Huck Takes Aim at Mitt
By Don | November 19, 2008
The elections have been over for just a little over two weeks but Mike Huckabee is already taking shots at Mitt Romney as he makes plans for 2012.
From the DC Examiner
Mike Huckabee sure seems to be considering another White House run in 2012. After all, it’s only two weeks past the 2008 election, and he’s already out with a memoir-cum-campaign tome, “Do the Right Thing.”
More telling, however, is that he apparently expects Mitt Romney to be an opponent of his once again. About 10 percent of the pages in the book have at least one reference to Romney, and they’re usually none too kind.
It begins on page four, when Huckabee discusses his win in the Iowa caucuses. “It’s ... common for the losing candidates to phone to congratulate the winner ... it’s just a matter of both protocol and courtesy,” Huckabee writes. So John McCain called him, as did Rudy Giuliani. “The call from Romney,” however, “never came, which we took as a sign of total disrespect—something that would continue to be a source of angst among our team, even though we had grown used to this type of treatment from the Romney camp.”
Then it’s onto issues, where Huckabee accuses Romney of being insufficiently conservative on taxes, guns, abortion and marriage.
Then it’s back to the disrespect angle, something Huckabee writes “trickled down through [Romney’s] ranks. ... He was usually accompanied by a phalanx of eager young aides who bullied their way through events as if they were all carrying badges, guns and the authority to move the ‘little people’ out of Mitt’s way.”
Eric Fehrnstrom, a spokesman for Romney, was having none of it. “This is petty stuff,” he said. “We need to focus on moving the party forward with new ideas. Unfortunately, Mike Huckabee seems more interested in settling scores than bringing people together.”
There was no love lost between Huckabee and Romney and this could be the start of a bitter nomination battle.
14 Comments | Post a Comment
Romney will NEVER be president and neither will McCain.
However, Huckabee needs to be careful not to look like a jerk. He is a big government neo-con. He might have been looking good to some this election season, but he won’t look good compared to others like Palin or Jindal.
Why is the Huckster getting so much air time? As, I don’t know all the ‘behind closed doors’ games played last spring, but the way I see it, the Huckster is the single most reason why Barry is in the White House and not Romney, the only qualified candidate on either side of the invisible isle. I fear Romney will grow tired of this game of two card monte; I wouldn’t blame him either.
“However, Huckabee needs to be careful not to look like a jerk.”
Too late. But I have to give him credit for being a good bass player. (Clinton was mediocre as a sax player, and that’s being REALLY charitable!)
I think the info that Huck gives about how Romney ran his campaign is pretty important information .. tells reams about his mode-of-operation and the kind of character the guy doesn’t have.
I agree, though, Huck needs to be careful about total disclosure—can’t sound petty by bringing up other folks’ pettiness, now can we?
Huckey is a loser. Everyone I talk to agrees with this assessment. On the other hand, Governor Mitt Romney has strong credentials to be our next President. I can see a Romney/Palin ticket in 2012. After Obamer falls on his face, for the umteenth time, the American people will give the nod to a man who has shown he has the experience to lead our nation…..Governor Mitt Romney!
Boy do I have an ax to grind with Mike Huckabee.
As a loyal supporter of Mitt Romney it is clear to me that Mike Huckabee continues to spread blatant lies about Mitt Romney.
Mike Huckabee must be a very insecure fellow.
Particularly from on the campaign pulpit the Huckster did he did all possibly could to inject a feeling of doubt and concern over Mitt’s religion of Mormonism. He was very powerful because of his unique position as a pastor. But he was dead wrong.
He was wrong becasue in the eyes of God Mitt is a man of God, like Huckabee.
No Huckabee didnt call it a “cult” exactly, but he couldn’t support Mitt’s religion and went out of his way to say say that Mormons arent Christians, etc. Now, my knowledge of Mormonism and organized religion is limited, but to keep repeating this statement, would to many ingnorant people (and I dont mean to be rude) might make them feel uneasy.
But, I do not feel uneasy, in fact, quite to the contrary, for having worked on Mitt’s campaign I became friends with many people of all religions persuasions including Mormons, and quite honestly, the Mormon people I met along with their families were terrific. They are well intentioned, warm, loving, and a very disciplined people who live by God’s laws. What isnt Christian about that? or just wonderful?
Mike Huckabee threw around his weight and his strong and articulate speaking power, but he hasnt used it to unite the Republican party. What he did, however, was join the liberal press to mock Mitt and seriously erode the confidence of the American voter against Mitt Romney. That is loathsome behavior.
But the Huckster didnt have my confidence and not just becasue he was criticizing Romney, but he was failing American families. In his state Huckabee was in favor of granting illegal aliens in-state tuition and scholarship money. How is that fair to the legal families of his home state? It is not. Mitt stood opposed to this in Massachusetts and rewarded true citizens of Massachusetts, particuarly the top students significant rewards at in state public colleges and universities.
Well, having met and worked with the former Governor of Massachusetts, I can tell you this…there was/and there is no finer gentleman than Mitt Romney and I would have been proud to be calling him my Commander in Chief this coming Jaunary.
But no I wont be doing that and that is sad.
And I also recall the dirty little backroom delegate deal that the Huckster and Senator McCain cooked up between them to stop Romney’s stride in West Virginia. That tells me something about them and politics ..clearly it is a dirty game, but someone has to win….but I was hoping it would be America.
