Mike Huckabee, talk radio host?

A T-R-I reader says a “former Republican candidate for the presidency in 2008 is shopping a radio commentary/talk show to all the networks, and it’s not his first job in radio.” Sounds like the Tennessee talker himself, Fred Thompson, doesn’t it? But no – it’s former Arkansas Governor, minister and onetime teenage radio host Mike Huckabee. His witty and self-deprecating persona was a hit with a lot of media types during the campaign and you’d think he could be exploring all kinds of options (including the VP slot with McCain, without seeming to want it). But he’s shaking hands and gauging the interest in a possible regular gig in syndicated radio, or perhaps doing commentaries for a network/syndicator. He’d be interesting no matter whether the Republicans or the Democrats win in November. And he might even feel he has a few scores to settle, after being a favorite target for Rush and Hannity. As for Fred Thompson – he’s writing for Salem-owned political site TownHall.org. (One recent column's titled “Conservativism is alive and well in America.”) Will he circle back to ABC Radio Networks, where he’d been lined up as a special correspondent and was backstopping Paul Harvey? That hasn’t happened yet. But speaking of Mr. Harvey – Farid Suleman may be headed to Chicago this week. Is Paul Harvey on his dance card?

Just speculation on my part, but the Citadel chief may be interested in finding out just where Paul’s head is, following the death of his wife Angel over a month ago. ABC’s continued to rely on fill-ins like Ron Chapman. This will be Farid’s second trip in recent weeks to the Windy City. Maybe there’s something up at the managerial level at WLS and/or True Oldies WZZN?

Yup.

more from Tom Taylor:

Mike Huckabee got into radio early, when he was a kid.

Followup on yesterday’s T-R-I story revealing that the former GOP presidential candidate, Arkansas governor and Baptist minister is making the rounds of syndicators and networks, exploring the possibilities for doing either a regular radio talkshow or radio commentary. A reader who’s familiar with Huckabee’s days in Hope, AR writes me that “Mike got his start in radio calling baseball games. The story goes that he was playing baseball and he broke his arm – however, local station KXAR invited him to do color commentary, and he was hooked. Mike put himself through college at Ouachita Baptist by working the night shift at KVRC and KDEL in Arkadelphia. When he became the pastor of Beech Street Baptist Church in Texarkana, he ended up putting a low power TV station (KLFI) on the air. He hosted local programming and called a lot of football and basketball games on that station during his time there.” Ronald Reagan also used to call sports contests on radio and that was superb experience for him later as an actor and then politician. Is Huckabee looking to keep his profile high during the next four years, ahead of another run for the White House in 2012 or 2016? He’s only 52 now, and he comes out of the election process as well liked as any candidate in the race, of either party.

((not so sure I agree with "well liked"!)

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