Mike Huckabee: A Cinderella Story?

Republican's Rise From Underdog To Top Tier Has Raised Eyebrows And Questions

(CBS)  Mike Huckabee's campaign this past August: A skeleton staff, an empty bank account, an asterisk in the polls.

"I've said from the very beginning this is much more the marathon than the sprint," he said then.

Mike Huckabee now: Surging in the polls in Iowa and South Carolina, drawing the big crowds, the media mob.

Why? In good measure, it's because of who he is: an easygoing, bass-playing public figure with a plain-spoken, often humorous eloquence - it's made him a consistent debate standout, CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield reports.

When asked if Jesus would favor the death penalty at the last GOP debate, Huckabee responded, "Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office."

It's also because many social conservatives - a key element in the Republican coalition - are supporting Huckabee, rather than throwing their support from a less conservative, more "electable" candidate. That argument that blew the roof off the influential Family Research Council.

"Our party may be important but our principles are more important than anybody's political party," Huckabee said at the group's summit in October.

But Mike Huckabee's rise is also rooted in something else: the inability of any candidate to unite the social and economic conservatives the way Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush did.

"Huckabee is benefiting from a dynamic on the Republican side of every shoe being either too tight, too wide, too narrow - not just right for the Republican primary voters," said CBS News political analyst and former Bush aide Nicolle Wallace.

With no one candidate satisfying both the tax-cutting, small-government wing, and the traditional values wing, Huckabee has found enough passionate partisans to make him a contender.

And with it, naturally, has come increased scrutiny.

As governor, the Arkansas Finance Department says, Huckabee's tax hikes outweighed cuts by some half a billion dollars. He's been called soft on immigration for supporting in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants. His national-security credentials were questioned after he told reporters he hadn't heard about the new Iran intelligence estimate. And he's being pressed hard on what he did to encourage parole for a rapist who later raped and murdered.

"The next 10, 20, 30 days, he's going to have to show not only if he can answer the attacks, but can he stand back up and throw some punches," Wallace said.

[antoniof123]

The fair tax ah yes, more bloated then the IRS just like the Department of Homeland Security.

To collect the Federal Government would need an origination either larger or at least the same size then the fair tax would be let me see. Oh yes, the middle of the road would be paying for it but hey the rich don''t care or do they. Look at what some of the greats are saying you know like Buffet.

But wait the Republicans are saying he is not that bright. What a joke they have become. Like reformed smokers we that once were are even more critical then others.

[dutchman57-2009]

Huck should have Tom Tancredo for his VP or vice versa (Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn). Huck is a compromiser who waffles about Gudy Riuliani. No preacher worth his salt could waffle about Gudy. Ron Paul is the most consistent candidate for President. Vote Ron Paul for president.

[ih2005]

Huck''s FairTax - A fringe idea, NOT

Renown economist, Dr. Laurence Kotlikoff, has stated (9/26/2006),

"Yes I think [the U.S. is bankrupt] because if you look at our long term fiscal obligations and compare them with our tax receipts that are projected to come in, you end up finding the difference in present value is equal to $63 trillion. This is according to an update of a U.S Treasury study. So it is not an academic study but rather a government study.

"To come with $63 trillion in present value, you would have to have an immediate and permanent roughly 70 percent hike in federal corporate and personal income taxes. Alternatively you could immediately double the payroll tax. So we are talking about gargantuan adjustments here, huge problems that we are facing, and a lot of this has to do with the fact that the society is aging. We are currently facing 33 million people over 65. But when the Boomers retire there will be about 77 million people over 65. And we are currently handing out per old person roughly $30,000 on average in Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid benefits%u2026 So think about 77 million Baby Boomers getting roughly $40,000 per head, and you see the magnitude of the problem%u2026"

Kotlikoff sees passing Huck''s FairTax as a vehicle to derail economic meltdown: http://snipr.com/meltdowninprogress

And he''s not alone: http://snipr.com/econsopenletter

[nstag8ter]

I don''t like Huckabee excuses. It seems to me that he can not tell the whole truth. His Aids comment back in 1992 is not that big of a deal, but his excuse is... He said it was not well not how Aids was transmitted. What a bad excuse! Just tell the truth. It was a bad choice of word due to a lack of knowledge. I can accept that. Don''t be so afraid of the voters when you answer for past mistakes. Bad excuses losses voters.

[prinzowhales]

Hucksterbee is just as "inspirational" as Obama...He tells Bush''s "base" of plutocrats, "Vote for me and I''ll set your money free!" Let''s pass the plate now and I''ll give you "war and rumours of war" and feed the defense industry...and leave the borders open so Americans can see the money they''ve been "fairtaxed" for go to subsidize low wage workers for the Plutocrats..."Oh, Praise the Lord and pass the Plate!"

[prinzowhales]

Hucksterbee is such a great humanitarian...making sure the income flows of wealthy ex patriots isn''t disturbed by an income tax while their employees in America are "fairtaxed" up one end and down the other.
Little wonder that the Capitalist Press is supporting this War Pig and open border man.

[prinzowhales]

The poor are virtually exempt from income taxation now...the Fair tax on the goods they buy will hit them particularly hard--on every cent they spend. The super rich...they could live abroad--as many of them are choosing to do and not spend a cent in the US but derive their incomes from the labour of the working and mid''ling classes. Hucksterbee may be talking about Jesus, but he is all about fracking the bejesus out of the working people of America...

