Huckabee digs in behind Akin

Politico ^ | // | Alexander Burns

[TonyInOhio]

Todd Akin hasn't had many high-profile supporters with him in the trenches this week, but Mike Huckabee became an important and emphatic exception Thursday afternoon, sending a message to his own supporters accusing Republican elites of trying to drum a good man out of a winnable Senate race. Here's what Huckabee said in an email to his list this afternoon:

Party’s leaders have for reasons that aren't rational, left [Akin] behind on the political battlefield, wounded and bleeding, a casualty of his self-inflicted, but not intentional wound.

[kingattax]

If Todd Akin loses the Senate seat, I will not blame Todd Akin. He made his mistake, but was man enough to admit it and apologize. I'm waiting for the apology from whoever the genius was on the high pedestals of our party who thought it wise to not only shoot our wounded, but run over him with tanks and trucks and then feed his body to the liberal wolves...Who will step up and admit the effort being made to discredit Akin and apologize for the sleazy way it's been handled? I’ve always believed and still do, that if you don’t honor your friendships, you don’t honor yourself. --Mike Huckabee

ridiculous statement and it misses the main point by a mile. there are issues here that are infinitely MORE IMPORTANT THAN AKIN. he alone is responsible for making himself a political liability.

[donna]

Did you know that Mike Huckabee was an early Freeper?

Huckabee’s band, the “Capitol Offense” played at Washington inaugural balls put on by the Free Republic in both 2001 and 2005.

ANNOUNCING THE FREE REPUBLIC W2 INAUGURAL BALL, FEATURING GOV HUCKABEE AND CAPITOL OFFENSE
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1292246/posts

[MplsSteve]

Your Post #24 is spot-on.

Akin’s syncophants are already doing that on Free Republic. In their minds, this whole mess is the fault of the “GOP establishment” or “GOP elites”. Todd Akin was speaking the truth, they say.

Anyone who doesn’t follow their line of thinking must somewhow be connected with the (insert sinister laugh here) “GOP establishment”.

[so_real]

Yesterday we began reminding folks of Akin's solidly conservative voting record and encouraging the republican talking heads to walk back the attacks before catching too much egg on their faces. Today, it seems, that has begun. I for one am grateful. I thank them for listening. The chances of Missouri replacing McCaskill are far better sticking with Akin than threading needles to get withdrawals and court orders and a well-known viable replacements. It's just common sense.

[MNlurker]

What funding is there to restore?

His biggest backer in the primary is still the funding party!!!

[ZX12R]

It wasn’t the dems that turned this into a national circus.

I happen to agree with you. This whole affair is a good example of how knee jerk responses can often be wrong, due to the shallow amount of thinking before making a judgement. I have never liked or admired Huckabee, but in this situation, he is correct. The GOP acted hastily, and stupidly.

[Twinkie]

Republicans always shoot their wounded; Democrats rarely shoot their wounded, and then only if they have no other choice. In the face of ANYTHING, liberals stick - as long as they can win with any sort of behavior - they stick.

[Just mythoughts]

I am amazed that our fellow FReepers are encouraging people to vote against Akin (and therefore *for* McCaskill). Dumb, dumb, dumb. If Akin loses, it’s because FReepers and others are damning him for being too pro-life and for speaking clumsily about it.

Since I live in Missouri I feel free to correct you. Missouri is a 'swing' state. McCain/Palin won by a hair.

The majority of the population of the state reside in the KCmetro and St. Louismetro areas. They are ruled by liberals. IF Akin stays on the ballot the choice will be him or Claire.... Third party candidates usually do not have much of an impact.

What Akin needs to 'win' are the ever wavering sensitive so called independents. They NEVER like to be ridiculed and they will in droves vote for the candidate that appears to be the JonStewart's media choice.... And then along comes Akin pumping life into the liberals sacred cow 'women's right to choose' and now who do you think those sensitive so call independents are going to vote for.... most especially the 'women'. Akin appears to be satisfied with only becoming a martyr, NOT actually winning so he can literally do something.

[vet7279]

It has become obvious to me in recent years how ignorant some of our “elected” leaders are really oblivious to real politics. Huckabee, GW Bush, Akin and Biden are great examples. They need to listen to their handlers and otherwise keep their yap shut.

[Mr. K]

Who do you want, Missouri voters?

Akin - who said somethign stupid...

Or McCaskil who IS stupid, and is also an obama-ass-kissing liberal baby merder supporting democrap who will uphold Obamacare and more spending into oblivion?

McKaskills staffers must have been near oragsmic when they ran to tell her “OMG GUESS WHAT AKIN JUST SAID?!?!?”

[Revolting cat!]

A kinship of achin’.

[dps.inspect]

Hey Huuuk, you’re as big an idiot as Akin... It ain’t about the “elites” trying to drum a good man out of the party... it’s about that fool sucking all the air out of the room. No one person has the right to diminish the discussion that was front and center... now everyones eyes on him. Know why?... because he was unwisely trying to sound wise regarding something he obviously has no wisdom to discuss and as a result has shown himself to be a fool. Now if you make me vote for him, I have no choice cause I ain’t gunna vote for the mother of Robert Shaw. But for you to try to make this about the “big wigs’ you’re simply and Ass (0) and frankly make me understand why some folks dislike christian conservatives, of which I am a part.

[JediJones]

Right, because going from +8% two months ago to -10% overnight is someone else's fault.

Yep. Makes a huge difference if the party rallies around him, forgives him, and sends out memos with a strategy to turn the negative around. Don't tell me you don't think that widespread public criticism and calls for him to drop out from his own party has a negative effect on his polls. Besides, he has 10 weeks to change the narrative and focus it back on McCaskill. His own party should be working this hard to run McCaskill's name through the mud. The Repug elites do a remarkable job of staging a coordinated, sustained attack on their own people. Be nice if just once we saw them campaign this hard against the Democrats. A massive blitz to show how McCaskill is far worse than Akin would have turned that poll around. There's still time.

[MEGoody]

RUSH came across for Akin today in his first hour.

Well, of course, that just means Rush is on the Dem payroll along with Akin.

:::sarc tag in case it is needed:::

[TonyInOhio]

I am amazed that our fellow FReepers are encouraging people to vote against Akin

I don't want people to vote against him, I want him to withdraw. I find it amusing to see people lauding a weak candidate who barely won a plurality in a three way race as though he's an outsider of sorts - the man spent six terms in Congress and was looking for a fat retirement in the US Senate. Some outsider!

[Sark]

I agree that a third party candidate is a disaster waiting to happen (since it would make an Akin victory absolutely impossible instead of just unlikely). Beyond that, Huckabee’s totally off-base and sort of a moron.

[GlockThe Vote]

Huckster is one deranged loon.

[GlockThe Vote]

Huckster is one deranged loon.

[DaveInDallas]

There's still time.

I don't disagree, but I also believe that he could lose this election now, while others (Steelman, Brunner, etc.) would have a far better chance.

[dps.inspect]

Akin’s an idiot—————————echo-————yep, he’s an idiot