Free Republic

A new poll shows 68 percent of Republicans in Iowa hold a favorable view of Sarah Palin. That is only two percent lower than 2008 Iowa Caucus winner Mike Huckabee. The Des Moines Register poll proves that Palin would be the decisive factor in the 2012 Caucus, if she runs.

The conventional wisdom on Sarah Palin is that she's a divisive figure, and, from what polls tell us, that's true: according to Pollster.com's average, 38 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of her, while 49.2 percent view her unfavorably. So she's in minus territory--11.2 percent more Americans view her negatively than positively--which is bad for any politician running for office (if indeed she is). That's worse than other top-tier 2012 contenders, too, whose favorable/unfavorable splits, according to the same average, are 36.9 / 27.3 for Mitt Romney and 44.6 / 23/9 for Mike Huckabee. But among Republicans, she does...

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee tells Newsmax that some of his fellow Republicans are calling him a RINO for defending President Barack Obama against personal criticism. “So be it. It is total hypocrisy for us [Republicans] to rail at the way Bush was treated, and then do the exact same thing. It's disgusting,” Huckabee said of those who have labeled him as Republican in Name Only. “I care about issues and will fight on those, but just because someone doesn't think like me doesn't mean that he or she hates America.” Speaking at a meeting of the Hudson Union Society...

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani has decided not to run for governor next year - but will run for U.S. Senate instead, sources told the Daily News. A source familiar with Giuliani's thinking said the failed presidential candidate has been telling people he plans to run against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010 to fill out the remaining two years of Hillary Clinton's term.

Conservative Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, who is emerging as a top contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012, is gaining some attention this week for his comments in defense of President Obama. As first reported on the Huffington Post, Huckabee said some of the recent criticisms of Obama have been unfair and even "shameful." Huckabee made the comments to the Hudson Union Society. "When he [Barack Obama] was at Dover the other day, and went there to pay respect for soldiers, I heard a lot of people on the Right say "Aw, that's just a cheap photo-op."...

Former presidential contender's book tour stops at ND. BY ERIN BLASKO SOUTH BEND — Bob Moore was enthusiastic about Mike Huckabee long before the Republican presidential candidate arrived on the national scene in 2007, charming his party's base with his strong commitment to conservative values and moderates and even liberals with his "aw, shucks" persona. He was quick to point that out Tuesday, shortly after meeting the former Arkansas governor at a promotional event at the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore. "I've read all of his books except the one that just came out," the Goshen man said, adding that that...

Just got an email update - Governor Huckabee will be on The Riggsby Report tonight. Show starts at 6:00 Eastern on 1240AM (out of St. Augustine, FL) or streaming live from http://www.riggsbyreport.com/

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Fewer than three in 10 Americans think Sarah Palin's qualified to be president, according to a new national poll - the least of any of the five potential candidates included in the survey. But another woman tops that list in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday: two-thirds of the public thinks that Secretary of State HIllary Clinton's qualified for the Oval Office. That's more than Vice President Joe Biden, who's currently next in line for the presidency. According to the poll, 28 percent of Americans say Palin is qualified to run the White House, with seven...

S Burton Blogging from Phoenix– I have been critical of her from day one, to the point of being tasteless, which is why my observation that Sarah Palin could if she desires, become the walk away choice for the republican nomination is pretty much a spot on prognostication. The pollsters who work for the establishment keep insisting Huck and Mitt draw higher positives from the rank and file, poll ratings reflect responses to questions, you can skew results any way you like by crafting the questions to favor your candidate. Polls conducted without intent to favor a particular candidate, have...

Sarah Palin's Going Rogue: An American Life (HarperCollins) is being pitched by her publisher as "one ordinary citizen's extraordinary journey." That's about right. Palin is ordinary -- remarkably, overwhelmingly, mind-numbingly ordinary. Back in the day, it seemed as if she might be extraordinary. When I started writing about her in 2006, the year that Palin took on the good old boys of Alaskan Republican politics, she seemed intriguing -- even a little, dare we say it, rogue. The story of a small-town mayor mounting a primary challenge to a sitting governor of her own party -- who also happened to...

