Former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks with reporters today in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (AP Photo, The Waterloo Courier/ Matthew Putney)
by Mark Silva, and updated
Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas enjoying a surge in the latest survey of likely Iowa caucus-goers, warns against counting him out of the presidential contest -- he's very much in the hunt, he insists.
Huckabee, appearing on Fox News Channel's America's Newsroom today, spoke to host Bill Hemmer about his support for a plan that enabled children of illegal immigrants attending high schools in Arkansas to apply for scholarships based on their academic merit.
Asked about criticism he has faced for this plan, Huckabee said: “I guess Mitt Romney would rather keep people out of college so they can keep working on his lawn, since he had illegals there.”
"Mike Huckabee is an amusing guy,'' Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom told the Tribune in response, "but there's nothing funny about illegal immigration. Mike Huckabee wants to give tuition breaks to the children of illegal aliens that American citizens in other states don't get. That's wrong.''
It's fighting time in Iowa, where Romney's lead among likely Republican caucus-goers now is threatened by Huckabee and others in the latest CBS News poll.
Romney, appearing later today on Fox News' Live Desk with Martha MacCallum -- and adding: “This is not a laughing matter. Illegal immigration is not a joke” -- also said that he welcomes Huckabee's competition in Iowa (with a backhanded comment on his other rivals).
"I’m really surprised that Mayor Giuliani and Sen. McCain, who I thought were going to be the tough competitors, really have not be able to catch fire and instead Mike Huckabee has been able to pick up the support that I think they were expecting,'' Romney said on Fox. "He’s making a real strong move and it’s good for him.”
.
"Everyone’s written our political obituary for the past 10-1/2 months and we’re still on our feet,'' Huckabee said on Fox's American Morning. “The fact that I am being attacked is a good sign. It’s a sign of life. This is hunting season. I’m a hunter. You don’t ever point your gun at a dead carcass. A lot of folks are pointing at me.”







Comments
"“I guess Mitt Romney would rather keep people out of college so they can keep working on his lawn, since he had illegals there.”"
Hey, Up-Chuck-A-bee!
Not a bad one at all.
But I might disagree on the carcass. I'm more inclined to believe you should ALWAYS point your gun at the dead carcass!
Then too, it might depend on the carcass. But why take the chance?
American politics have achieved such a high level of intelligence.
Posted by: C.Morris | November 14, 2007 12:23 PM
Isn't Huckabee one of the guys who doesn't believe in evolution? Who cares what he thinks. He's a whack job.
Posted by: Marko | November 14, 2007 1:19 PM
Mike Buckabee doesn't believe in Science and thinks his religious beliefs give him the "knowledge" necessary to fight "Islamic extremists".
Our Extremists vs Theirs?
This guy is nothing more than a typical Republican goofball.
Posted by: John E | November 14, 2007 1:21 PM
Attn Marko and John E.
You two are typical of the hate mongers that are out there in the world. You and your kind that keep this hate thing going so strong. If you can not add something positive to the conversation, then "Shut Up". At least Governor Huckabee stands for sometime people can believe in. Vote for Huckabee.
Posted by: Paul Jaeger | November 14, 2007 2:09 PM
Attn America:
Paul Jaeger is a typical Republican, wanting everyone with criticism to "shut up". Let's hope the candidate he supports isn't supporting such censorship.
Posted by: frank medina | November 14, 2007 2:33 PM
" At least Governor Huckabee stands for sometime people can believe in. Vote for Huckabee.
Posted by: Paul Jaeger | November 14, 2007 2:09 PM"
Yeah, but that's the problem; What he believes.
Posted by: C.Morris | November 14, 2007 3:17 PM
So what was Huck's answer? It never fails, whether in debates or in the media, that they never really answer the question. Instead they get a soundbite and that's the "news" all of a sudden. Romney's not going dirty, he's painting a comparison, and you can either refute his comments or you can't. By relying on his "joke" it really speaks to what they must think of voters. Reading between the lines it would appear as though Huck did indeed give tuition breaks to illegal aliens.
Posted by: MJ | November 14, 2007 3:54 PM
C. Morris & Huckabee are whack jobs
Posted by: R. Morris | November 14, 2007 4:17 PM
Huck's FairTax has a much greater opportunity for success to operate as a "self-regulating" mechanism because of increased visibility. One finds that the current system, ostensibly regulated by the Internal Revenue Code, is in fact poorly regulated because of continually increasing complexity (the effect of tax favors from politicians, through lobbyists, to favored corporations and other special interests) stemming from the desire by those holding government position to steer public behavior using tax code "carrots." We have seen how 100 years of this type of behavior has eroded the Nation's currency and the purchasing power of working family incomes. "Visionist," Tom Frey believes the current tax system will simply collapse; and economist Laurence Kotlikoff heralds - short of enactment of FairTax (or an otherwise unlikely change in spending habits) - the U.S. will shortly face an irrevocable economic breakdown. (Kotlikoff believes that passage of the FairTax can stave off the economic ruin we're facing, but would be surprised to see it happen.)
Frey and Kotlikoff may be right on both counts, and we may not be able to successfully evoke change; but shall we not try?
