Mike Huckabee on pregnant-out-of-wedlock Natalie Portman

Nothing like a little sound-bite tango to take the edge off of an Oscar win -- Mike Huckabee made headlines this last week for comments about actress Natalie Portman, specifically regarding her and fiance Benjamin Millepied getting pregnant while unwed.

On Monday, the will-he-or-won't-he 2012 presidential prospect went on Mike Medved's radio program to discuss his new book, and used Portman as a reference in discussing single mothers in the United States.

"People see a Natalie Portman who boasts, 'We're not married but we're having these children and they're doing just fine. ... I think it gives a distorted image. It's unfortunate that we glorify and glamorize the idea of out-of-wedlock children," Huckabee said.

The former Arkansas governor's book leads off with a chapter titled "The Most Important Form of Government is a Father, Mother, and Children."

In the days after that interview, Huckabee learned what happens when you say stuff about Natalie Portman.

The comments went wide, almost universally perceived as a diss, prompting Huckabee to post some follow-up remarks on his website Friday.

"Natalie is an extraordinary actor, very deserving of her recent Oscar and I am glad she will marry her baby's father. However, contrary to what the Hollywood media reported, I did not 'slam' or 'attack' Natalie Portman," he wrote.

"My comments were about the statistical reality that most single moms are very poor, under-educated, can't get a job, and if it weren't for government assistance, their kids would be starving to death. That's the story that we're not seeing, and it's unfortunate that society often glorifies and glamorizes the idea of having children out of wedlock."

(For the record, the Christian Science Monitor notes, statistics show that while families headed by a single mom have a higher poverty rate than families headed by a single dad or a married couple, the majority of single-mom households do not fall below the poverty level.)

Portman remained mum. We'd love your thoughts, and can we just say -- how about a week of peace for the best actress Oscar winners after they take the prize?

Let us not forget that Sandra Bullock had only a precious few days with her gold statue before, well, you know. 

RELATED:

Report: Gwyneth Paltrow ends Ryan Murphy-Kings of Leon feud

Pink thrilled she's not as messy as Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears

-- Matt Donnelly
Twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photo: Natalie Portman clutches her Oscar, and shows off her baby bump, at the 2011 Governors Ball following the Academy Awards. Credit: Getty Images

Comments

[Michael Kennedy]

Huckabee is already having to make "clarifications" about what he has clearly said [Obama "raised in Kenya" last week - uh, I meant Indonesia, but not really raised there, but....] and now this; what would he do in the White House? By the way, I don't think Adam and Eve were married!

[Lisa]

This will come as a shock, but most children born out of wedlock do not have millionares for mommies who can afford to hire an army of nannies to take care of them. Most children born out of wedlock are born to women who have been abandoned by the baby's father, and have no family support. That was the case with my otherwise level-headed mother way back in 1962 when she made the admittedly-stupefying decision to get involved with a no-goodnick who left her high and dry and pregnant with me.

That said, Huckabee is wrong when he insinuates that women and girls have babies out of wedlock because Madonna, Angelina, Natalie, etc., make it look glamourous and easy. Many of them simply don't understatnd the ramifications until it's too late; unfortunately, the child pays the price.

[Dancingbear]

Hmmm I wonder what's his take on Bristol Palin and her pregnancy? (crickets chirping) Yup, he sure was silent about that...Anyhoo, another Repug taking on single mothers and children out of wedlock issues like Dan "Potatoe" Quayle. If any Repug and independent voter have any sense (chuckle, chuckle..wink, wink...sense and Repugs...that's a good one)they would refrain from voting for this empty-suit. If all of America have any sense at all, they should not vote for any Repugs at all, after all the damage they'd caused the past 8 years and even now...My America has hit rock bottom...sigh!

[Rhonda]

I find it interesting that Mike Huckabee chooses to single out Natalie Portman, an educated, older, engaged, talented, financially secure woman approaching 30, rather than someone like Bristol Palin, an uneducated pregnant teenager (who we only got to know because she was forced onto the national stage when her mother was running for VP) who truly knows nothing, and has contributed nothing to society.

Seriously, could he not be more obvious?

[Gisabun]

Hmmmm.

I wonder if he said the same thing about Bristol Palin - also single and now with a kid. At least Portman is engaged. Palin?

When you start to clarrified, you know you buggered up what you said. You can only do a "Mel Gibson" once or at most twice.

[K]

Mike Huckabee should mind his own business, but I know why he doesn't: he needs the publicity because he's so far down the totem pole of Republican presidential hopefuls.

[brooke]

he is right! Good for him.

He is brave enough to say what we all know to be true.

[jr]

poor old huck'...can't seem to parse his own argument...
no babies out of wedlock - unless you're knocking down a few million per picture...no abortions, but no federal assistance for the children of women who agree with him and have thier kids before they sign their picture deals...same trouble parsing his attack on the barack obama's world view, passing off a made-up brainwashed kenyan nerd for a hawaiian state champion basketball player...president!? the bet here is that tom sawyer wouldn't even let this huck clean his paint brushes much less paint the fence.

[adam snyder]

mike you should run for the white house we need a God fearing man in it .the bible says if my people witch are called by my name he will heal are land .and we need it God bless

[Alexxx]

Mike Huck:

"And while I'm at that, I'll also remove federal funding from an organization that helps low-income women to avoid unplanned pregnancies".

[claudine willis]

Nevermind Ms. Portman. What does Huckabee think of the way in which Bristol Palin flaunted her out-of-wedlock pregnancy to "support" Sarah Palin's anti-abortion stand when she was running for the vice presidency and that Bristol, having found herself a cash cow, continues to milk it dry?

[J Bailey]

Good for Mr. Huckabee. His statements weren't directed AT Ms. Portman, but he is RIGHT. Why do you say someone "slams" someone just because they speak their mind. Heck, we are sooo tolerating to other opinions (that aren't Christian based). My son told me his friends were surprised to learn that his parents WERE married. Now, that is a shame. Those that are in the limelight with potential to influence in the right manner - don't. And we wonder why our single parenting (children born out of wedlock) has run amuck. Statistics have proven that this is a big contributing factor to the problems our country is having with dangerous juvenile delinquency.

[A McGavin]

OK, Huckabee is a bit of a nut who routinely speaks without the benefit of actual facts (Kenya?), but it is true that most kids will do better in a 2-parent household.

[juliana dixon]

I agree with what he says, children should be born within a stable marital environment. What Palin did should not be glorified either because both women are in the same place. Unmarried

[mcafee97]

So, the party that is against abortion, the pill and sex-education is now raising an eye brow about single mothers? What did you expect? Pleae make up your mind. One more thing? How do you suggest these single mothers make the father marry them and then stick around? Anti-Own Choice Drugs or Tasers?