Thompson Calls On Huckabee To Stop Push Polls

By: John Bentley
Topics: Fred Thompson

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

PROSPERITY, S.C. -- Fred Thompson called on Mike Huckabee to put a stop to push polling calls that misrepresent Thompson's record.

"I find it ironic that this man would talk about cleaner politics and rising above the fray," Thompson said, "while this is going on right under his nose."

At an event in Prosperity today, a Thompson volunteer stood up during the audience questions portion and said a lot of people had received negative phone calls that "misrepresented your record."

"Really?" Thompson asked, seeming genuinely surprised. "Could I ask you to raise your hand if you got a phone call like that?"

Roughly half the 75 people in attendance raised their hands.

"Good gracious," Thompson said. "Who do they say is calling? Do they say anything good about any candidate?"

"Huckabee," the audience responded.

"They're picking the most outrageous, easily disproved things that they could come up with," Thompson said, referring to the substance of the calls, which say that Thompson supported so-called "partial-birth" abortions. "It's amazing to me, it's so ham-handed. I call on the governor to put a stop to this."

Huckabee's campaign has said it doesn't know anything about the push polls and doesn't condone them. Thompson pointed to his endorsement from the National Right to Life Committee and several state right to life organizations as proof of his anti-abortion rights credentials.

Thompson stopped short of saying the results from the South Carolina primary would be skewed, because he believes the push polls won't work.

"I confronted him man to man at the debate with regard to the issues, and this is the response I get," Thompson said. "I don't think that's going to go over in South Carolina. I don't think the results are going to be affected by it."

10 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment


by rjoobneerst January 19, 2008 4:11 PM EST: Mike Huckabee is our choice to be President; and, we''ll support him over the other candidates. As with Reagan and Bush II, Huckabee is being significantly underestimated by everyone. This will become evident as each primary occurs. Huckabee''s support will continue to build, even as the major establishment media and political control groups try to "contain" him. Let''s hope he gets Secret Service protection as soon as possible. The "best" future of the United States lies with Mike Huckabee at this point in history.; Reply to this comment


by bigorangedon January 19, 2008 2:35 PM EST: All of the dirty politics in South Carolina can be traced back to the Huckabee campaign. The other day, the Governor ripped the scab off of an old wound by bringing up the Confederate flag issue and then used vulgar language to describe what those who disagreed with him could do with the flagpole! Nice mouth,Pastor! I was an uncommitted conservative but I have discovered in the last few weeks that Huckabee is a wolf in sheep''''s clothing. Fred may be dead... but he''''s got my vote!; Reply to this comment


by allenfuller-2009 January 18, 2008 7:17 PM EST: It''s laughable that Fred Thompson would have any sense of indignation at being attacked, after his litany of negative and unsubstantiated attacks on Huckabee IN PERSON.

As others have said, Huckabee has publicly asked this group to stop, because he feels it is a disadvantage to his campaign. What more can you do?

Fred Thompson pretends to be the only conservative in the race. But he has his own mixed record on illegal immigration.

I''m definitely voting for Huckabee.; Reply to this comment


by ma3lst0rm January 18, 2008 12:25 PM EST: Huckabee is playing a game. The good thing is the SC AG has stated such calls are illegal in SC. Anyone who does not believe their is collusion between the Huckabee campaign and the Push polling is naive. This is how he rose so fast in Iowa. I hope someone finds where they are making the calls from and shuts the place down.

We do have recourse www.victimschoice527.com which provides a look at the real pardon record of Huckabee. I''m a southern Baptist and still do not understand how any Christian could support a man who let out over 1000 criminals including violent criminals, murderers, and rapists.; Reply to this comment


by grassboots January 18, 2008 5:57 AM EST: Thompson knows that Huckabee can do nothing legally to stop the polls but is using innuendo to make it look like Huckabee himself is making the calls.

As to supporting gay "marriage" (there is no such thing possible), Romney was the first governor to order such ceremonies. The court did not and could not order such a thing. Jurisdiction for marriage in Massachusetts lies totally under the jurisdiction of the Governor.; Reply to this comment


by marinepatriot January 18, 2008 5:27 AM EST: here is a better video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhOSsix3XEk; Reply to this comment


by marinepatriot January 18, 2008 5:25 AM EST: Oh brother. Like the guy wrote below, Mike has publicly asked that groups working independently to not do push polling. Mike runs a positive campaign. There is just a lot of people who know the truth about the other candidates and want to stop them. They are working independently from Mike.

We know Mike is a straight forward man of honor. Mike has always ran a positive campaign.

Absolutely voting for Mike Huckabee; Reply to this comment


by waformike January 18, 2008 3:21 AM EST: I think it is really nasty of Thompson to accuse Huckabee of doing push polling.
On the Huckabee blog 4-5 times Huckabee had denounced Push Polling!

December 3, 2007 - Huckabee Campaign Denounces Push Polls
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=830

December 4, 2007 - Huckabee speaks out in NY Times interview against Push Polls
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/us/politics/04huckabee.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

December 15, 2007 - Huckabee Campaign Denounces Push Polls - Again
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=909&CommentPage=2

December 17, 2007 - Huckabee Campaign asks New Hampshire AG for an Investigation into Push Polling
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Newsroom.PressRelease&ID=443
http://www.newsweek.com/id/88754

January 16, 2007 - Huckabee Campaign Denounces Push Polls - Again
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Newsroom.PressRelease&ID=509; Reply to this comment


by almanojodo January 18, 2008 1:39 AM EST: Huckabee supporters are push-polling against Romney too, claiming that he supports gay marriage which he ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT! Push polling is so vile, so corrupting as to cast a shadow on all South Carolina''s results! At least the public should be made aware of the falseness of these calls. I hope South Carolinians are to smart to be mislead by such lies.; Reply to this comment


by winghunter January 18, 2008 1:01 AM EST: Push Poll by Huckabee supporter against Fred Thompson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8QvpnY8eqY; Reply to this comment