And as much as I would be proud to have an African American as my president or a lady or some other minority (and I would be), I would want someone with Mitt’s credentials not someone who can merely read from a teleprompter and has a pretty smile and steady demeaner. Mitt can do and has all that, BUT but he is so much more prepared to be our president.
Mitt was the candidate for the GOP that was extraordinarly well qualified to be our president. Mitt was not only well qualified academically, but his lengthy highly successful executive experience, his fine business acumen, and his strong moral convictions set him above the others. Plus, we know alot about him, he has disclosed his records (as far as I know), and we know he was born here in the great United States of America! and he has been a faithful and loving husband to his wife, Anne.
So even thought Fox news has gone out of their way to serve Mike Huckabee on a platter to the general public each weekend…that doesnt persuade me to think that he is a man of character. But I will admit that this Mike Huckabee is smooth, he is articulate, and he appears to be warm and genuine, but is he? I doubt it…and he must be a very little man inside to keep knocking Mitt Romney who far surpasses him in every way I know. Let’s keep the Huckster as an interviewer and keep him out of the White House!
And, God bless the GOP!
A bass player and tv talk show host is his calling…wisely, Mitt is already working for the next goaround - somebody mentioned a Romney-Palin ticket and a NEW Campaign direction with attack ads.
As for his stand on bailing out the Detroit automakers - he may be right. Rid the union from this mess, and you have a glimmer of hope to re-energize the US automakers.
And, if the Potentates of the Potomac lead the auto clan to the trough, then you gotta start seriously thinking - What’s next? The airlines?
If there was EVER a so-called “empty suit” in politics, Williard Romney is it!
I was a volunteer in his father’s campaign for president many, many years ago - and there’s NO comparison between the two. In this case, the apple fell F-A-R from the tree.
Junior is a lot like local TV news anchors: the only thing they can do is read the cue cards and teleprompters - which actually contain the thoughts and words prepared by others. I doubt this Romney ever had an original idea in his life.
TK,
Yes, when I saw him on a late night version of the Judas Goat Sean Hannity, I was trying to figure out which one was the commentator or host!
Personally, I don’t think there is any republican or democrat with the brains, or will admit to coming forward with answers to these thugs, save Ron Paul.
Anybody that votes or has voted for such bailouts that further demonitize the people proves that they have a blatant disregard for the Constitution,and deserve no support or votes, much more, should be removed from office. But will that happen? Slim to no chance of that.
Like these two popular candidates in the recent ‘election’...they broke their promises quickly…and therefore between them, it didn’t matter which one ‘won’.
While the solutions to the toxic economy won’t fix much of anthing..I wonder if they will have an answer to the caldron of toxic anger that’s sure to bubble over soon. Hang on!
Huckabee isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. It might be possible for him to win the GOP nomination, but a man with a degree in theology from some no-name University is not going to win the Presidency.
I think it’s rather improbable that Mitt will come back.
It’s time to look for other potentials. The Gov. of Utah could be a good candidate. Jon Huntsman Jr. has the same business acumen that Romney does, but none of the political baggage.
Melissa, Post 11;
Let me tell you - I’m a committed and moderate Independent - I’m anti-ideologue, anti-partisan and anti-extremist - and I’m also a very committed devotee of Florida GOP Gov. Charlie Crist!
He’s the kind of person (all around) that would truly appeal to the moderates and/or centrists in EITHER party - he has a constant 70% approval level in Florida - he’s well spoken and telegenic - has a lifetime of relevant experience - and he has a knack of being able to disagree with someone without causing divisiveness, hostility, argumentation, ill-will or hurt feelings. If there was EVER a “collaborative” politician - Charlie Crist is it! He’s a real politician’s politician and a governor’s governor!
If McCain had chosen Crist instead of Palin, I’d have been with McCain all the way - and I believe a lot of other Independents, unaffiliateds, and undecideds would have been too! (Although, if we had to have an old guy - I would have preferred Colin Powell to McCain.)
Charlie Crist exemplifies the kind of people who should become the “new” face of the GOP.
(And, his public persona, charisma, leadership ability, ability to energize and motivate the inner circle and the masses, and his intelligence - are all F-A-R superior to former Florida GOP Gov. Jeb Bush! Shudder, shudder!)
Melissa,
Perhaps you have something there on Charlie, but I doubt that he and McCain would have been able to get elected. Not that Charlie doesn’t have many fine qualities.
If the past election was for real and not contrived as some have said, the fact is that Obama and McCain started out pretty evenly according to the polls. However, a significant change developed when the Obama team decided to go tribal and not seek another group of voters…they retrenched and it was mainly, ‘get out the vote’ campaign that was finished two weeks out from election day. They did a masterful marketing job, used the Internet tools far better than the republicans and although they did respond to the republican attack ads in kind, it was very, very smart marketing. So masterful that the lesson should be instructive to product marketers in Florida and elsewhere! All the best.
Agree with you also…no more Bush anyplace.
Governor Mitt Romney doesn’t need any cue cards or teleprompters! What planet have you been living on? Governor Romney possesses a high intellect and the business acumen and experience to lead America! Your Kenyan, Obamer, couldn’t put a thought together without the aid of cue cards or a teleprompter! Do you really think Obamer could have won the Democrap ticket without the aid of cue cards and teleprompters? No way! Governor Mitt Romney has already begun his campaign to be President of the United States in 2012! Governor Mitt Romney will be our next President! Governor Mitt Romney is a man of character and determination…..and he was born in the United States!
November 19 at 11:46 am | #1 | Link
Palan/jendal 2012