Huckabee Insists He Won't Drop Out

GOP Candidate Takes Shots At Romney, But Not McCain

(AP)  Mike Huckabee brushed off predictions Thursday that he would drop out of the Republican presidential nominating contest, but dropped new hints that he'd prefer John McCain to Mitt Romney as the party's eventual pick.

Huckabee, who hasn't won a caucus or primary since Iowa, emphatically dismissed the suggestion that the GOP race was a two-man contest, with Rudy Giuliani out of it and questions about whether he was sticking it out to angle for a running mate spot.

"I'm staying in the race because I still think I can win," he told an enthusiastic audience of about 170 people at a campaign appearance organized by the nonpartisan Commonwealth Club.

"When people say, 'Why aren't you going to drop out?' I look at the two other guys and say, 'Why don't they drop out?"'

Huckabee also was scornful of the idea - apparently from Romney's camp - that he would siphon votes away from Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and thus help ensure McCain wins the nomination.

"I think it's pretty desperate when you say a vote for Mike Huckabee is a vote for John McCain. A vote for Huckabee is a vote for Huckabee," the former Arkansas governor said. "If Mitt Romney can't understand how electoral politics works, maybe that explains why he has spent so much money and doesn't have a lot to show for it."

Huckabee said his pared-down campaign has generated more bang for the buck than Romney's, taking another swipe at the former Massachusetts governor: "Look how much money he spent to get the same market share as I did - I would say my message is selling better than his."

But he had nary a negative word about McCain. Huckabee said he'd gone out of his way to congratulate McCain on his big endorsements from Giuliani and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and joked that McCain should leave some endorsement crumbs for him.

Huckabee said he'd be glad to capture some big-name Republican endorsements, but told reporters after the event, "I've never been the pick of the establishment. I probably will never be. That's OK, Ronald Reagan wasn't either."

According to his end-of-year FEC filing, Huckabee had his best quarter during the last three months of 2007 as his campaign began to gain traction, particularly in Iowa. He raised $6.6 million from October through December and had $1.9 million in the bank at year's end. Since the South Carolina primary on Jan. 19, the campaign has raised more than $3 million online and $1 million at fundraisers.

Huckabee's campaign plans to spend some of that money placing television ads in the Southern states at play Feb. 5, including Alabama, Georgia and Arkansas. It also will advertise in Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

Yet the one-time Baptist preacher said he wasn't giving up hope in big states like California. Huckabee said at an appearance in San Diego later in the afternoon that he was gunning for deep red districts like the one in eastern San Diego County held by Rep. Duncan Hunter, who endorsed Huckabee after dropping his quixotic presidential bid two weeks ago.

"You need 1,191 delegates, and we're all fairly close in the number of delegates that we have," said Huckabee, who has seven to Romney's 27. McCain leads with 89 after his Florida win.

Stressing that contests in delegate-rich Midwest and Southern states where he has strong support are still to come, Huckabee pointed to the reversal of fortunes for Giuliani, who was the party's presumptive front-runner last summer while McCain's campaign was struggling.

Huckabee remained relentlessly optimistic when two women stood up on chairs demanding an end to the war in Iraq while he was speaking in San Francisco. One of them was carried out of room on the shoulder of a hotel guard.

"Let's not be angry at that person. Let's just be grateful that once more we are reminded how grateful we ought to be to be citizens of the United States of America," he said.

Huckabee basked appreciatively in the audience's frequent applause, and said he had no problem campaigning in a liberal bastion such as San Francisco because Arkansas had a Legislature controlled by Democrats when he was governor.

"I would like to think in San Francisco, a city that prizes tolerance, they would be tolerant of a Republican running for president, too," he said.

Huckabee was set to speak Thursday evening to a meeting of the Renewal Project, a nonprofit group that provides coaching for pastors, before heading to Oklahoma.

[bdrlnt4rl]

IT IS NOT TOO LATE. BILL GATES FOR PRESIDENT!

[lone-star5]

I really don''t see Huckabee as presidential material.

[bdrlnt4rl]

BILL GATES FOR PRESIDENT

[bdrlnt4rl]

huck does not want to drop out because he does not want to loose against a mormon. it is personal for him. he just wants to beat a mormon. he is very immature and would make a very war hungry pres because of his religious intolerance.

[bdrlnt4rl]

apinchofsalt

you must be watching fairland polls. or just unaware of what is going on.

