Huckabee Angling for Debate With McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' Joy Lin:

John McCain may have told reporters he "doubts" he will have time to engage Mike Huckabee in a debate before the March 4 primaries, but Huckabee said he hopes the Arizona senator "reconsiders" since it is in "voter's interests to have that forum."

Huckabee challenged McCain to a Lincoln-Douglas style debate on Tuesday. Upon word that McCain had used as one of his excuses that he hadn't been invited to any, the Huckabee campaign made sure he received a few, including an invite to a Values Voter Presidential Debate which Huckabee has already accepted.

The former Arkansas governor spoke with reporters in a conference call before jumping on a plane for Texas.

Asked whether McCain should stop sending money until the FEC rules he can get out of the public finance system, Huckabee said it was an "interesting question" he couldn't answer but a court might. He underscored the notion that the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill was one of the "worst things that ever happened to politics" and it may very well be that "the law the senator pushed comes back to bite him."

McCain's FEC dilemma, Huckabee argued, is just another example of an undetermined GOP nominee since there are questions whether McCain's campaign can be "active between now and September."

Asked whether he will staying in the race no matter the outcome next Tuesday, Huckabee dodged the question by maintaining he is staying in the race until a candidate secures "1,191 pledged delegates."

"One of the most telling things" about the nomination process, Huckabee said, was that, with all the emphasis on math and it being impossible for him to secure 1,191 delegates, no two news agencies were using the same two delegate counts.

Pressed which count the campaign went by, Huckabee said whichever one looked best for him.

The Tennessee State Republican party recently issued a press release titled "Anti-Semites for Obama" which featured a picture of Barack Obama in traditional Somali dress. Huckabee said he had not seen the release but it was common for politicians to wear something typical to "local custom." Huckabee said photo was "irrelevant" to the presidential race but declined to speculate why the TN GOP made the release.

Questioned whether had received any calls from Texans to drop out of the race, Huckabee said Gov. Rick Perry, R-Tex., was the only one and, in a little jab, said he hoped Perry's endorsement of McCain would be as effective as his endorsement of Rudy Giuliani was.

[loveitaly]

Are you all as frustrated as I am about the way this whole campaign has been run most definitely against Mike Huckabee? But, we should NEVER give up! It is high time that we, who support the only viable candidate in this entire run for president, that being MIKE HUCKABEE, show our country that we are NOT a bunch of sheep being led to the slaughter! In great numbers we can make a difference! Voters in TEXAS, OHIO, VERMONT and RHODE ISLAND,....STAND UP AND BE RECOGNIZED as the conservative majority that we are! Let''s stick by our principles and support the only real conservative in this race-MIKE HUCKABEE! No one else is representing the conservative vales we hold so dear EXCEPT for MIKE! VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE! Deny McCain the needed 1191 and we can force this process to the Republican convention!!! Then, all bets are off! VOTE FOR MIKE-the natural-born leader and LET''S MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!!

[akprayingmom]

A true conservative is against higher taxes.
A true conservative supports strong traditional families.
A true conservative believes that pro-life means more than just in the womb. It means, concern for and care of life through conception, infancy, childhood, adolescence, teen, adult, middle age, elderly to natural death.
A true conservative does not support embrionic stem cell research or cloning.
A true conservative supports parental rights.
A true conservative supports a strong military and nation defense.
A true conservative believes that we are each endowed with inalienable rights and have intrinsic individual value.
Values Voters, our candidate is MIKE HUCKABEE! He can win despite what the RNC and pundits say. He can go all the way to the convention. The RNC and pundits hope you will buy their lies so they can continue to control your lives for their benefit. Let show them we aren''t listening any more!
He that hath an ear, let him hear!
Vote HUCKABEE and take back the freedom millions of Americans have fought and died for!!

[ccmaschang]

No wonder John McCain is afraid of a debate.

Delegate count:
According to Real Clear Politics, pleged delegates - McCain 917, Huckabee 249. Add up to be 1,166 pleged.

While total delagates are 2,383 there are still 1,217 unpleged delegates either up for grab in the following primary/caucus in different states or at the convention.

Gov. Huckabee can still win!!!

[lbaker007-2009]

Mike: You need to run as an Independent. We independents along with disinfranchised Republicans and Democrats will decide who the next president will be, not the Latino''s.

[bethidee-2009]

If McCain doesn''t find a reasonable way to reach out to conservatives soon, he''s doomed. This debate should''ve been his olive branch- instead, the issue will be his Waterloo.

[reginabrown]

McCain is running from Huckabee. If Huckabee is no threat, debate him and finish it.

[reginabrown]

Joy Lin, was that you bowling the other day? :-)

Thank you for your fair coverage of Gov. Huckabee

[hosers22]

becauseIcare and DavidE73 are arguing over Romney and Huckabee. In that Romney still has more pledged delegates than Huckabee after having suspended his candidacy over three weeks ago, the only thing I can see to argue here is why Huckabigot thinks he has a chance in heck of overtaking Romney, let alone McCain.

You would think Huckabigot would quit embarrassing himself and get out. He can''t be McCains lap dog any longer. Unless he figures there is some benefit for he and McCain to continue to kiss each others backsides.

We all know that if McCain has a Gary Hart moment and has to drop out, everyone, incl Giuliani, Romney, and Thompson will re-enter at Convention.

[bethidee-2009]

When first commenting on the possibility of a debate, McCain said he''d consider it- and I was actually naive enough to think he might. I am so disgusted with this man, with the GOP, with politics as usual. The Republican electorate deserves far better than this. The GOP brass will learn a bit too late this year that it shouldn''t have marginalized conservatives and excluded a fair exchange of ideas. It shouldn''t have made back room deals to exclude candidates. It shouldn''t have shoved an unpopular candidate down our throats.

[ccmaschang]

To explain a little more...

------------------------------
Just a reminder to all Huckabee supporters: Don%u2019t ever give up and don%u2019t trust poll numbers. I can assure you the polls can be manipulated. How the questions are asked, the size of the sample, the quality of the sample%u2026etc. all affect the results.

For example: If the question asked is %u201CWho do you THINK will be the Republican Presidential Nominee?%u201D and the %u201Csample%u201D (people) includes Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, you may get a result of %u201CMcCain 50%, Huckabee 37%, Ron Paul 10%, Other 3%%u201D (This is manipulated. Democrats like to see McCain win and then beat him in November so they include democrats in the sample)

But if the question is %u201CWhich Republican candidate will you VOTE FOR?%u201D and the sample (people) are Republican voters, you may get %u201CHuckabee 51%, McCain 30%, Ron Paul 17%, Other 2%%u201D (This is more accurate for the republican primary/caucus are base on republican voters and some independents)

American Research Group may polls more accurately because they are not as politically driven as CNN or other media biased groups.

So please, don%u2019t trust the polls. Just go out and vote for Gov. Huckabee.