Dec. 14, 2007

Huckabee Faces The Spotlight's Harsh Glare

Now A Front-Runner, Former Underdog GOP Candidate Is Facing Attacks On Multiple Fronts

  • Play CBS Video Video Huckabee On The Move

    Nancy Cordes speaks with Mike Huckabee's Iowa campaign manager, Eric Woolson, about the challenges facing the GOP candidate as he moves ahead in the polls.

  • Video Sarah Huckabee Defends Her Dad

    "Only On The Web": CBS News' Nancy Cordes visits the Huckabee headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, where she sits down with Sarah Huckabee, Mike Huckabee's daughter and field director for the campaign.

  • Video Biggest Threat: Huckabee

    In a CBS Evening News special series, "Primary Questions," Katie Couric asked Mike Huckabee which country scares him the most.

  • Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov., Mike Huckabee, makes comments during a press conference in Dallas, Monday, Dec. 10, 2007. Photo

    Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov., Mike Huckabee, makes comments during a press conference in Dallas, Monday, Dec. 10, 2007.  (AP)

  • Photo Essay Mike Huckabee

    A look at the life and times of Mike Huckabee.

  • News Tools Campaign Calendar

    The latest list of primary and caucus dates as states continue jockeying for position.

(CBS)  Gov. Mike Huckabee's surprise rise has put a big bull's eye on his back.

A TV ad from the Club For Growth says, "Listen to Mike Huckabee, when he was Arkansas governor." It then shows video of Huckabee saying, "There's a lot of support for a tax at the wholesale level for tobacco."

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul have recruited Arkansas state legislators to slam his record on taxes.

"Can I tell you what we used to call him in the legislature?" one of them told CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes. "We used to call him our pro-life, pro-gun liberal."

In his 10 years as governor, Huckabee raised the sales tax, the gas tax, the cigarette tax and a tax on nursing home care.

Supporters say Huckabee helped move their state into the 21st century, and that those tax revenues went to fix roads and schools that were among the worst in the nation.

He's also being attacked on immigration. Opponents say the 52-year-old Baptist minister has done a 180.

An ad from opponent Mitt Romney says, "Mike Huckabee supported in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants."

Until this year he supported the president's plan to fine, rather than deport, many illegal aliens. Harsher plans, he said, were "driven by racism or nativism."

But now, he has a tough new plan of his own, calling for a fence across the border. A new campaign ad calls for "no to amnesty" not once, but twice.

And then there are the ethics questions. The expensive gifts he accepted while in office, the five fines for ethics violations, the wedding registries set up in the first couple's name when they left the governor's mansion.

"Many Arkansans do seem to share a conventional wisdom that maybe the governor had an overdeveloped sense of entitlement," said Janine Harris of the University of Arkansas political science department.

Huckabee says "giftgate" is old news and overblown. "It's Arkansas politics," he said. "Welcome to my world."

Huckabee has a new campaign chairman today. It's a familiar name -- Ed Rollins, who led that landslide victory by Ronald Reagan back in 1984.

© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Video and Galleries from CBS Evening News

Add a Comment See all 31 Comments
by econprofssor December 14, 2007 8:29 PM PST
MITT ROMNEY IS SO AWESOME . . . he''s kind of like Huckabee, but with experience, success, intelligence, and a graduate education. He''s also a lot like Giuliani, but with honesty, integrity, hair, and a wife and children who aren''t embarrased to support their dad.
Reply to this comment
by mattcbsmatt December 14, 2007 9:06 PM PST
Now A Front-Runner your bull stinkies or PROPAGANDA.
I heart Huckabee their bull stinkies.
Yous or they may fool many butt stink not me : )
Another pro-illegal immigration from mexico Butt licker like bush.
You all are not fooling me.

Reply to this comment
by mattcbsmatt December 14, 2007 9:16 PM PST
MITT ROMNEY IS SO AWESOME he also knows illegal immigration from mexico is illegal.
What does it take 2 degree from Harvard to know illegal immigration is illegal?
Excuse me because of this, I am about to have uncontrollable explosive diarrhea verbally : ) am I a polictian?



Reply to this comment
by erichsh December 14, 2007 9:19 PM PST
Huckabee''s only the latest whack-a-mole Republican to temporarily rise above the fray. Like a World-War-1 soldier poking his head above the trenches, Huckabee, for that moment, draws the fire of the blatantly pro-Hillary/Obama mainstream militia/media. He''ll take a few head shots, stagger a bit, and in the process give the next Republican target du jour the dubious "opportunity" to wear the bulls-eye. What are his positions on the issues? We''ll never know - all we''ll hear is whatever dirt - real or imagined - that can be dredged up by the MSM/Democrats.
Reply to this comment
by kiskis1 December 14, 2007 10:07 PM PST
vote ron paul, send money on sunday, liberty! huckabee is a nazi!
Reply to this comment
by satxfreedom December 14, 2007 10:27 PM PST
www.TaxHikeMike.org
Reply to this comment
by sgtrds December 14, 2007 10:32 PM PST
The glare of the spotlight is not serving Huckabee well. The more people look at him the more his blemishes pop up. From his ridiculous stand that g*ays with AIDs should be put into quarantine (even though at the time he said it it was well known AIDs could not be spread by casual contact), to his being in the dark several days after the intelligence report on Iran was released, to his belief that women should be subservient to their husbands, the more people look the more he looks like an out of touch bible thumper and an ignorant hillbilly preacher.
Reply to this comment
by sgtrds December 14, 2007 10:35 PM PST
MITT ROMNEY IS SO AWESOME.

