into the next several contests."

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by eric_nb December 23, 2007 8:49 PM EST: So Huckabee is now flip flopping on Bush''s foreign policy too?

Huckabee is a joke. If Huckabee is nominated, I''m voting for Obama; Reply to this comment


by moniquemonic December 23, 2007 4:09 PM EST: Yes, Huckabee is right, even if he didn''t win Iowa, he''s ahead nationally.

Even my home state California likes Mike Huckabee, so does Texas.
Both those 2 states don''t usually go for phoney candidates who overtly like (like Romney); and they''re not too fond of New Yorkers like Rudy.

It''s commonly said, who wins Texas and Calfornia wins the nomination.

Here''s what Texas is saying:

%u201CMany Republican voters are dissatisfied with the GOP presidential candidates this year. We share that frustration. But one of these men is going to be the party''s nominee. Of this field, Mike Huckabee is the best choice.%u201D

And%u2026

%u201CMr. Huckabee established a respectable record of fiscal responsibility in Arkansas. Rather than run up deficits, he backed raising taxes to pay for needed infrastructure, health care and education. That''s called prudence, and it was once a Republican virtue."
%u201CAMERICA NEEDS A CLEAN BREAK FROM THE BITTER POLITICS OF THE RECENT PAST. FROM THE RIGHT, MIKE HUCKABEE, A PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE WITH A PASTOR''S HEART, CAN DELIVER."

SOURCE: The Dallas Morning News Endorses Mike Huckabee
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-gop22dec22,1,6411029.story?ctrack=2&cset=true; Reply to this comment


by giantrobot2 December 23, 2007 11:33 AM EST: Mike Huckabee is skyrocketing in the polls like Ronald Reagan did to win 49 out of 50 States.

Dec 19th NH poll:
Mike Huckabee 28%
Mitt Romeny 22%

Mike is now taking charge in New Hampshire too, the hardest state to win for him. This goes to show that his uplifting, kind, honest and trustworthy message is the message Americans are looking for in a candidate.

Even the staunch Dallas Morning Newspaper endorsed Mike Huckabee this morning.

Mike''s Huck-a-Bus is traveling faster than a super high speed train now, the other candidates are burning their fingers trying to touch it now.

Mike is waving to all the Americans now and saying "All Aboard". Let''s take a ride on the Huck-a-Bus and watch another huge underdog upset in the making happen.

America is back in the running now, and the American voters are feeling Mike''s blazing energy!

GO MIKE GO!!! GO MIKE GO!!!; Reply to this comment


by ih2005 December 22, 2007 8:34 PM EST: Yeah, I think we got your message, JimVR1. Anyway, what''s most important is stopping the destruction of the economy http://snipr.com/meltdowninprogress by eliminating the tax code http://snipr.com/fthuckabeeonirs and removing politicians'' hands from our paychecks http://snipr.com/nextrung . Enacting the FairTax will also stop penalizing U.S. exports, and rewarding imports http://snipr.com/tradeinequity .; Reply to this comment


by jimvr1 December 22, 2007 8:21 PM EST: Ms. Rice says that Mike Huckabee''s contention that the Bush administration has acted arrogantly and with a bunker mentality is "ludicrous." In support of Mr. Huckabee I offer the following: ARROGANT-Donald Rumsfeld. BUNKER MENTALITY-*** Chaney. I''ll also add another characteristic of the Bush administration, incompetent. Support of this contention is easy: INCOMPETENT-Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, and Michael D. Brown (of FEMA fame).; Reply to this comment


by jimvr1 December 22, 2007 8:17 PM EST: Ms. Rice says that Mike Huckabee''s contention that the Bush administration has acted arrogantly and with a bunker mentality is "ludicrous." In support of Mr. Huckabee I offer the following: ARROGANT-Donald Rumsfeld. BUNKER MENTALITY-*** Chaney. I''ll also add another characteristic of the Bush administration, incompetent. Support of this contention is easy: INCOMPETENT-Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, and Michael D. Brown (of FEMA fame).; Reply to this comment


by jimvr1 December 22, 2007 8:16 PM EST: Ms. Rice says that Mike Huckabee''s contention that the Bush administration has acted arrogantly and with a bunker mentality is "ludicrous." In support of Mr. Huckabee I offer the following: ARROGANT-Donald Rumsfeld. BUNKER MENTALITY-*** Chaney. I''ll also add another characteristic of the Bush administration, incompetent. Support of this contention is easy: INCOMPETENT-Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, and Michael D. Brown (of FEMA fame).; Reply to this comment


by jimvr1 December 22, 2007 8:14 PM EST: Ms.Rice says that Mike Huckabee''s contention that the Bush administration has acted arrogantly and with a bunker mentality is "ludicrous." In support of Mr. Huckabee I offer the following: ARROGANT-Donald Rumsfeld. BUNKER MENTALITY-*** Chaney. I''ll also add another characteristic of the Bush administration, incompetent. Support of this contention is easy: INCOMPETENT-Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, and Micheal D. Brown (of FEMA fame).; Reply to this comment