Breaking News: Huckabee picks 'running mate'

Former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee has only one caucus triumph in Iowa and a third-place primary finish in New Hampshire to his credit this presidential season. But that didn't stop the Republican from formally announcing his vice presidential running mate tonight: Stephen Colbert, the Comedy Central channel comedian from "The Colbert Report."

Using a split screen with Huckabee in South Carolina for Thursday's GOP debate on Fox News, Colbert put candidate Huckabee through a quiz. Would he, Colbert demanded, chase Osama bin Laden into hell, as Sen. John McCain has vowed?

"And beyond," replied Huckabee.

Colbert, who abandoned his mock presidential run last fall after South Carolina Democrats barred him from the primary ballot, started hinting to the ex-governor about his willingness to join a Huckabee ticket, citing his extensive foreign policy experience as trips to Sandals resorts in both Jamaica and the Bahamas.

Apparently, Huckabee was impressed. "Stephen," he said, "please be my running mate."

"Yes," replied Colbert, "a thousand times yes."

So it's official, a fusion ticket between a Republican and whatever Colbert really is, since he was planning to run in both parties' primaries in South Carolina.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[joeblow]

Sarcasm...meh!

[Wendy73]

Mike Huckabee DOES believe in his interruptation of God. Evangelicals believe in their interruptation of God. Both put "their" God first and conservative principles second. They choose according to their interruptation of God what conservative principles to believe in. Not all evangelicals, but Mike Huckabee certainly does not pattern the conservative principles of say a Ronald Reagan.

Mike Huckabee has been very liberal in his approach to immigration, taxes, and criminal law. He is a reeal conservative on life and guns. He will talk up God in Iowa and South Carolina because "he is one of them", they have all gone to church together and interrupted God the same way. McCain will talk up being a Governor in New Hampshire and Michigan. Chuck Norris was pretty vocal about that in New Hampshire (not in Iowa) when he wondered why Mike Huckabee was be called a minister instead of a Governor. Minister worked in Iowa, but wasn't a drawing ticket in New Hampshire Huckbee says what he thinks will catch a listening ear in the state that he is campaigning in. (He is for change....change for the constituants you are addressing). On the late night talk shows I have observed that he will say what he thinks will catch a laugh with the audience. He has even chosen his running mate from one of the late night talk show hosts!!! That and is guitar playing moments have caught him some popular attention and he loves that. I think if he does not win the bid for President of the United States we will see Huckabee move into the media scene....talk show host, radio personality, maybe the movies. He loves a spotlight.
He doesn't have money to spend on ads and he will revert to "free" anything that will get his pandering message to the people. Huckabee likes free. He liked it when he was Govenor too.

In Huckabee's view, his God (Baptisit interruption) comes first, second poor Americans like himself, third liberal fiscal agenda's to help the poor because it is government's number one reason for being , fourth a smattering of conservative views. Most evangelicals have the same order with the possiblity of "life" being second over the issue of the "poor".

In my mind it might be Huckabee's misinterruptation of God that has thrown him into the liberal mix.

We need a candidate that believes in God and has an understanding of how God

[RGeorgeDunn]

Mike Huckabee has a platform of change. It has been the same since he began. The Fair Tax plank is the greatest fiscal cure our Nation needs desperately.

To the Governors record in Arkansas, Mike went into the office with a deficit of 200 million dollars. His 10.5 years of Governorship saw taxes raised by 500 million dollars. The leaving office by term limits, Governor Huckabee adorned a surplus of 800 million dollars. That is a 500 million dollar gain in State savings. This savings was accomplished while during this period, the Governor improved roads form 49th in the Nation to 37th. Per vehicle cost of road hazard damage average $400.00 before the roads were fixed. This spending lowered the cost to each citizen and at the same time provided safer and smoother roads. At the end of the Governors term, he put into place tax cuts to reduce the taxes and his predicenor was able to also cut taxes with the healthy economy Mike left.

The school system was, by State Supreme Court order, brought to full equity of all schools, raising the standard of education.

Through a Child health plan, Mike brought medical prevention making the cost of overall care drop. Mike also provided 94 tax cuts, one being the first time ever in Arkansas, a across the board cut in taxes, another being the homestead act.

Conservative actions at times require spending to lower costs. Tax cuts are not always the answer to conserving fiscally.