Posted by econprofssor at 08:29 PM : Dec 14, 2007

Romney is a combination of every slick and corrupt lawyer, real estate agents and used car salesman that you could ever meet, all wrapped up into one person. He''s slimy to his core and the biggest pander bear in the race. He doesn''t walk into a room, he oozes in and leaves a trail of slime behind him like a slug. He''s Jabba the Hutt, with a better tan and haircut.
Reply to this comment
by jimfinster December 14, 2007 10:48 PM PST
The more people learn about this guy, the less they will like him.
Reply to this comment
by giantrobot2 December 14, 2007 11:43 PM PST
Ed Rollins is a master at campain strategy. This guy knows what he is doing. It''s not by luck that Ronald Regan won all but one state out of 50.

With Mike Huckabee skyrocketing in the polls and now picking up Ed Rollins, his HUCKABUS is going to go from HUCKABOOM to HUCKABAMBOOM!!!

I can see a movie in the making here, Mike Huckabee coming out of no where sprinting pass the competition like they were stuck on honey.

This is an incrediable success story in the making. You are going to see everybody and their brother wanting the rights to make this movie about Mike Huckabee''s charismatic success.

Look out world, America is back in the running! Mike Huckabee is going to steer this big ship of ours and he has the masses supporting him. Just as a rockband of supporters cheering on Mike now... GO MIKE GO, GO MIKE GO, GO MIKE GO!!!!!

With Mike''s super ability to connect with people, he will connect with national leaders. The Earth will shift, I can hear the rutters start to grind and turn now, an amazing amount of force is coming.

The evil terrorist will be stomped on like a pancake, the poor will become richer, the sick will become healther, the economy will become brighter. This is an amazing historical time for America on the horizon.
Reply to this comment
by kansas1946 December 14, 2007 11:48 PM PST
With Mike Huckabee skyrocketing in the polls and now picking up Ed Rollins, his HUCKABUS is going to go from HUCKABOOM to HUCKABAMBOOM!!!

I can see a movie in the making here, Mike Huckabee coming out of no where sprinting pass the competition like they were stuck on honey.
***************************************

LOL. What a hoot.
Reply to this comment
by wisen1 December 14, 2007 11:56 PM PST
Huckabee claims to have a degree in theology. He doesn''t. This man is a liar.
Reply to this comment
by lanefiller1 December 15, 2007 12:56 AM PST
Anyone interested in what Huckabee is really like face to face should try this funny (but it actually happened) column:
http://goupstate.us/index.php/lanefiller/2007/11/02/title_14

Reply to this comment
by sgtrds December 15, 2007 1:11 AM PST
GiantRobot2

Lars? Lars is that you? LOL!
Reply to this comment
by mcvet December 15, 2007 8:49 AM PST
Posted by stonebog1 at 06:46 AM : Dec 15, 2007
+ report abuse

Skipped the Med''s again I see! ROFLMAO
Reply to this comment
by gkc99 December 15, 2007 9:43 AM PST
Last guy in public life who had Huckabee''s maniacal eyes?

JIM JONES!
Reply to this comment
by wheezel3 December 15, 2007 9:58 AM PST
Huckleberry Huckabee has eyes like those of a dead eel, no offense to eels. He is channeling Richard Nixon. He has also called for "wives to graciously submit" to their husbands -- I guess he got sick of having to pay call-girls triple the usual charge to submit to him. Show me a Southern Baptist and I''ll show you a pervert. He''s a sickening person and it is appalling but not surprising that he is the darling of the stupid religinoids who are taking over our culture. Don''t worry about the Mexicans pouring in; the real danger is the fundamentalists, who cannot think, yet desire to control YOU.
Reply to this comment
by wheezel3 December 15, 2007 9:59 AM PST
Huckabee h8tr and proud of it, btw.
Reply to this comment
by swilsondo December 15, 2007 11:36 AM PST
NEW NICK NAME FOR HUCKABEE!!!! HUCKABEE(WANNABEE)

