Posted on 12/01/2009 10:49:21 AM PST by Mount Athos
Under fire for commuting the sentence of suspected cop-killer Maurice Clemmons, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on Tuesday called some of the criticisms “disgusting” and suggested they were attempts to score political points.
“It really does show how sick our society has become that people are more concerned about a campaign three years from now than those grieving families in Washington,” Huckabee said during an interview on Joe Scarborough’s radio show. “It is disgusting, but people use anything as a political weapon.”
Huckabee granted Clemmons, a suspect in the killings of four police officers in Washington state over the weekend, clemency in 2001. He had served 11 years in prison after being sentenced at the age of 18 to 60 years in prison for burglary and theft and was set to serve the 60 years, in addition to the 48 years he was already serving on five felony counts.
After his sentence was commuted, Clemmons was paroled by an Arkansas board and moved to Washington in 2004, where he was charged with eight felonies prior to gunning down the police officers in a coffee shop.
Clemmons was shot and killed Tuesday morning by an officer investigating a stolen car.
Huckabee has been thrashed in the right-wing blogosphere by leading online conservative voices who have criticized his commutation of Clemmons’ sentence.
In addition, Minnesota GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty – one of Huckabee’s potential challengers for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012– said Tuesday that he would not have granted Clemmons clemency if he had been in Huckabee’s position.
“I don't think I've ever voted for clemency,” Pawlenty told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham. “We’ve given out pardons for things after everybody has served out their term, but again, usually for more minor offenses. But clemency? Certainly not. Commutation of sentence? Certainly not.
Huckabee defended his choice to grant the Arkansas felon clemency by insisting that Clemmons original sentence went too far.
“If he were a white kid from an upper middle class family he would have gotten a lawyer and some counseling,” Huckabee said. “But because he was a young black kid he got 108 years.”
Huckabee said the sentence was “far disproportionate from any other punishment in Arkansas at the time for a similar crime.”
“It’s a lot easier to be a pundit or a commentator or a blogger than to govern the state and have to make tough decisions,” he said. “People are talking about this from a political standpoint, but what they need to be asking is how did the system break down?”
YOU ARE SICK.
He is the classic case of dishing it out but can't take it.
Huck, your day is over. You have no future in politics. I hope your show on FNC gets the boot as well.
Yeah, play the race card, Huckster. The last refuge of Jackson, Sharpton, you, and other scoundrels.
Huck’s macaca moment. Bye bye.
The Huckyites and the Romnulans are a sickening bunch of haters. They are the rotten apples in the barrel, yet accuse others of what they are guilty of.
Oh well, they are just like the blind eyed Obozo minions.
“With a broad brush, you blame FReepers’ opposition to Huckabee’s terrible record on some sort of anti-Baptist bigotry??”
Well....to bad. It is the truth. A great many here just don’t like Mike’s belief system. They consider him a dumb Bible thumping hick. However, they just aren’t forthright in admitting it.
I’ve got no problem with someone not liking my or Huckabee’s theology. They just need to admit that is the root problem instead of hiding behind other stuff.
For instance, I have never denied or hidden that I do not nor will ever support Romney because he is a Mormon. The same is true of Glen Beck and Donny Osmond for that matter. Yes, I am a bigot in regards to Mormonisn and other cults.
BTW - I never said all. I think most are just enamored with another candidate and this was an oppportunity to see him go. Others were anti conservative protestant Christianity (which Southern Baptists make up the largest group).
Uh, Huckabee has a history of releasing violent criminals. You are the one hiding from the truth.
Wow, a loaded statement on so many levels.
I don't like Huckabee. I am a white woman from 'down the country' in Virgina. I spent many childhood years in the same Southern Baptist church my family had been attending since the late 1700's. Maybe I don't like him because I am Presbyterian.
He needs to get over it.
I was getting ready to post what he should have said, but your post says it all.
His reaction exposes his true character for all the world to see.
“Maybe I don’t like him because I am Presbyterian.”
A very real possibility, or it is because he is from Arkansas.....
Mike Huckabee is representative of CONSERVATIVE evangelical protestant Christianity (Southern Baptists are the largest of this class). There are a great many that will hate him for that reason....no problem...just admit it.
I openly say I have no use for Romney because he is Mormon. Am I bigoted against mormonism.....most definitely. I readily admit it.
I'm beginning to think that the WA judges must be relatives of yours or something.
The only things I do not like about Arkansas are Clinton and Huckabee. Just another state to me.
One of my son’s friends is from a Mormon family that lives down the street. One of the nicest families you could ever hope to meet. I read the anti-Mormom comments on many of these threads, think of them and shake my head. (We are all bummed because he has just started his 2 year mission and will not be seeing him for quite a while.)
I do not like Romney either, but his religion has nothing to do with it.
I do admit to having a bias against the Baptist and Methodist Church. They sing slow songs. I prefer the Anglican Hymns with the organ so loud I can make a Joyful Noise and no one can hear my bad voice.
The only religion I have a true bias against (with good reason) is that ROP, Islam.
Other than that, a candidate’s religion is irrelevant.
“Other than that, a candidate’s religion is irrelevant.”
Then you are self deceived or an outright liar. Actually, more likely a fool.
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