Posted on 12/27/2007 10:49:48 AM PST by Dane
ORLANDO, FLA. -- With about 150 supporters crowded around a podium set up on the tarmac of Orlando Executive airport (and about 20 Ron Paul supporters waving signs outside) Mike Huckabee strode out to the strains of “Right Now” by Van Halen and immediately addressed the Bhutto situation, expressing “our sincere concern and apologies for what has happened in Pakistan.”
He said the assassination is a reminder that here in the US, we are lucky to vote “not with bullets but with ballots,” and said “I guess we are sometimes lulled into failing to appreciate the magnitude” of the democratic process.
After moving onto other subjects in his rally (more on that in a moment) he took questions from the press. I asked him what he would do right now if he were President to tackle the situation. He avoided taking a strong policy position, saying he would offer sincere sympathies to the people of Pakistan, and monitor who’s behind it. When asked what he thinks of the Musharraf government and how it has handled the security situation and aid from the US, he replied, “I think today is not the best day to comment on what the Musharraf government should or shouldn’t have done” though “we need a full accounting of that money.” He was also asked if today’s news highlights why the next President needs to have foreign policy, which he lacks. His reponse: “I think it’s more important to have the right principles for the American people.”
He made a bad choice of words when saying the U.S. needs to consider “what impact does it have on whether or not there’s going to be martial law continuing in Pakistan.” He should have said whether or not martial law will be reinstated – it was lifted nearly two weeks ago. A minor slip, maybe, but not a subject he wants to mess up on when he is already considered weak in the area of foreign policy.
Words mean things. Using the word “apologies” here infers something specific and is not the same as offering condolences. If he misspoke, he should say so. If he did not, that’s an issue.
There’s already a Hillary!08 boilerplate reaction thread and a thread with all the candidates’ reactions. World leaders are making statements: that might be of interest.
Apologies?
Tell us again why you support this clown.
Michael Frazier
Whew you guys(anti-huckites) really have wild conspiratorial minds, IMO.
Um...OK what's the non-conspiratorial explanation for offering apologies?
Huckleberry Hound has just give *another* demonstration why his lack of any foreign policy experience makes him a woeful presidential candidate.
If elected, his ignorance would be mentioned with that of Jimmy Carter in the same sentence.
Two inexperienced, naive rubes who had no business being President.
What was he apologizing for? Please explain, Mr Ad Homeneim.
‘....and immediately addressed the Bhutto situation, expressing “our sincere concern and apologies for what has happened in Pakistan.” ‘
What, exactly, was Huckabee APOLOGIZING FOR?
why is it we are wanting “reaction” from the candidates? oh and MClame came out big time with his thoughts...like we give a rip. its oooo if I say the right thing during a assassination of another country’s politicans, Americans will vote for me.
Uh apologies as in sympathies. But you all go ahead and fixate on one word.
Doesn’t this need a humor tag? Surely he didn’t really say all of this lukewarm pablum!
Yeah, thats what I’m thinking as well.
He apologized?
What for? Did he send a Evangelical Hit Squad to Pakistan to wack this corrupt politician?
Pretty weak, Dane.
Wait a second, yesterday he was advocating violence against those who didn’t support him, pointing to three dead birds on the ground, he said he shot them because they were not Huckabee supporters, but “the one flying away had a Huckabee button on its rear end, so let it go.”.
Huckabee gets a NO SALE, here in this house!
You apologize when you've done something wrong. You offer sympathy when something bad happens. They aren't the same word.
It was a mistake of Huckabee to say it. It'll be a bigger mistake if he refuses to correct it.
‘Why should we offer our “apologies” to Pakistan?
Because America needs to apologize for everything bad that happens in the world.’
I remember the last time we had a President like Huckabee, and it wasn’t Clinton.
It was Jimmy Carter.
Like Huckabee, Carter had Evangelicals supporting him.
Like Huckabee, Carter felt the urge to apologize to the world on a daily basis, primarily about our nation existing.
Come on dude, the Huck digs Van Halen.
“Um...OK what’s the non-conspiratorial explanation for offering apologies?”
Not to defend Huckabee but have you ever encountered somebody to whom something bad happened and you say I am sorry that happened to you even though you had absolutely nothing to do with? I have plenty of times.
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