BLOGGERS PLEASE REFER TO HIM AS THIS THANKS!!
Reply to this comment
by wasatch01-2009 December 15, 2007 11:40 AM PST
Huckabee better get more scrutiny..he has ton of political baggage. Huckabee gave out over 1000 commutations and pardons. He rose over $500 million in taxes. He also supported college tuition breaks for illegal immigrants. All of this while Governor of Arkansas. Trust me, though he %u201Csounds good%u201D with his witty one-liners and lip service to stir the emotions%u2026Huckabee is not the guy for the GOP.
Reply to this comment
by swilsondo December 15, 2007 11:43 AM PST
WANNABEE NEEDS TO QUIT PLAYING THE VICTIM CARD!!!
I''m sick of it, he attacks people behind there backs in a very very SLY WAY!! He''s tells people to quit picking on him b/c he''s trying to unite not divide, and to run a positive campaign. WELL SORRY GO RUN HOME TO YOUR MOMMY AND CRY!! The others want people to know your dirty laundry list. Which is big by the way!! Quit playing to victim card!! This is politics we want a president not somebody with out a backbone!
OH BY THE WAY HE JUST BASHED ROMNEY THE OTHER DAY!!

WHAT DO YOU BLOGGERS THINK IS WANNABEE PLAYING THE VICTIM CARD!!!
Reply to this comment
by Drive_Me_Crazy December 15, 2007 12:33 PM PST
THE ULTIMATE HUCKABEE REALITY CHECK (PART I)
THE SOCIALIST LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE NEOCON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhCuwamYi1o
Reply to this comment
by bornfree123-2009 December 15, 2007 2:29 PM PST
NEW RON PAUL 2008 POSTER MUST SEE AND PASS ALONG!
www.acmwallet.com/ronpaul
Reply to this comment
by lnardozi December 15, 2007 3:32 PM PST
Wait - maybe there''s a simpler explanation. Maybe the Huckster thinks YOU''RE stupid. After all, he DOES support the FairTax, which doesn''t tax corporations AT ALL, and millionaires and up at the same rate as someone who is near poverty level - i.e. less than 5%. Here''s the thing - religious people really ARE religious. Who among them wants any truck with THIS devil?
Reply to this comment
by lnardozi December 15, 2007 3:36 PM PST

Huckabee never finished the seminary, so I can KINDA believe him when he said he didn''t know about Romney''s religion. Of course, comparative religion is a sort of low level class, but give him the credit for not being studious and drop it. He DOES believe in creationism, so at least he was awake PART of the time. I wonder how he does on other religions stuff. I know he got his Baptist girl friend Diane O''Connell a government job even though she had no experience. Cost Arkansas 1.6 million, so I guess he fails at not lying. Let''s see, he stole $60,000 out of the taxpayer fund so I guess he missed that class about not stealing. He tried to pay himself as a consultant in his own Senatorial election, so he missed that class on not cheating too. He opened a wedding registry at Target and Dillard''s while he was governor so his grateful subjects could buy him presents when he and his wife renewed their vows. Hm - guess he missed that class about not coveting his neighbor''s possessions too. Wait - maybe there''s a simpler explanation. Maybe the Huckster thinks YOU''RE stupid. After all, he DOES support the FairTax, which doesn''t tax corporations AT ALL, and millionaires and up at the same rate as someone who is near poverty level - i.e. less than 5%. Here''s the thing - religious people really ARE religious. Who among them wants any truck with THIS devil?
Reply to this comment
by tessies101 December 15, 2007 4:06 PM PST
Okay media we are bored with Huck, go on to the next one you will be glorifying.
Reply to this comment
by kim9876 December 15, 2007 4:22 PM PST
You''ve got to wonder what anyone sees in governors from Arkansas. Oh wait, he''s Baptist. Guess that makes the rest of us lebensunwertes leben.
Reply to this comment
by AgentGGG December 16, 2007 1:58 AM PST
What about the scandal that Huckabee believes in creationism -- and therefore is ignorant of at least 250 years of scientific endeavor? That should be good for at least a mini-scandal.
Reply to this comment
by satxfreedom December 16, 2007 9:06 AM PST
www.TaxHikeMike.org
Reply to this comment
by antoniof123 December 17, 2007 8:52 AM PST
The Republicans have no one even their own are starting to see that it is a lost cause.

The only thing the GOP has is that they hate the Clinton''s.

But wait they hate Bill and Hillary because those years were so great for America. Makes sense the only the the GOP does lately is divide America.

GOP many of us who can think left the Republican party you lost us how many more are you going to lose.
Reply to this comment
by neocon04 December 17, 2007 9:30 AM PST
What about the scandal that Huckabee believes in creationism -- and therefore is ignorant of at least 250 years of scientific endeavor? That should be good for at least a mini-scandal.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by AgentG1967 at 01:58 AM : Dec 16, 2007


Since when is it a scandal to believe in God? As far as your science endeaver''s...there is no science fact but science therory and has more holes in it then a bad science faction movie.
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