Former Governor of Arkansas and host of Huckabee on the Fox News Channel will be speaking at First Redeemer Church on Sunday, November 22nd at 9:15 AM & 10:45 AM. Following the 10:45 service, Huckabee will be signing his new book "A Simple Christmas". Address: 2100 Peachtree Parkway Cumming, GA 30041 Phone: 678-513-9400

I just heard that Gov Huckabee will do a book signing tomorrow afternoon. Who knew? Compare and contrast with the Palin book tour. My local AM station carries his commentary on their morning show and they will do an interview with him or I would have not even known. The story is not in the online versions of the two local papers I check each morning.

According to Bill O’Reilly’s week long poll it is Governor Sarah Palin: Sarah Palin: 30% Huckabee: 29% Romney: 25% Gingrich:16% I find it odd that the numbers were only announced by Mr O’Reilly and not released. I would say the results are actually much better for Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin typically has a much larger margin of victory against the three respectable but boring Huckabee, Romney & Gingrich. But a win is still a win. I thought it was interesting what Huckabee had to say about Sarah Palin...

Matthew Continetti has a piece in this weekend’s Weekly Standard hailing Sarah Palin as the ideal leader of a new populist uprising. One obvious objection to his thesis: The populist Sarah is in fact one of the most unpopular figures in American life. According to Gallup, 63% of Americans say they would never consider voting for her. By a margin of 62%-31% Americans rate Palin “unqualified” to serve as president – by far the worst score for any leading Republican. In comparison, only 51% of Americans say they would never consider voting for Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee – and...

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...

In 2008, a charismatic right-wing populist Republican governor won the heart of the party's base despite being forced to take a backseat to a more respectable "moderate" Republican. He was Mike Huckabee, and he is sad, and mad. Ben Smith followed Mike Huckabee around for a while as he sold his new Christmas book. Huckabee was the governor of Arkansas. He used to be fat, and then he got skinny, and now he is getting fat again. He's also basically as crazy Christian as they come, but he masks this with a genuinely likable sense of humor, which is why...

If you missed Chuck Norris breaking a HealthCare block of wood with his hand, you can see it on the video below.

A governor for 10 years and the winner of the Iowa caucuses in 2008, Huckabee should by all rights have a claim to be the early favorite for the Republican nomination. But former Gov. Mitt Romney, the candidate he bested in Iowa 2008 and for whom he does not attempt to contain his contempt, is riding high, credited by many Republicans as the best person to run against President Barack Obama in a down economy. And as Huckabee works his way through a 22-state tour for his new book, “A Simple Christmas,” he knows that he and the book will...

I am watching Huckabee on Fox and it looks like he is getting a little chubby. Does anyone else see the same growth?

Pawlenty hit Obama on the porkulus bill, ever-rising unemployment, broken promises of bipartisanship, and the enormous federal deficit. "We've got a Democrat-controlled Congress messing around with a miserable healthcare bill. They should be focused like a laser on jobs, not acting like a manure spreader in a wind storm," Pawlenty said to laughter and applause.

Minnesota Governor and 2012 Presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty needed to make an impressive showing in his first major speech in front of Iowa's most influential Republicans. He accomplished that goal. Pawlenty's speech at the Iowa GOP's fall fundraiser was peppered with humor, stiff jabs at Barack Obama, and well-placed, straight right wing points

Before Sarah Palin became the embodiment of the conservative grassroots, another national candidate from a state beginning with "A" mastered 21st century Republican populism on his way to winning the 2008 Iowa caucuses. During the campaign, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, the funniest Republican since the heyday of Bob Dole, would go off on little-guy riffs like this: "If you're a person for whom 'summer' is a verb, if you went to Harvard or Yale, you probably think the economy is doing just dandy." After John McCain won the nomination, Huckabee did not fade away. Instead, he morphed into a...

