From The Road
January 7, 2008 2:50 PM

Huckabee's OK With 3rd or 4th in N.H.

By
Joy Lin
Topics
Mike Huckabee
(CBS)
From CBS News' Joy Lin:

ON THE ROAD BETWEEN MASON AND CONCORD, N.H. -- Since Labor Day, Mike Huckabee has spent at least 24 days – almost as many days he spent in Iowa – campaigning in New Hampshire. And on the day before the primary, Huckabee says he'd be satisfied with any kind of finish.

"Right now, the polls show us going into third. I don't know where it's going to end up," Huckabee told reporters on his campaign bus. "I think if we're third or fourth, we're still in the game. Even if we don't end up third or fourth, we're still in the game 'cause we got a great situation going on in South Carolina. That's a big state for us ... We're going to a place where we've got strong organization, good staffing, huge support and Florida: the same thing. We're going to do well here, and that's good, but the Iowa win put wind to our back and we'll build on that."

Asked by a reporter about his performance at Sunday night's Fox News Channel debate, Huckabee stewed over the "awkward and uncomfortable" debate format and complained people weren't given "adequate opportunity" to follow up on "things that were thrown at us." He then took the opportunity to show reporters on his bus how he would have taken on Romney.

"You know, Romney was very defensive of his record as saying that he did support Bush's tax cuts but the record reflects otherwise. If you go back and look at the statements he made in 2002, he did not support them. The only statements that were being made were not supportive."

Huckabee said the discrepancy was "characteristic" of Romney. He went into depth about a comment Romney made on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," where the host showed Romney his own campaign ad after the former Massachusetts governor denied ever calling McCain's immigration plan "amnesty."

When he heard about this, Huckabee said, he thought to himself, "You came on camera and you said, I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message. Did you approve the message? Did you approve it and not know what you said? Or did you not approve it and it went out anyway? That's a real issue. That's a serious thing to say: I didn't watch my own television spot. I can manage the whole country but I'm not sure what I'm spending millions of dollars to say on TV. And I just thought that lacked all credibility – to say I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message -- don't know what it said, but by golly, I approved it."

Huckabee also said it was "interesting" that Romney defended airing "negative attack ads" by saying they are "just record comparisons." Meanwhile, Huckabee noted, "If anyone says anything about his record, [Romney says], it's a personal attack. They're just attacking me personally."

"Well, you can't have it both ways," said Huckabee, "It's either a personal attack or a record comparison and I just felt like he was able to get away with it [yesterday]."

Huckabee said he was not attacking Romney but simply answering a "specific question about the debate" to which he was giving an "honest answer."

Huckabee made three campaign stops in New Hampshire this morning. With Chuck Norris in tow, Huckabee packed a pancake house, dropped by a bakery, and attended the launch of the "Huckaburger" at a restaurant in Concord. At the burger stop, Huckabee had to maneuver through a leering crowd of Ron Paul supporters chanting "Tax Hike Mike" and "Tax Like Mike."

Around 1pm, he boarded a private jet bound for New York. There, he'll be a guest on "The Late Show with David Letterman" before returning to New Hampshire for a rock band performance tonight.

Add a Comment See all 43 Comments
by sosadforus January 9, 2008 8:40 PM EST
Huckabee made a huge mistake when he took up with his new sidekick ex-minuteman Gilchrist, he is a well know liar and it seems as though they are both getting caught in daily lies, the latest being over bithright citizenship, was he for it before he was against it or visa versa. We have had a liar in the white house for 7 years, enough is enough. Huckabee along with all the Demacrates and McCain and Rudy will all give amnesty to more than 20 million people who do not respect our laws, you will end up on our welfare rolls for you and I to care for. read more on Huckabee/Gilchrist at (alipac dot us)http://www.alipac.us/index.php
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by jbrewster7 January 9, 2008 2:40 PM EST
Mike Huckabee is a hypocrite. He talks about being the true "Christian Leader" who is above the horizontal-finger pointing politics, above the left-right, right-left, democrat-republican, republican-democrat, blame game.

I beg to differ.

The fact is, Mike Huckabee is on the defense and wants to take the attention off of his liberal record as the governor of Arkansas.
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by jbrewster7 January 9, 2008 2:40 PM EST
FACT: The ethics commission fined Huckabee $1,000 for failing to report that he paid himself $14,000 from his 1992 U.S. Senate campaign and $43,000 from his 1994 lieutenant governor''s campaign. (Source: POLITICO, Huckabee rivals unearth ethics complaints Kenneth P. Vogel Nov 21, 2007)

FACT: Huckabee accepted more than 300 gifts worth at least $130,000, ranging from $3,700 cowboy boots to a $600 chainsaw. (Source: POLITICO, Huckabee rivals unearth ethics complaints Kenneth P. Vogel Nov 21, 2007)
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by jbrewster7 January 9, 2008 2:39 PM EST
FACT: Mike Huckabee joined Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in declaring his opposition to the interrogation procedure known as "waterboarding," and said he would support closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and moving the Guantanamo prisoners to the military''s only maximum-security prison, Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. This move would grant habeas corpus rights to "enemy combatants." (Source: Washington Post, Huckabee Chafes at ''Front-Runner'' Label, Perry Bacon Jr. 12/4/07)

FACT: Mike Huckabee granted 1,033 pardons and commutations, including 12 convicted murderers, one of which "Wayne DuMond" shortly after his release moved to Missouri where he raped and murdered Carol Sue Shields. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in Clay County, Mo., in 2003. He died in prison in 2005. (Source: The Leader, Arkansas clemencies outpace other states, Garrick Feldman, 2004)
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by jbrewster7 January 9, 2008 2:39 PM EST
FACT: Mike Huckabee raised more taxes in 10 years in office than Bill Clinton did in his 12 years. (Source: The Leader, 08/30/2006)

