Posted on 12/17/2007 3:34:45 PM PST by ellery
In a letter to National Review Online, Huckabee's Director of Research, Joe Carter, writes that "Governor Huckabee is a supporter of school vouchers, and has always been a supporter of school vouchers."
Carter's claim contradicts many news reports:
--As the Club pointed out in a December 13th press release, the Concord Monitor reports that the New Hampshire affiliate of the National Education Association endorsed Huckabee specifically because of his opposition to school vouchers. In fact, the affiliate's President, Rhonda Wesolowski, released the following statement about the NEA's endorsement of Huckabee:
Among Republicans, Governor Huckabee was the only candidate to show us a sincere interest in education. He changed his schedule to accommodate our meeting time . . . He cares deeply about education, and understands that we need to educate the whole child, exposing children to the arts and music as well as stressing achievement in math and verbal skills. Governor Huckabee opposes vouchers and he supports measured growth of learning over a period of time, parental involvement in education, increasing Pell Grants to improve access to higher education, and legislation that would close the gaps in learning by reducing class size.
--In a September interview with the New York Jewish Week, entitled, "Surging Huckabee Is Anti-Voucher," Governor Huckabee told reporter James Besser that he opposes school vouchers because they may lead to "inequality" in schooling, "could undercut public education," and because "with government money comes control."
--Huckabee's opposition to school vouchers was also documented in an Arkansas Times article in September 2005.
It is true, as Carter claims, that Huckabee occasionally declares his support for vouchers, as the Club for Growth demonstrated here, but these moments raise serious questions about Mike Huckabee's veracity on the campaign trail and beg the critical question: What is Huckabee's position on vouchers and why is he refusing to give voters a straight answer?
And the inconsistencies continual to pile up.....
Something tells me Huck isn't being honest with one group. But which one?
Huckabee had a chance to voice his support for vouchers in the last debate. He took a pass and instead devoting his time to talking about making sure we educate both sides of the brain to keep kids interested in school. I’m voting for president not the damn school principal. And I’m also not voting for some moron who doesn’t know the difference between the two.
ping
So... I'm relying on the NEA for the truth.
There.
I said it.
Below is the transcript of Huckabee’s speech to the NEA. Here’s how he opened his speech: “I’m astonished there are not more Republican candidates here,” Huckabee said. “Do they not think education is important? Or are they just afraid of the NEA? I don’t know.”
http://www.nea.org/annualmeeting/raaction/07huckabeespeech.html
This isn’t a Fred article, but I had to ping you to Huckabee backstabbing republicans in front of the NEA.
Sorry for the confusion. What I posted is not a full transcript — it’s a report on what Huck said with accompanying video clip.
The problem with all the candidates is they all want to be President to rule over a large government, not dismantle it.
The huckster is a kook! No other answer!
“Governor Huckabee told reporter James Besser that he opposes school vouchers because they may lead to “inequality” in schooling, “could undercut public education,” and because “with government money comes control.””
Hey Huck, in my mind, voucher money belongs to the PARENTS, not to the government.
Case closed.
It’s no mystery. It’s really very simple. He was for it until he found out he was against but is now for it …..again…sort of ...
No, it’s simpler than that. It just depends on who he’s talking to at the moment.
“why is he refusing to give voters a straight answer?”
Uh, this is maybe a stretch, but do you think that it might have something to do with his being a politician?
Huckabee’s answers depend on his audience, just like another polician from Hope, Arkansas.
Like many politicians, Huck says whatever he thinks the suckers want to hear, at any particular time.
With no thought to how easy it is for the non-suckers to verify what he has said.
Huckabee is consistent.
He consistently tells the crowds what he thinks they want to hear.
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