Mike Huckabee, long gone from the White House race, still bugs one GOP critic

Political grudges often die hard.

Take, for example, the animus that a leading anti-tax, anti-big-government Republican holds toward good ol' Mike Huckabee.

Earlier this week, Club for Growth President Pat Toomey issued a statement aimed at lending his voice to the burst of chatter surrounding little-known Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia as a top-notch pick John McCain could make for a running mate. "For economic conservatives," said Toomey, a former House member from Pennsylvania, Cantor "would be a good choice."

But first, Toomey felt compelled to give this warning to McCain: “Choosing someone like Mike Huckabee would indicate an abandonment of limited-government, free-market principles."

When Huckabee, riding support from social conservatives, vaulted from long shot to (briefly) major contender for the GOP presidential nod, Toomey's Club for Growth emerged as perhaps his most ardent critic, contending that his record as governor of Arkansas -- on the spending and taxation front -- was downright liberal. Huckabee's campaign responded by accusing the club of trying to smear him.

All that, of course, is ancient history. But Toomey's latest comment called to mind how NOT in the picture Huckabee appears to be in the vice presidential conversation.

He performed way above expectations as a candidate -- winning the Iowa caucuses, plus a handful of states on Super Tuesday in early February -- and the rapport he enjoyed with McCain was much remarked upon. Now, however, it's the rival whom McCain seemed to like least in the Republican race -- Mitt Romney -- who is a much hotter veep prospect.

Huckabee, for his part, is steadily going about building a national base among social conservatives. Along with his regular appearances on the Fox News Channel as a commentator, he's continuing to travel the country for speaking engagements. Tuesday night, he could be found in Midland, Tex., where the Odessa American reported he spoke on "family values" and (perhaps to Toomey's surprise) "limited government."

And next week, Huckabee will be one of the featured speakers at a large gathering of evangelicals in Washington sponsored by TheCall, a group that, according to its Web site, believes the nation "is in desperate need of the mercy of God and a great Spiritual Awakening."

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Associated Press

[UPDATE: The club, even as it provides advice to McCain on who should be his running mate, technically is not yet aboard his bus. Club spokeswoman Nachama Soloveichik said in a statement: "We have not yet made a formal endorsement in the presidential race, but we have been unsparing in our criticism of Barack Obama’s egregiously anti-growth policies."]

 

Comments

[Joseph]

Club for Growth is a joke. They are nothing short of a hitman for hire. At least 6 of their major donors are also major donors of Mitt Romney. They started attacking Huckabee the day after Mike announced he was running for President. And the majority of their hit pieces aired long before Iowa but he still won despite them. They are nothing more than a bunch of spoiled, rich brats who have gotten old and bitter.

[Paul]

Mike Huckabee would do a much better job then either of these two candidates. He is a real washington Out sider and has Executive experiance. Its ashamed we ended up with these two. Funny McCain is a Maverick and Obama is suppose to be different and new. But they are just the same old washington. There are many americans like my self that feel like neither of these two are really fit to be president. But yet we are stuck with these two as our presumptive nominees. McCain seems to be slipping a little in his old age with one Gaff after another, even suggesting that his wife be in a biker beauty pagent, Which are topless. Dont believe me go see the video at http://www.mccanes.com they have the video of him knocking stuff off the shelf at the grocery store, videos of him losing his temper. Then there is Obama, He doesnt Gaff quite as much as McCain but he has his share. But its not his Gaffs that are scary but his real moments., LIke the moment of him rapping?? A

[Gary]

Mike has a few zealous disciples following him around trying to talk him up. Good for them. Unfortunately they are so bedazzled by his charms they cant seem to comprehend the man does not have a fiscal conservative bone is his body. Pastor in Chief? No thanks.

[Kyle]

Mike may not be as fiscally conservative as the Club for Growth may want, but he's right for McCain for so many other reasons, especially when it comes to energizing (think volunteers and money) from social conservatives.

This article overstates the position and strength of the Club for Growth vs. the social conservative base of voters who contribute far more to a campaign in terms of money, time -- and most importantly votes. If McCain chooses Romney, evangelicals will not vote...which is really a vote for Obama. Believe it or not, most of evangelicals would rather not vote for McCain than vote for Obama, even though it has the same effect. They feel as if they are "protesting" and sending McCain (and the fiscal conservatives) a message. (And they are).

