Huckabee on "Hannity & Colmes" (transcript from Friday)

Real Clear Politics ^ | February 29, 2008 | Hannity & Colmes

[Kurt Evans]

SEAN HANNITY ... : ... We get right to our top story tonight. Super Tuesday [sic] is just four short days away. Could this be the end of the road for Mike Huckabee? ...

HUCKABEE: ... I think it's absurd for us just to assume, let's call the game because someone is close to the finish line...

My point is, right now I'm the only candidate in this race that supports the Human Life Amendment, the only one that supports the Fair Tax, the only one that supports the Federal Marriage Amendment, the only one that supports a real plan for border security, that ends amnesty and builds a literal fence. We have seen Congress goof that up this week with another 88-million-dollar disaster. We need some leadership...

HANNITY: Governor, in fairness to you, can I say one thing? You have run a great campaign. You started with nothing... You had no money. You were going through airports by yourself on commercial airlines... So I think you ought to be proud of where you are. I really mean that...

COLMES: Are you offering Republicans a choice in that your path and your presidency would be very different than a John McCain presidency?

HUCKABEE: Well, it would be different. I would push for a Human Life Amendment. I think that that's an important issue for Americans to settle, just like slavery was 150 years ago. I would push for a border fence. I would make sure that we actually dealt with this problem and didn't let it linger like Congress has...

I would push for the Fair Tax. I wouldn't just say I hope it happens. I would go out and sell it... We need something bold and the Fair Tax is a bold idea that would revitalize the American economy...

[nmh]

“I’m not voting for anyone this election.”

You: Good... than shut-up and let those who have not yet cast their ballot in a primary do so.

Me: Nice mouth. It’s no wonder you support Mike ... He's just as dense and pig headed. There comes a time when those who want a GOP of some stripe in the WH to start uniting. There is no way Mike will win. His message of false hopes and dreams are divisive. Mike is divisive.

“I require a CONSERVATIVE candidate - fiscally and socially. Mike is not the candidate and neither is McCain.

You: Then why do you stomp so hard for McCain? The convention delegates may just decide to throw him over the side... such action would not be without precedent.

I’m not “stumping for McCain. For those that want to vote, then they need to unite and vote for a viable candidate. Mike is not a viable candidate. It's totally ridiculous to believe he is. He's mocking his own base by suggesting that he can still win. It is mathematically IMPOSSIBLE. His base is STUPID. It’s time Mike had mustered up some grace and admitted defeat. There is NO WAY Mike can win. Mike is defying common sense and logic. He's busily exploiting an ignorant base to fuel his EGO.

You: You state to be a conservative... but then, under the pretense of “uniting the party” insist voters shut-up, get out of the way, and let John McCain slide into power without friction from conservatives. That strikes me as the behavior of a GOP establishment hack.

Me: I have no conservative candidate to vote for. For the sake of what is LEFT of the GOP, Mike does need to step aside. There is friction from conservatives. You’re funny. If I was a “GOP hack”, I’d be voting for McCain. The problem is I am an old fashioned conservative - not a “hack”.

You: McCain needs to know he has MUCH opposition. But you would silence that opposition through ridicule and intimidation.

Me: Huckabee is no better than McCain. He’s an OPEN BORDERS guy all for BIG GOVERNMENT and HIGH TAXES. It’s hard to say who is worse ...probably Huckabee, a backsliden Baptist, tries to use religion as a weapon - that is very despicable. Mike ridicules himself by staying in and claiming he has a chance. Only the totally lame brained would believe that. When every vote is in and the delegates counted Mike will not even be close. It’s an excuse. He’s finished. Speaking FACTS isn not “intimidation”.

You: Methinks thou protests too much.

Me: No, I’ tired to the Huckster. He’s apolitical hemorrhoid.

[nmh]

“John McCain 1014”

That number includes 47 projected delegates and 102 unbound delegates. In other words, 47 of them haven’t been selected yet, and any number of circumstances could cause up to 102 of the others to change their minds between now and the September convention:

That’s NOT what FOX claims.

WHERE have YOU been?

THAT is the delegate count for McCain and the Huckster.

[Kurt Evans]

“Over at rushlimbaugh.com he posted a statement about how he doesn’t call Obama ‘Hussein’ (his legal name) but he does call him liberal. Then on the same page he calls Huckabee ‘Huckster.’”

At least I think Rush understands how much he’s alienating Huckabee supporters. I’m not sure Sean gets it at all.

[nmh]

It’s kind of pathetic the way the Huckster panders to folks ... yeah ... sure he cares about the waitress that slipped him $20.00 as a campaign contribution - LOL!

He’s a TAXER and a BIG GOVERNMENT guy.