And Romney was nowhere to be seen. BY BRENDAN MINITER Amidst the stunning events in New York's 23rd congressional district -- with Republican-turned-independent Doug Hoffman suddenly surging to the front and likely to win today's race -- collateral damage has been suffered by some of the GOP's presidential hopefuls who misread the race and the mood of the Republican electorate. Mitt Romney -- formerly a man who seemed willing to show up and plug for any Republican anywhere to pick up a few chits -- was nowhere to be seen in the district. Mike Huckabee, a favorite for religious conservatives...

According to a "tweet" from Jonathan Martin of Politico.com , Huck has endorsed Doug Hoffman: Huck now behind Hoffman, praises Scozza for her "very unselfish announcement." about 5 hours ago from web jmartpolitico

One name is notably absent from the list of prominent conservatives who have lined up against the GOP nominee in the Nov. 3 New York special election: former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Even as other past and prospective Republican presidential candidates have offered their endorsements, Huckabee has conspicuously declined to officially support Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman, a decision that has left bewildered many of the social conservatives whom he assiduously courted in his 2008 bid. “It’s very disappointing,� said Tom McClusky, vice president for government affairs at the Family Research Council. “You have names out there like Sarah Palin,...

One name is notably absent from the list of prominent conservatives who have lined up against the GOP nominee in the Nov. 3 New York special election: former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Even as other past and prospective Republican presidential candidates have offered their endorsements, Huckabee has conspicuously declined to officially support Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman, a decision that has left bewildered many of the social conservatives whom he assiduously courted in his 2008 bid. “It’s very disappointing,” said Tom McClusky, vice president for government affairs at the Family Research Council. “You have names out there like Sarah Palin,...

Tea Party Patriots 2012 Presidential Poll Who do you think would make a great conservative president? (Consider only their commitment to the constitution, charisma and personal integrity. Do NOT consider their ability to win.)

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is once again making headlines by publicly pondering a 2012 presidential bid. Yesterday, as Politics Daily and Politico report, Gingrich talked about a possible bid on CSPAN's Washington Journal. In the interview, Gingrich said he would make the decision in February of 2011 and that probably would run if he and his wife, Callista, decided that they feel "a requirement as citizens that we run," which would be based on how they asses the other candidates running for the Republican nomination. "We are going to reach out to all of our friends around the country,"...

There is still time for potential 2012 candidates to stand with Republican voters and the conservative base against the Inside the Beltway Establishment keen on abandoning principles for ACORN supported candidates. Tim Pawlenty and Sarah Palin, both talked about as 2012 candidates, have stood with the base. The Hill reports: Other candidates, like former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), have said they will not get involved on either candidate’s behalf. This is disappointing. At a time when the conservative brand is ascending and the Republican brand is still in the gutter, candidates like...

Fox News posted yet another 2012 poll and as usual Governor Palin more then tripled the votes cast of the number 2 candidate. This poll had 3,357 votes cast with Sarah Palin at 49%, Mitt Romney 16%, Mike Huckabee 15%, Newt Gingrich 5% and Tim Pawlenty 5%. As I monitored this poll I observed Romney and Huckabee supporters contacted first (Facebook, MySpace, Freerepublic, PAC) too vote & spread the word but Sarah Palin still stayed way ahead. Soon after the world spread and Palin, Pawlenty & Newt supporters caught on and all the candidate’s supporters were voting & spreading the...

Last week there were a couple Rasmussen Polls which seemed to show Governor Palin losing support among Republican voters. One showed her in third place behind Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney. Another showed her losing in head to head matchups with Huckabee and Romney. At the time I argued, justifiably, that hypothetical polls, even scientific polls, this far from an election, are unreliable at best. I still believe that to be the case. For example, in March 2007 Rudy Giuliani was beating John McCain by 21 points in the Rasmussen Poll for the 2008 GOP nomination, yet less that none...