But here's the REAL kicker: Someone who is fiscally liberal can learn to be fiscally conservative much easier than changing positions on social issues. When the money runs dry, it's over. That's why liberal states (Ca, Ma) have republican governors. But its MUCH harder to change your position on social issues. Social issues are the core of who you are as a person. Social issues drive your everyday and long term decisions. To change on social issues, one must have a change of heart...which entirely changes the person. (BTW -- that's why it's silly for people to talk about separation of church and state as if our President shouldn't believe in God. Your social beliefs -- whatever they are -- drive every decision you make.)

[Shane]

I have to agree with Joseph, the club for growth are a bunch of rich hypocrites. They attacked Governor Huckabee during the primaries, but after he dropped out they want him to run for the Senate. To top it off the club backed Willard who has a worst fiscal record than Huckabee, unless they think Romneycare has been successful.

[Rich Allen]

The Rasmussen recent VP poll shows Mike Huckabee with the highest favorable among the electorate with 47% favorable and show Mitt Romney with the highest UN Favorable at 48%. Romney had almost unlimited money to get his message out and attack the other candidates.
The people know that Mike is the real thing and would be the most help to McCain

[FPresley]

They may not be officially endorsing a candidate, but by talking up a complete unknown like Eric Cantor they are basically asking McCain to lose. There are less than 100 days until the election. Why would people outside of Virginia who have never heard of Cantor be willing to risk the chance just because some GROUP recommends him. I'll stick with the candidate who is known, has the most executive experience and is likeable to boot---Mike Huckabee.

[mara]

I recently read an article that said the healthcare plan is reasonably successful. It's in it's first year and was over budget but the article said that the money would easily be evened out. As far as I know Romney is the ONLY person who actually put a plan into place. People keep whining about the healthcare crisis - Romney worked out a plan to get everyone on some kind of policy (many are those who wanted a free ride but can afford to pay), it helps those who can't afford it pay for it and you want to demonize him for that? Romney is wealthy because he worked for a living - you hate him because he's rich? Huckabee loved to demonize him for being rich - I always thought the class war was a liberal tactic...Huckabee is NOT a fiscal conservative.

[Brett Passmore]

Mara,
Willard's plan bankrupted Massecheuts. Good plan. No thanks - ill take my health care to go please.

[Giant Robot]

Club for Growth aka (Club for Greed) is just another brainwashed group of selfish millionaires wanting to rob more money from the poor.

They are more concerned about themselves and their riches than a poor child on the street with no money and no home. Whoever is a member of that organization should seriously consider jumping ship asap.

The Club for Growth organization hides under the cloud of limited government theme. What a joke they are! They were out there supporting Romney in the primaries and if I remember right he spent more than $120 million and still didnt get more electoral votes than Huckabee who only spent about $12 and got more votes.

Plus look which campaign was was in the black when they had to close up shop. Yes that's right Huckabee ended with a surplus of money while Romney ended in the red hole with a huge debt. Now come on, which candidate knows better about limited government spending?

Club for Growth is a complete joke, I encourage anyone associated with them to leave them asap. You dont want to be associated with a group so selfish as they are.

Join a group who cares about the American people, not a stuck up group of extremelly wealthy individuals that just want to rob the poor and give to the rich.

[kaydan]

I never get tired of reading what Huck-a-BS and the Huck-a-BS supporters have to say!!! What a bunch of....

[Charity]

Mike huckabee for VP
He was an great gov. S
sub.for dot to get site:
www.youtube.com/user/explorehuckabee
He turned AR schools around making them some of the best in the nation. We budgeted and lest the sate in a surplus
He improved the roads
He is PRO-Life

[Mike Huckabee]

GOD ENDORSED ME FOR PRESIDENT!!!! Didn't you all see the cross he put in my TV commercial???? Mitt Romney will burn in Mormon hell with Steve Young, Aaron Eckhart, and the dog my son tortured!!! (we caught Rover reading a Book of Mormom). I lost 100 pounds praying!!! What has Romney ever done!!

[smc341]

I really like Mike Huckabee, he's warm, always has a funny comeback line, this campaign could use some more levity, he's charming, articulate, well spoken, etc. He's also not too young (in his 50's) He was the governor of AK. He seems like an all around nice guy and is the real deal. McCain/Huckabee 08. He could also help rally the evangelical base. This could be a winning combination.