The Huckster has NO respect for you or your money.

He’s aload of “religious” hot air for SELF SERVING reasons.

He needs to GET OUT!

He’s an embarrassment.

[RTO]

1. To those here that talk about him bailing out - are you quitters that would stop running in a foot race if you were in a distant 2nd? If so, thank God that Huck isn’t you!

You stole my thunder! I was thinking the exact same thing.

The 'tortoise and the hair' also applies. McCain is such a loose cannon that between now and the convention he is likely to do something really stupid. He cannot help himself... it's in his programming to attack, betray, lie, etc. As I previously stated, John McCain's behavior is pathological... he is a true sociopath, a nut case. And we have bozos here on FR ready to turn over the full power of the POTUS to this man. That scares the hell out of me.

Heck, I'd rather have Hillary Clinton than John McCain. Only Barack Hussein Obama causes me to loose more sleep.

[Kurt Evans]

“Well, GHOST is free to make up his own rules but when 1191 delegates are reached by McCain ... SURELY Mike will feel even more compelled to EXIT. One can only hope.”

Actually one could also trust:

http://realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/02/huckabee_on_hannity_colmes_1.html

“Well, if those numbers hold and that means he gets enough delegates to claim the nomination, of course it would. That’s what I have said. I have never changed my story. You know, the thing I have had to deal with every day is being asked not once but about 10 times a day, how come you are still in the race. I give the same answer every time... Why would we be quitters?”

—Governor Mike Huckabee

[Kurt Evans]

“Huckabee is no better than McCain. He’s an OPEN BORDERS guy all for BIG GOVERNMENT and HIGH TAXES.”

You’ve been brainwashed, directly or indirectly, by the Club for Growth and Romney’s surrogates.

[Kurt Evans]

“That’s NOT what FOX claims. WHERE have YOU been? THAT is the delegate count for McCain and the Huckster.”

Where I’ve been is to the Fox News webpage you posted:
http://elections.foxnews.com/states/

Those Associated Press delegate numbers are technically a projection, not a count. McCain’s total includes 47 projected delegates, who haven’t been selected yet, and 102 unbound delegates, who could easily change their minds before the convention.

I’ll post this again. You probably ought to look at it before you reply:
http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/results/delegates/index.html

[Kurt Evans]

“I’ll post this again. You probably ought to look at it before you reply”...

That was link for the Democrats. My bad. Here’s the GOP link:
http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/results/gopdelegates/index.html

[RTO]

You calling everyone here an idiot, etc., have gall to tell me that using the expression "shut-up" is less than courteous.

You state Mike is a "political hemorrhoid"... "His base is stupid", "lame brained", etc. That is your concept of a "nice mouth", eh? No wonder you run cover for McCain.

You state Mike is "divisive"... So McCain is a uniter? That is double-talk.

Huckabee desires to run his race to the finish. I do not see how that hurts you, McCain, or the RINO infested GOP... unless, of course, you believe that Huckabee IS a real threat to McCain, in which case you have just blown your pretentious "conservative" cover, and are in fact a party hack.

You state Mike Huckabee is exploiting his base for purposes of his ego. And John McCain is without ego? The comparison is laughable. McCain has the ego of Adolph Hitler, the moral compass of Friedrich Nietzsche and and the temper of Joseph Stalin.

"For the sake of what is LEFT of the GOP, Mike does need to step aside."

What's left of the GOP needs to die a quick death by firing squad... and let me be the first to volunteer my services.

"If I was a “GOP hack”, I’d be voting for McCain."

Sure looks like you are riding shotgun for the RINO.

"Huckabee is no better than McCain. He’s an OPEN BORDERS guy all for BIG GOVERNMENT and HIGH TAXES. It’s hard to say who is worse ...probably Huckabee, a backsliden Baptist, tries to use religion as a weapon - that is very despicable."

You are delusional. Huckabee has signed statements, promises, to which he may be held accountable by those who call themselves conservative. McCain will not sign any such pledge. And we already know what a treacherous creature he is by his myriad of examples.

You assert Huckabee is using his religion... fair enough. And McCain does not use his "war hero" POW status? McCain is a soldier who served,was captured by the enemy, tortured, and eventually came home... only to abandon those of his comrades left behind to rot, telling their families to go to hell. THAT IS "DESPICABLE" John McCain is no Audie Murphy... a true American "war hero" by every measure.

"Speaking FACTS isn not “intimidation”."

You would not know a fact if it slapped you in the face, twice, just for spite.

[deport]

The Hopester is technically correct that McCain doesn't have 1191 pledged delegates as of yet or maybe not even come convention time. But he's living in fantasy land if he thinks all the Romney delegates, the unpledged delegates made up of party wheels will all go to the convention and not support the overall winner via popular and delegate vote. I guess if you come from Hope that is part of ones make up .......