During an appearance on the Neil Cavuto show, Mike Huckabee said he would not make an endorsement in the NY-23 special election -- and then proceeded to profusely praise Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, and say he could never support a pro-choice candidate (which so happens to be the case for the GOP's nominee, Dede Scozzafava). "Certainly his views represent more closely to mine," said Huckabee. "I'm not taking a role in that with my PAC, simply because I feel like it would be inappropriate with me at this point -- mainly because I'm already speaking to the Conservative Party...

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) will appear as the special guest at a fundraiser next week to benefit South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint's 2010 re-election, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by the Fix. The event, which will be held on Monday in Charleston at the home of Sheila and Bill Prezzano, features a number of power players in Palmetto State politics including money men Dick Coen, Bill Hewitt and O.L. Thompson as well as former Gov. Jim Edwards, former Rep. Tommy Hartnett and Republican National Committeewoman Cindy Costa. Hosts for the event are expected to donate...

Two weeks before Sarah Palin's memoir hits bookstores next month, possible 2012 presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is publishing a new volume of his own: A Simple Christmas: Twelve Stories That Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit. Huckabee's already taking presale orders—and orders for leather display boxes and for signed, numbered versions of the book that include certificates of authenticity.

Rush Limbaugh isn't going to be a part-owner of an NFL team thanks to the smears that were hurled at him by media voices and political opponents who didn't bother to see if the "evidence" against him was even true. Turns out, it wasn't. A few weeks ago, I talked about the "death of journalism" and pointed out that in today's world of rushing to get things on the air or in print, the old fashioned practices of fact checking, verifying, and editing have been replaced by breathless self-congratulations for getting it first rather than getting it right. And sometimes,...

Is it odd how anti-Palin polls pop-up all over the MSM? The few and infrequent polls that are less favorable to Governor Palin always seem to be big news. The reality is over 90% of the many 2012 polls show she is the front runner. Michelle Malkin’s Hotair.com offered the latest Poll on 2012 & Governor Palin with Sarah leading with 63%

Here is video of Gov. Mike Huckabee last night saying Rush Limbaugh has been wronged by the baseless attacks against him to prevent him from being part of an ownership group to buy the St. Louis Rams. Huckabee defended Limbaugh, and at the same time took a shot at him by asserting that during his own Presidential campaign, Limbaugh and others accused Huckabee of being a "big-Government Liberal," an attack Huckabee likened to what Rush has just been through. From the tenor of his commentary, it is unclear whether his main point was to defend Rush, or to defend himself....

An off year special election in upstate New York has received a lot of attention and created a bit of a spilt among Republicans. The vacancy was created when Rep. John McHugh was appointed as Secretary of the Army in September of this year. Controversy has since been brewing since the New York Republican Party choose to forgo a typical primary election and instead have the eleven county chairman within the district nominate moderate Republican State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava. Scozzafava policy positions, particularly her pro-abortion and pro-gay rights positions, quickly troubled conservatives within the district leading many to instead support...

Fox News host, garage band cover guitarist, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will be making a long-planned speech before the New York Conservative Party in Syracuse, New York on October 28, but has thus far declined to say whether he will formally endorse or financially support Conservative Party House candidate Doug Hoffman, who is running to fill former Rep. John McHugh's 23rd Congressional District seat. Most Republican Party leaders have thus far taken a pass in endorsing Hoffman, who has the support of the conservative Club for Growth, as well as the American Conservative Union. House minority leader John...