[terrorislam6]

hey hip hop hussein!!!

tell your brothers and sisters to stop murdering non-muslims

typical of radical retarded fascist nazi terrorislamic jihadist slavers and murders

barack hussein obama(D-KENYA)

"You are all my brothers and sisters," Mr Obama told crowds of excited residents who craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the senator.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5290844.stm

One of Obama Jr''s great grandfathers (several generations back), "Owiny" was said to be a powerful leader of the Luo tribe, which moved into Kenya some 400 years ago.

Sarah Obama, a devout Muslim, was quoted telling Obama Jr. "What your grandfather respected was strength. Discipline. This is also why he rejected the Christian religion, I think. For a brief time he converted [to Christianity], and even changed his name to Johnson. But he could not understand such ideas as mercy towards your enemies, or that this man Jesus could wash away a man''s sins. To your grandfather, this was a foolish sentiment, something to comfort women. And so he converted to Islam-he thought its practices conformed more closely to his beliefs."
http://www.usvetdsp.com/jan08/obama_lou%20tribe.htm

Kenya, Islam and Obama Hussein
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/01/obama-islam-and.html

[apinchofsalt]

Huckabee is surging in the polls. Romney has lost all momentum and is wasting his money. Go Huckabee!!!

[fettkonserv]

Since we know that conservative politicians who bray loudly against the *** usually end up getting busted with male hustlers or in public men''s rooms these days, should we assume from Huckabee''s comments about human/animal s*x that the Huckster will one day be arrested for tapping his toe next to a horse stable?

[fettkonserv]

Since we know that conservative politicians who bray loudly against the *** usually end up getting busted with male hustlers or in public men''s rooms these days, should we assume from Huckabee''s comments about human/animal s*x that the Huckster will one day be arrested for tapping his toe next to a horse stable?

[fettkonserv]

If the president thinks that everything he does is the will of god he is not going to face reality, consider alternatives, or change his mind when things inevitably go wrong. Can we really afford the kind of weak-minded, soft-headed thinking that this guy will bring to the White House? Vote Democratic!

[fettkonserv]

Huckabee orchestrated the release of a serial rapist and killer at the urging of a preacher.

[duktig1]

If Huckabee feels that he can and should stay in, then he should follow his conscience and stay in the race. Personally, however, I give him until the day AFTER Romney drops out, to drop out himself. At that point he''ll make the case that he is dropping out for the sake of unity (mission accomplished).

Does he really think he''ll win the nomination? I don''t think he is giving any reason to believe this is the case. I think he has been too patronizing to McCain, rarely if ever criticizing him for anything (i.e. changing views, lying, etc.) yet he is too passionate in criticizing the guy who is in second. Why not go after the guy in the lead...unless that is not your target. It is for this and other reasons that it seems Mike''s goals are only about beating Romney, not winning the nomination.

[fettkonserv]

We could all wish this Idiot Preacher will stay around along with Senator Larry Craig The Idaho Republican Toe Tapper. Until the Grand Old Pedophile Convention, where they will be surrounded by War Protesters. It will be a Kodak Moment.

The understatement of the Year
"I''ve never been the pick of the establishment. I probably will never be. That''s OK, Ronald Reagan wasn''t either."
If Jim Jones was around he''d back Huckleberry along with Chuck. LMAO

[news4all]

This was the last word from the Gallup poll on 2/1/08....
"Romney and Mike Huckabee were about tied in Jan. 23-25 polling, Romney''s lead over Huckabee has gradually increased to a solid, if not substantial, eight points."


According to the latest Rassmussen Report (2/2/08)...
Romney and McCain are tied and Huckabee is a distant 3rd.

Huckabee doesn''t have a chance to win, but he does have the power to prevent a win for the Republicans by staying in the race.

[lgander]

wardoglrs,

your links are no good...

but we all know that Mike Huckabee is the best candidate anyway...

[wardoglrs]

Living with the huck. The numbers dont lie.

http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=141

http://podblanc.com/?q=node/13519

[bdribus]

My vote goes to Huckabee. I refuse to vote for a media-annointed candidate.

[apinchofsalt]

Romney is dropping in the polls while Huckabee is surging! Romney is in the way! Go Huckabee!

[heartlandjim]

After Tuesday, Mitt will drop out and conservatives will flock to Mike Huckabee. I have that feeling and it feels gooooooood!

[lgander]

Mike Huckabee is the ONLY candidate with common sense, honesty, AND REAL experience.