[Mrs. P]

Mike Huckabee was Governor of Arkansas for over 10 years. He is undoubtedly John McCain's best VP pick!

Survey USA took a series of polls to determine the VP candidate (out of Huckabee, Lieberman, Pawlenty, and Romney) who would help John McCain the most.

They took polls in PA, NM, VA, CA, OH, IA, KS, WI, NE, OR, NY, MA, MN, AL, KY, and MO. Of these, PA, NM, VA, OH, IA, OR, MN, and MO are generally considered to be possible battleground states in November.

In almost every case, Governor Mike Huckabee did best. He even had a slight lead in Massachusetts where Romney was once Governor!

Rasmussen recently took a similar poll. They asked those polled whether they had, in general, a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the following VP candidates: Crist, Huckabee, Jindal, Lieberman, Palin, and Romney.

Huckabee had the highest favorability and net favorability rating. The net was +8% compared to -6% for Romney.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/huckabee_lieberman_have_highest_favorables_among_possible_mccain_veep_choices

Also, there have been five bellwether states - OH, MO, LA, KY, and AR - that have correctly predicted the winner of the General Election for each of the past eight elections (dating back to 1976). Of those, in the GOP Primaries, Huckabee won the popular vote in two of them (AR and LA), coming in second to McCain in the other three. McCain won the popular vote in three of them (OH, MO and KY), coming in second to Huckabee in the other two. The margin between the two in the state of MO was extremely narrow. And in the state of KY, Huckabee even managed to come in second to John McCain three and a half months after he suspended his campaign and endorsed McCain.

Governor Huckabee would be a great Vice President. Even Mitt Romney thinks so! At a town hall meeting back in December (before Iowa) he was asked what he thought of Huckabee as VP. Romney replied: "Sure, he’s a wonderful person... He’d make a great vice president."

[Mrs. P]

To Giant Robot and Joseph:

Sirs, I realize you are upset with the Club For Growth after they attacked our candidate, Mike Huckabee. However, I respectfully submit that calling them names such as:

"stuck up group of extremely wealthy individuals that just want to rob the poor and give to the rich,"

"hitman for hire,"

and "spoiled, rich brats who have gotten old and bitter"

is not only unkind, but it gives our man, Huckabee, a bad name. Let's please remember to be civil, polite, and to stick to the issues. Doing so will be more convincing to the opposition than anything else.

Thank you.

[Martha]

PEOPLE: Huck is not in the running for VP. Repeat. Huckabee is NOT in the running. At all. He has no shot, Zip, Zero, Nada. Get over it, He shot his anti-Mormon wad in the primary and it's not going to work again. He's toast - I hate to break it to you. That little assassinate Obama joke didn't help either. Aw Shucks!

Romney is at the TOP of the VP list and is the one kicking butt in every online poll. The recent Zogby poll showed Romney brings McCain more support than anyone, including Huckaphoney.

Huckabee won in the south 31% to Romney's 30%. And he was in single digits EVERYWHERE ELSE. He stunk it up and nobody wants him. He will never be a regional candidate. He's apparently a good pastor, though, if he can get over that lying, jealousy, money-grubbing stuff. He's nothing but a populist grifter who rose to 15 minutes of fame for anti-Mormon bigotry.

[j dog]

hey martha, you willing to put your money were you
keyboard is,,

huckabee will be mccains v.p. choice,,,, he gurantees the tight states down south Ie: virginaia, south carolina,
and beleive it our not, i think he has the 2nd ammendment credntials to pull togeather the 1.5 million licenced hunters and over 5 million gun owners in Pennsylvania to make Obama pay for his bitter commets about small town folks,
and if mccain wins pa.. its all over for obama, even nbc would be calling the race by midnight,

kerry only won pa. by 240,000 +/- and i gurantee you obamas stance on gun control and abortion will hurt him deeply in the keystone state

[DFCSTech]

"We need to make sure that we have a strong person who can take the baton from President Bush, and Gov. Huckabee is certainly one of those individuals. He’d make a fine president" - Mitt Romney, August, 2005
http://www.swtimes.com/articles/2007/12/11/week_in_review/news/sunday/news04.txt