Go Fair Tax. It equals liberty! Help elect Constitutionalist Governor Mike Huckabee as our 44th President. (note: Mike was the 44th Governor of Arkansas). Give Hope another chance.

[andy]

huckabee's ok, but not inclusive enogh, barack obama is the best choice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPtg-gvgWhE

[Kent Coleman, Ohio]

The fact he had a 800 million surplus means he took that from the pockets of arkansas citiznes that otherwise would have went back into the economy! Should of cut more govt and returned it to the citizens! As for a fair tax plan its a pipe dream a political platitude... It would take a change of the constituition to make sure later politicians dont add back an income tax which is required by the constitution. That's 2/3 vote of both houses!!!! No way it will happen next 20 years. We need to start with a flat tax plan and work toward that. Get the govt streamlined. FredThompson has the only detailed govt reformn plan and a doable singlew page flat tax plan. read at http://www.fred08.com/virtual/taxrelief.aspx
and
http://www.fred08.com/Virtual/GovernmentSpending.aspx
he's been in charge of finding govt waste in the past but congress has not followed the plan he put out 5 years ago!He knows what he is doing and also know Foreign Affairs. Mike Huckabee does not and also thinks everything is a joke like the osama remark on colbert and the chioce is VP. with all his joiking around and being cutsie, it may be disarming but also blurs the line of truth for him in the future. Nothing about osama or selecting a VP is funny!

[Kent Coleman, Ohio]

Also he is far from a constitutionalist. The most constituionalist is Ron Paul... The next is Fred. Mitt next and I would throw Mike about the same as Rudy, John

[Stephen]

I think it is interesting that Colbert constantly makes fun of and mocks evangelicals and their views (such as stance on evolution). Huckabee appears clueless that he is being used at his expense as well as others' in his base. The people who watch this show aren't just laughing with him, they are laughing at him. I don't think the former governor of Arkansas grasps that idea.

[Kelly]

If Huckabee made racial comments about a black candidate or sexist comments about a female candidate he would have been castigated by the media. Yet it seems that everyone is oblivious to the obvious about his use of religious bigotry. If Romney doesn't win the nomination, history will show that Huckabee pulled off the political crime of the century. He used the piety of evangelicals as a bias to Romney's religion to win Iowa votes. Romney delivered his "Faith in America" speech as damage control, rising back to second in a state he led till Huck's play on Iowa's credulity. McCain capitalized in N.Hampshire while Romney was being unduly "occupied" in Iowa. Romney then offered comparison ads to contrast differences. They were called "attack ads" by Huckabee, referring to Romney as "desperate" and "attacking". Huck, using the bias of evangelicals in Iowa and ignorance in the media of Romney's religion flew under the radar of a nation that has worked since Lincoln to erase such bigotry.

[Hollee Chadwick Spicer]

Wendy--what is an interruptation? And how does one go about interrupting God?

Faith aside, Mike Huckabee is the most viable conservative candidate we have.
And the USA needs to get back to its roots of faith, family, and freedom.

[kim smith]

Wake up America!! Huckabee is the ticket. Sounds so cool to bring your whole damn paycheck home. Now I know you all have wonderful minds to make judgements for the middle class Americans and to take a stand with the corperate greed So check out the following websites and really study.

www.fairtax.org
www.mikehuckabee.com

[Robert J. Ransom, Jr. - ChFC]

Go Huckabee! Go FairTax! Both would be great assets to all Americans and the American economy!

[Grace]

I would never in a million years vote for Huckabee due to his policies, but man, I enjoy him on Colbert. Excellent sense of humour -- there's no way he's oblivious to what's happening, unlike other guests. Between the charging hell with a water pistol, shooting illegals back to Mexico via pneumatic tube, and funding his campaign with illegal gun sales, it's impossible to view this as Huckabee taking it seriously. So I definitely appreciate him as a personality, despite never wanting him as a representative of my views in government.

[Inigo Montoya]

re: "interruptation":

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

(Don't see that word in here so can't really respond.)

[xandria]

I'm a Democrat, Kucinich is my favorite candidate, but I will register as a Republican and even give up my atheism & vote for Huckabee if he is on the ticket with Colbert.

Go Stephen!

[Jimbo]

Hukabee Colbert for 2008!

[Manny]

I normally wouldn't vote for huckabee, but if colbert were to run as his vp I would.