FACT: Mike Huckabee''s substantial tax hikes far surpassed his modest tax cuts, with the average tax burden increasing by a whopping 47% over his tenure. (Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/09/07)

FACT: Mike Huckabee opposed a congressional measure to ban internet taxes in 2003. (Source: Arkansas News Bureau, 11/21/03)

FACT: Mike Huckabee in 2004, he allowed a 17% sales tax increase to become law. (Source: The Gurdon Times, 03/02/04)

FACT: Mike Huckabee stole over $70,000 worth of furniture from the Arkansas governors mansion. (Source: Arkansas Times Counting the Furniture, 12/14/06 Leslie Newell Peacock)
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by jbrewster7 January 9, 2008 2:38 PM EST
FACT: Mike Huckabee set up a nonprofit entity so he could give paid ``inspirational'''' speeches without having to disclose the donors. (SOURCE: Bloomberg Dec 12, 2007 Margaret Carlson)

FACT: During the 2001 regular session of the Arkansas Legislature, Mike Huckabee supported giving driver''s licenses to illegal aliens. (Source Arkansas Journal, Mike Huckabee Supported Bill to Give Driver''s Licenses to Illegal Aliens, Henry Rearden, 11/22/2007)

FACT: Mike Huckabee supported in-state higher education benefits for children of illegal immigrants. (Laura Kellams, "Senators research U.S. law on aliens," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/27/05)
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by jbrewster7 January 9, 2008 2:38 PM EST
FACT: Mike Huckabee opposed a federal raid of 119 illegal immigrants at an Arkansas Tyson poultry plant, 107 of whom left the country either voluntarily or through deportation. (Melissa Nelson, "Huckabee Risks Political Fortunes To Denounce Immigration Raid," Associated Press, 8/5/05)

FACT: Mike Huckabee opposed a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote in his own state. (Source CNS NEWS, Some GOP Concerned about Huckabee''s Immigration Views, Fred Lucas, 12/04/2007)

FACT: Mike Huckabee says he has degree in theology, further investigation discovers he does not. (Source: The Carpetbagger Report, Mike Huckabee has a theology degree -- or does he?, 12/14/2007)

Look through his "Awe Schucks" act and see him for what he really is. Mike Huckabee is a liberal in conservative clothing.
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by allan_59 January 9, 2008 4:08 AM EST
In the 70''s, with a Democratic House & Senate, and most State Houses under the Democrats, a Democratic President championed the ERA amendment to the Constitution. At a time much less contentious than today this relatively noncontroversial amendment could not be passed. That is how difficult it is to amend our Constitution.
Anyone that believes the Constitution can be amended to stop abortion is living a fool''s dream. When Huckabee says the solution to ending abortions in the US is a Constitutional amendment, he is playing us like fools. It can''t be done. Why do you think no one has ever tried?
It is not within the President''s power to amend the Constitution - Huckabee suggests that as the solution to avoid any responsibility for his intended inaction.
Only Thompson is serious about bringing abortion under control. He knows that the key is to appoint one more strict constructionist to the Supreme Court. The pro-abortionist know it, too. To confirm the right candidate will be the fight of the century. It will take every ounce of a President''s political capital to win the fight. A compromise will allow abortion to continue unchecked for another generation.
Huck has shown repeatedly that he will compromise or shift positions whenever advantageous. The only one that will NOT compromise his principles %u2013 or fail us - is Fred Thompson. If you really want the ongoing massacre of the unborn to stop - get serious. Look at the facts. Fred Thompson is our ONLY prayer.
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by johnnobrain January 8, 2008 9:29 PM EST
Huckabee had 14 ethnical violations brought against him relating to finances as governor. Shortly before announcing his candidacy for the President of the United States, Huckabee ordered that the drives of 83 computers and 4 servers be destroyed during his transition phase in leaving office. This is what crooked CEO do when they leave a company.
Huckabee raised taxes 21 times and granted clemency to 1033 convicted felons, 12 murderers and rapists. Try to improve his tough on crime image with Chuck Norris. (Give me a break! If they were selling weight lose machine it would be more convincing!)

He has a 2 1/2 year of religious higher education and as a minister selling religion for a living with people''s donation for 12 years. No one should trust Huckabee to run the country!
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by jordanbonnie January 8, 2008 4:59 PM EST
Yes, Romney has spent lots of hard earned money, however so would you if you had to clear an mis-understood religious belief that 50% of Americans don''t even understand still!
I want people to realize all of the negative ads that have been put out against Romney by not only McCain but Huckabee as well, and what Romney%u2019s response has been. Huckabee has an average of using the word %u201Cdishonest%u201D in interviews against Romney 2 to 3 times per interview. While McCain calls Romney a %u201CPhony%u201D! After these personal attacks occur what has been Romney%u2019s response each time? ( Something time and time again such as the following ) %u201CI feel sorry that they are resorting to personal attacks, they are both good men, but we just differ in political opinions.%u201D Who then, I ask, is the better man of the three? Who is being more %u201CChristian%u201D I wonder, to turn the other cheek rather than to retaliate with personal attacks? I believe Mitt Romney is a great man, and would make a great President, and that he shows it by staying true to his beliefs, no matter how popular or unpopular the media makes it out to be, and being enough of a man to campaign fairly and honestly. Romney should win this campaign, and even if he doesn%u2019t, it will be because he is the better man.
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