Posted by: Ian | November 14, 2007 4:50 PM
Its funny the people who spoke out against Governor Huckabee, failed again to address their hateful hearts. Again hate,hate and more hate, how about a reasonable suggestion for fixing things. I'm no pie in the sky person but I do know that hate is not the answer.
Posted by: Paul Jaeger | November 14, 2007 5:16 PM
this is a nice exchange of ideas between these two over a serious and difficult issue - it's great to live in this country and have that in the open - unlike the democratic situation where hillary seems to be literally daring anyone to challenge any of her opinions or her record or without immediately playing one of her favorite "don't you dare challenge me" cards such as;
the swift boat card
the gender card
the politics of personal attack card
the politics of piling on card
the come rescue me bill card
the lie about it card
the change your mind card
what's the matter, hillary - can't take the heat over a real issue like romney and huckabee can ????
doesn't sound like leadership abilities to me
Posted by: tom | November 14, 2007 6:35 PM
"C. Morris & Huckabee are whack jobs
Posted by: R. Morris | November 14, 2007 4:17 PM"
Aw, come on, bro. You don't like ANY of my posits, jokes, or Alt. Caps.?? I have America's best interests at heart.
Posted by: C.Morris | November 14, 2007 6:42 PM
At least Huckabee is interested in compromising.
How is it that the very thing that has created such a successful political system called compromise is being kicked to the curb?
Thompson says no amnesty. Period.
Where is his leadership. In fact when the grand compromise on immigration reform was proposed by politicians on both sides of the isle who showed courage and leadership. They crafted a bill so that both sides of the issue could come together and put aside their difference for the better of the situation and the country. But many politicians like Thompson hung their colleagues out to dry.
That's not courage Mr. Thompson. And that's certainly not leadership.
This is not a black and white issue. It is very complex and the color is gray. And gray also reflects the opinion we have of our congress and senate's leadership.
I welcome the discussion that reflects compromise.
Our American democracy is built upon it!
Angelo Mancuso
Director
http://www.americanharvestmovie.com
Posted by: Angelo Mancuso | November 14, 2007 11:27 PM
I've noticed (like everyone else) that Huckabee has been rising in the polls. It seems like the media actually believes he has the opportunity to win now.
Huckabee is just a regular guy with an incredible message. I checked out:
www.mikehuckabee.com
and
www.hucksarmy.com
and got some good info. I didn't know that Huckabee was a supporter of the fair tax...kinda cool.
Posted by: chris | November 14, 2007 11:50 PM
The truth is that evolution and the single cell theory has been disproved by the scientists of the past 10 years with the discovery of DNA.
I'm not quite sure no one in the media catches this.
www.reasons.org
huck doesn't know this either, if he had he could've answered back in kind. please someone inform him.
anyone who puts mike huckabee down for not believing in evolution ought to do some 10 minutes worth of research on google. although adaptation is fact, evolution which is based on the single cell theory was debunked a while ago. interestingly, intelligent design, although never scientifically proven, has never been disproven.
still, huckabee is the best candidate and he will win the nomination regardless.
Posted by: monique alponte | November 15, 2007 4:51 AM
interestingly, intelligent design, although never scientifically proven, has never been disproven.
still, huckabee is the best candidate and he will win the nomination regardless.
Posted by: monique alponte | November 15, 2007 4:51 AM
This takes the cake as the dumbest post. It can't be disproven because there is no way to apply the scientific method.
Posted by: jethro | November 15, 2007 11:08 AM
Since most of the posters here don't have much to say they resort to the name calling thing. Thats intelligence for you.
GO HUCK!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Michael D | November 15, 2007 12:49 PM
Poor Jethro, The problem is that God intentionally made it so that the sinful, finite mind of a man would never be able to "prove" (by man's methods) that He created everything. That's why you must have FAITH!! It gets even worse. Until you have FAITH, you will not understand. Suggestion for you....... Pray for God to open your heart and mind that you might understand and then read the Gospel of John for starters. I don't want you to really wait until it's too late to find out the truth.
Posted by: gadbot | November 15, 2007 3:15 PM
GO HUCK!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: GO HUCK!!!!!!!!!! | November 15, 2007 7:05 PM
The Democrats will underestimate likeability to their own peril. The mean smug, condescending, know it all types are why the Democrats keep losing ...Bill Clinton was the only one of them that was ever likeable enough to win-I have to give him credit(although I didn't vote for him). My mom and Dad live in Ark..told me about Huckabee ..I thought his name and his lack of $ backing word hurt him ...but I am realizing those liablities are turing into assets-- peope are sick of the smug condescending types and if you trace it back ..alot of people vote on likeability.. People in politics who like to call names and brand people who disagee with them-will find that this will backfire on them(some democrats(see rolling stone article- VERY MEAN SPIRITED) would have been a great catholics back in the day- watch the MSM go on a witch hunt because he was a pastor...they will try to do their brand job and overlook that he was a Governor for 10 years!!!!! Longer than Hillary or Barack have been in office. So go ahead call him a whack job for not believing in the house of cards you call evolution. It has been proven that the "scientific" evidence propping it up like the Piltdown Man &the cover up at the British museum(PBS documentary)show that scientist cannot always be trusted. so whatever I believe in devoltion Man is turning into animal ...you see that demonstrated by the cannabalistic approaches to "modern day politics.
Go Governor Huck!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Tim Kelley | November 15, 2007 7:31 PM