Republican Convention
Presidential Nominating Process
39th Republican National Convention: Monday 1 September - Thursday 4 September 2008

Candidate	Popular Vote	Delegate Votes
		Soft Pledged	Soft Unpledged	Soft Total	Alternative Soft Total*	Hard Total
McCain, John S.	5,832,790  39.35%	874  48.53%	33   5.70%	907  38.11%	1,012  40.22%	308  12.94%
Romney, Mitt	4,365,027  29.45%	124   6.89%	57   9.84%	181   7.61%	199   7.91%	57   2.39%
Huckabee, Mike	3,003,805  20.26%	210  11.66%	23   3.97%	233   9.79%	236   9.38%	101   4.24%
Paul, Ron	665,161   4.49%	5   0.28%	16   2.76%	21   0.88%	21   0.83%	5   0.21%
Giuliani, Rudolph W.	571,920   3.86%
Thompson, Fred Dalton	254,279   1.72%		11   1.90%	11   0.46%	11   0.44%
(others)	35,760   0.24%
Uncommitted	28,949   0.20%	40   2.22%	28   4.84%	68   2.86%	60   2.38%	83   3.49%
Hunter, Duncan	28,585   0.19%		1   0.17%	1   0.04%	1   0.04%
Keyes, Alan L.	23,088   0.16%
Tancredo, Thomas Gerald "Tom"	8,231   0.06%
Cox, John H.	3,097   0.02%
Brownback, Samuel Dale	2,664   0.02%
Uninstructed	849   0.01%
(available)		548  30.43%	410  70.81%	958  40.25%	976  38.79%	1,826  76.72%
Total	14,824,205 100.00%	1,801 100.00%	579 100.00%	2,380 100.00%	2,516 100.00%	2,380 100.00%

2,380 total delegates
(before penalties: 2,516 total delegates - 560 base at-large / 1,305 re: 435 congressional districts / 168 party / 483 bonus)
 
*The Alternative Soft Total assumes that delegates not currently listed in the Soft Total and/or Hard Total will actually be seated and, thereby, eligible to vote during the Roll Call re: the Presidential Nomination at the National Convention.

[Martins kid]

So you think that reality sucks, eh?

[egginanest]

YO....Huck! Consider yourself ‘mocked’.

[Sun]

“No candidate has a stronger, more consistent record on Second Amendment rights than I do.

Our Founding Fathers, having endured the tyranny of the British Empire, wanted to guarantee our God-given liberties. They devised our three branches of government and our system of checks and balances.

But they were still concerned that the system could fail, and that we might someday face a new tyranny from our own government. They wanted us to be able to defend ourselves, and that’s why they gave us the Second Amendment. They knew that a government facing an armed populace was less likely to take away our rights, while a disarmed population wouldn’t have much hope.”

excerpt http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=18

Nobody better than Mike Huckabee on our 2nd amendment rights. Please vote for him in the primaries.

[Kurt Evans]

Hey Sun, I got booted out of the Hannity forums in November for “Contempt of Host” (probably a good thing, since my contempt has only escalated since then), but I stopped by last night to see what was happening, and I noticed you’re doing a great job over there.

You may debate like a girl, but you tend to make your opponents look like little boys:
http://forums.hannity.com/showthread.php?p=22575831#post22575831

[Kurt Evans]

“The Hopester is technically correct that McCain doesn’t have 1191 pledged delegates as of yet or maybe not even come convention time. But he’s living in fantasy land if he thinks all the Romney delegates, the unpledged delegates made up of party wheels will all go to the convention and not support the overall winner via popular and delegate vote.”

A lot can happen between now and September. What’s the source of the data in your post?

[Kurt Evans]

I wrote to “nmh”: “You’ve been brainwashed, directly or indirectly, by the Club for Growth and Romney’s surrogates.”

Governor Huckabee is an authentic fiscal conservative:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1979072/posts

[deport]

Ifa’s Coulda’s and Woulda’s

Yes a lot can happen but the Hopester being in won’t change a thing about it happening or what will occur if something major happens. The Hopester is only telling the others that have dropped out that they are fools for doing so....... I bet they think the world of him.

thegreenpapers.com .. The best source on the web for data, events, rules, etc. regarding the elections.

[unspun]

Deport, please explain to us just what it is about Mike Huckabee’s core beliefs that disagree with your core beliefs.

[Bellflower]

McCain is an quite an old man. Can he stand up to the continued rigors of running for President? What if it turns out that he can’t? Huckabee is standing on the sideline. We tend to think everything will go on as planned but life doesn’t always turn out that way.