[kissamaarse]

Huckabee: he''s caught lying about the Wayne Dumond scandal, he''s has no idea what the National Intelligence Estimate is, he''s a huge flip-flopper on immigration policy, and he''s presented himself as literally God''s own anointed presidential candidate. The last is the kicker: the evangelicals and fundamentalist do not care about lying, and that Huckabee was a lousy one-term governor -- they just want a candidate they think will bow to them, and to their blue-eyed Germanic Jesus (rather than the swarthy desert Jew Jesus.) Pathetic.

[fairmark]

The poor are using all their money now. At least with the FairTax, they(and everybody else)will get a check to cover necessities.
Not only that, but the poor, middle, and rich will have 30% more income to spend and expand the GDP even more, and I haven''t even covered the criminal element paying NO tax now who will finally be cornered into taxation when they buy bling, movie tickets, cars, and food! What''s better than that?
The rich will never use a higher percentage of cash than the poor, in any tax plan. At least now the poor have a shot at savings, a better quality of life, and an earlier retirement.
Forget the rich already!

[prinzowhales]

Hucksterbee is a TAX RAISER!! The extremely wealthy do not spend the bulk of their money on maintaining their household...as a percentage of income, it is far less than that spent by working Americans. The so-called ''Fair Tax'' would be the biggest gift to the Bush''s ''base'' of the rich and super-rich in history.
Why do you think he is being boosted by the Oligarchy''s mouthpieces at CBSNBCABCFOXCNN? Hucksterbee''s campaign slogan should be, "If you were dumb enough to vote for Bush twice, why not vote for Hucksterbee in 2008?"

[heart4wisdom]

Prinzowhales wrote:

"his support for Bush, War, Empire and illegal immigration should tell anyone with a smidgin of sense that this character...right out of the ''''hoke ''''um and soak ''''um'''' school of divinity is being touted as the new Reagan--when he is all talk, all tax, all war and just a continuation of the mis-rule we are experiencing today in Washington"

So well said....this is why I will not vote for Huckabee.

Amazes me that those who HAVE done their research/homework can see that Huck is no different than Bush,.....Intellectually lazy people don''t want to hear the facts, much less read the researched facts in someone''s blog instead they just want to name call.

I am voting for the STATESMAN not the ''minister''....

RON PAUL.

[ironmtn1960]

I like Huckabee for several reasons, I am for less government spending and lower taxes, and I believe border security requires a completed border fence. I also like his traditional values, and I believe he can return honesty and truth to the Presidential office, something that has been missing for the last 16 years.

[ironmtn1960]

I like Huckabee for several reasons, I am for less government spending and lower taxes, and I believe border security requires a completed border fence. I also like his traditional values, and I believe he can return honesty and truth to the Presidential office, something that has been missing for the last 16 years.

[fairmark]

The FairTax is progressive. Rich make more, therefore will spend more, and pay more tax at the register. This is a lead-solid economic fact. By the way, the prebate will make life tax-free up to the poverty line. Sounds pretty good to me.

[prinzowhales]

Hucksterbee''s ''Fairtax'' lets the Bush''s ''base''--the filthy rich--escape the taxman virtually unscathed and places the burden of taxation on the back of the working classes--his support for Bush, War, Empire and illegal immigration should tell anyone with a smidgin of sense that this character...right out of the ''hoke ''um and soak ''um'' school of divinity is being touted as the new Reagan--when he is all talk, all tax, all war and just a continuation of the mis-rule we are experiencing today in Washington.

[fairmark]

Rensen''s right. Digging up Huck''s past (which isn''t that damning, actually) is getting critics no return on investment. Huckabee is "Faith and Fairtax". That''s all people need to know! You''re better off talking up your own candidate in these blogs. Trouble is, but there just ain''t that much to talk up.
Go Mike Go !!!

[rosesnpearls]

Nicely said, Rensen. People refuse to do a little research on their own. They read the hatred of people with no knowledge on blogs and stand on soapboxes with no support. The people who are stepping back and researching the records of the candidates are making reasoned, careful decisions, thus Huckabee is rising in the polls as people learn more about each of the candidates and make their choices.

[heart4wisdom]

Huckabee??? No, thanks. This is Bush all over again.

Ron Paul is the true conservative, he does not flip/flop and he REALLY walks his talk.

Too bad that the sheeple will continue to listen to words instead of what really is important....ACTIONS. Remember the words of Jesus, "You shall know a tree by its fruit"..(you will know who really is a christian by the character of Christ in the person, by their actions).

Huckabee lacks mature PRINCIPLES, he has handled the whole rape tragedy with blaming others (the parole board, smear campaign, Bill Clinton, he wasn''t informed properly ect....) instead he should have had the maturity to say..."I did it. I was wrong. I made a HUGE mistake and it cost a family a precious daughter."

Ron Paul will be the 44th president of the U.S. and it is b/c people are tired of the politicians like Huckabee, Romney, Hillary, Guhliani.....

[gkc99]

I LOVE watching the Repugniscum losers all ********* each other to death!

[perception5]

CBS (Corrupt Broadcasting Station) is misleading the American people again.

The rise of Huck is the sole result of the promotion that America''s corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack press. For the past six weeks they have contributed millions of dollars of positive "in-kind" contributions to Huck''s campaign. WHY?

Huck has a very poor record in Arkansas raising taxes more than Bill Clinton did in Arkansas and actively seeking release of crimminals in jail that upon they release raped and murdered again.

Huck is a slick talker just like Slick Willie who was Arkansas too.............. i guess it runs in the water down there.