Posted on 11/09/2009 2:59:18 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
There's a likely GOP 2012 presidential candidate who is a former governor, darling of the party's conservative base, and the leader of nearly every early presidential poll.
And his name is not Sarah Palin.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, whose upstart presidential campaign toppled Mitt Romney in Iowa and nearly brought down John McCain in South Carolina last year, wants people to know he's every bit as serious as other potential presidential aspirants, and suggested there's a double standard when it comes to how some in his party treat him and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
"Some of the people who had excoriated me and really been very dismissive of me for views that I had taken, and labeled me anything from a populist to an ignoramus - the same people have been very defensive [of] and laudatory to Sarah Palin," Huckabee told Politico in an article published Monday.
I'm a very serious person," he also said. "I may not be dour, but I'm serious."
The former two-term Arkansas governor has expressed criticism of Palin before, suggesting her abrupt resignation of the Alaska governorship may suggest she's not ready to handle the pressures of a hardscrabble presidential primary campaign.
"If she's looking to be a national political figure, it's not going to get easier," he said in July. "In a primary this is going to be an issue she'll have to face. Will she be able to withstand the pressure?"
In many respects, Huckabee should be considered the early favorite in what already appears to be a crowded field of 2012 Republican contenders. He consistently leads Palin and his old rival Romney in presidential polls and has maintained a legion of faithful followers. He's also out with a new book this month and a concurrent book tour through some of the country's most conservative townships - including some in politically important Iowa.
Huckabee was also the winner of a recent Values Voter Summit straw poll, grabbing nearly 29 percent of the vote in a crowded field that, in addition to Palin and Romney, included Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
Huck will get blasted in the primaries.
Barf! Lol! Barf! Lol!
The only thing holding back my vomit is my laughter.
..victim alert
There's no double-standard, Huck. The reason Palin gets lauded by the base and you don't is because you've got a long liberal streak and she doesn't.
Huck: “People like Sarah Palin a lot. Me, not as much. This is an unfair double-standard.”
Except Huckabee is a pro-life liberal who belives it is un-Christian to oppose illegal immigration, raised taxes, and expanded government.
What is the correct expresion? Something about getting wee - weeeed up??
Note that the original source is CNN.
CNN presuming to tell us who the “darling” of the “conservative base” is.
They’re just working to try and torpedo the ‘Cuda.
Huckabee’s stance on immigration in the 2008 primaries was his kiss of death as far as I’m concerned. That alone wins him the no-vote from me on any further run.
I hope you're right, but I don't know. He could do well in Iowa, and at worst he'll split the evangelical vote allowing Romney to pick up the difference - we can't have that. 2012 is a long way away, but no one should discount the Huckster. He's too good on the stump and I'm fearful his populist rhetoric might be even more attractive in three years.
Well said! I'm hoping that the evangelicals look a little deeper this time around at Huckafraud instead of blindly supporting him because he's a minister.
The fact that Huckabee ruffles so many feathers among the politicos here suggests to me that he may be worth a second look. Just sayin’.
I intend to be one of those blasting him. I cannot feature him as President. Talk about Clinton redux as he governed in some areas to the left of Clinton.
He didn’t like home schoolers when he was Governor as the AR home school community tried to tell people, but when he ran for President he embraced them and they fell for it without ever checking his AR record on home schooling.
He comes across as slimy and I am not sure why - I also don’t like some of his policies, but such is politics - I agree with a previous poster - he wont get past the primaries.
A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. - Theodore Roosevelt
I wish Huck would get a productive job and go away. Really.
there goes Huckabee claiming he’s everybody’s Huckleberry, when in fact he’s nothing more than a pompous GASBAG!
Huck is an A-hole.
Hey Huck, Palin’s not a whiner.
Quite true...Huchabee is the darling of the media but he has his mindless followers too...even some here sad to say.
The Huckster is pure scum and needs to be sent to the RAT party....as to his followers consider them EXACT drone of Jim Jone’s followers.
My ass is a tulip.
I’ve actually never met anyone who came across as slimy—and wasn’t.
Palin is a energetic, exciting conservative, who is willing lay it on the line to win.
Huckabee is not.
HUCK is a hypocrite.
Remember, he paid $35,000 to have all Arkansas State hard drives wiped clean when he left office.
He might as well just call me by name...this description fits me to a T.
Huck-a-who?
“it’s apparent that Huckabee has no class or dignity but instead resorts to taking petty potshots at others”
Exactly. That and some of his policies have turned me off. No Huckabee.
I absolutely cannot stand the Huck....he needs to just leave the scene and keep playing guitar on his Sunday night show....please, please just go away....
If he would have quit early someone else would have had a chance to come forward to spank McCain. Instead he was a spoiler. Foo wee on him
Ah, Huckabee — the pro life liberal.
That guy never met a tax he didn’t like. He’s a big-gov’t compassionate conservative.
He needs a little cheese with his wine.
“who belives it is un-Christian to oppose illegal immigration, raised taxes, and expanded government.”
Lord save us from the religious nutcases from either end of the spectrum.
Huckabee needs to go back and read the Bible if he thinks that doing good with other people’s money is the right way to go.
When you peel off his Baptist shell, what you find is a liberal. Don’t forget to open your eyes when you take your “second look”.
We don't know what your post means until you tell us what you mean by "politicos".
He should be a comedian that was funny.
Elder church goers love Huckabee and they vote.
Say what you will about Huckabee, but the guy is media savvy. He has effectively used Fox News and Christian television to promote himself as a man of substance.
The man has no substance — the proof was in the way he governed Arkansas to the left of Clinton on some issues. He is a media creation to fool people. He got his start as a televangelist so that says right there he is media savvy. That’s not what we need for President.
If Elder church goers support Huckabee so much he would have won my Congressional district not John McCain. Most of the elderly people I knew wanted someone with military experience and Huckabee doesn’t fill that bill.
Huckabee for President will face even more obstacles this time as he has been shown to be a backstabber on top of everything else.
Assuming you mean he has the right enemies... not so sure. Just who do you think is pushing these pro-Huckabee articles? Hint: it isn’t the conservatives. The “politicos” are trying to split conservative loyalties (like we did with Thompson and Hunter... and the uninformed did with Guiliani) to give them another chance to choose our candidate (another McCain).
NO WAY!
I’m just stating that Huckabee’s appeal among religious conservatives is strong and shouldn’t be dismissed. Huckabee will be a strong campaigner in both the primary and general. Like you, I do have concerns about a President Huckabee in charge. I could imagine him going on tv to berate his conservative critics by quoting the Bible in an effort to gain favor from the liberal media.
I agree with you completely!
Obama did the same thing, but with MSNBC.
Doesn’t make him a prize.
What you say is true. My parents love him. I don’t, but they do.
If Huck is not smart enough to know Palin had to resign to pay her legal bills, then he is not smart enough to be president. If he understands why Palin stepped down, than he is dishonest. Either way, he is not presidential material.
I'm looking for politicians I can trust and Huck ain't on the list.
If Huckabee is such a good candidate how is it that he barely laid a glove on McCain — the weakest Republican candidate since Bob Dole? Show me something, Huck.
Also, he has his own show on FOX. And celebrities appear on his show. And gullible people (even here on FR - remember Arnold Schwarzenegger?) are influenced by that. I don't know WHO is watching his show, or WHY - but I suspect even some FReepers have been taken in by the Huckster.
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