In July it was Romney 25, Palin 24, Huck 22. Then again, Rudy Giuliani once pulled something like 45 percent before last year’s primaries. Perspective. These numbers reflect an improvement for Huckabee since July when the three candidates were virtually even. Huckabee’s gain appears to be Palin’s loss as Romney’s support has barely changed. The numbers for Huckabee and Romney look even stronger when GOP voters were asked which candidate they would least like to see get the nomination. Pawlenty came on top in that category with 28%. Palin was second at 21% while 20% named Gingrich. Romney and Huckabee...

Huckabee is easily dispatched. He is not a conservative. Anyone suggesting that remains blinded by those wonderful crosses they saw dancing across their TV screen in last year's Huckabee campaign ads. Fiscally, he's a populist, at best. And he actually has quite a liberal streak. Distributing income is just as much a desire with Huckabee as it is with the Left. He simply wants to use those tax dollars in a different way. On top of that, he's a Big Government guy. Anyone who thinks that dictating menus and diets has anything to do with conservatism has no idea what...

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Republican voters nationwide say former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is their pick to represent the GOP in the 2012 Presidential campaign.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Republican voters nationwide say former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is their pick to represent the GOP in the 2012 Presidential campaign. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 24% prefer former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney while 18% would cast their vote for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gets 14% of the vote while Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty gets 4%. Six percent (6%) of GOP voters prefer some other candidate while 7% remain undecided. These numbers reflect an improvement for Huckabee since July when the three candidates were virtually even. Huckabee’s...

(snip) Mike Huckabee and Tim Pawlenty — both potential 2012 presidential contenders — urged restraint. "There will be an outcry from those on the right who will say that Obama's nomination, made two weeks into his Presidency, is impossible to justify, but I think such an outcry will sound like right-wing whining," Huckabee said in a statement. "The better response is simply to allow those on the left to explain what he did in his first two weeks as President that merited such recognition." Pawlenty, speaking on NPR, said there "will be some people who are saying 'Was it based...

Huckabee warns Republicans on Nobel reaction Posted: October 9th, 2009 12:20 PM ET From CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney (CNN) – Mike Huckabee is advising his fellow Republicans to temper their criticism of President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize award. In a posting on his blog, the former GOP presidential candidate writes that members of his party must be careful their comments don't sound like "right-wing whining." "There will be an outcry from those on the right who will say that Obama's nomination, made two weeks into his presidency, is impossible to justify, but I think such an outcry will...

There will be an outcry from those on the right who will say that Obama’s nomination, made two weeks into his Presidency, is impossible to justify but I think such an outcry will sound like right-wing whining.....

The fracture of the Tea Party and 9/12 protest groups has begun, with some protesters following Republican Dick Armey into partisan activism and others chasing jet trails after anyone from Glenn Beck to John Birch. In North Texas alone, three different political factions are selling "Tea Party Training" or "Tea Party Boot Camp," where for $25 wannabe activists can learn everything from Armey economics to conspiracy theories taught by a "birther." So far, it’s been tough to tell who’s on which Republican or Libertarian team in the Tea Party protests. Actor Stephen Baldwin, a speaker at Armey’s Sept. 12 Washington...

I sat next to the Governor and, I must admit, I invited some of his responses through my own questions and observations. ...there was much more to come in the rich content of his intelligent public policy positions. It was the substance of those deeply held positions on the issues which matter most which won the day and only deepened my admiration for the man. He breaks the molds of the empty political labels of “left/right”, “liberal/conservative.” He espouses truly human, just and concerned positions. However, permit me to share just one of his comments. In the context of discussing...

Fellow freepers, join me for this event to raise money for the Family Foundation, our top pro-family organization in the state. This group is a family policy council for Virginia and is associated with Focus on the Family. The speaker will be Governor Mike Huckabee. Below is the link to sign up. Funds raised will help the Family Foundation in their important upcoming fight for the family during the 2010 Virginia General Assembly.

VIDEO: Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, recently appeared on the FOX Business Channel to discuss overhauling the nation's overbearing tax system. Huckabee makes a convincing case in favor of abolishing the IRS and implementing the Fair Tax.