Mike Huckabee, a Republican presidential candidate and a former Arkansas governor, plays the electric bass guitar with The Tonight Show Band's Music Director Kevin Eubanks on January 2, 2008. (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank)
by Jason George
DES MOINES -- Presidential contenders Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sen. Hillary Clinton took advantage of the return to work by two late-night talk-show hosts to try to get in an 11th-hour plug before tonight's presidential contest here in Iowa.
But Huckabee, a Republican locked in a tight battle with Mitt Romney, appeared confused before the taping when told that his visit to the Burbank, Calif., studios of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" would require him to cross a picket line of striking writers.
Clinton, a Democrat, did not face the same risk in delivering a taped cameo to kick off David Letterman's show. Letterman's firm reached its own deal with unionized writers.
Huckabee had said he thought the union had reached agreement with all late-night shows. But no deal was reached with Leno's show. Huckabee was greeted with at least one picket sign calling him a "scab."
A statement from his campaign later said that Huckabee "would only agree to join Jay, an active member of the Writers Guild, for the taping after he was assured that no replacement writers were being used in the show's production. . . . Huckabee believes that the writers deserve to be fairly compensated for the sale of their work."
On the show, Huckabee, a bass player, sat in with Leno's band for a tune and joked about his weight loss. He also took Leno through the particulars of the Fair Tax, which he supports.
" It frees people up to earn as much as they want. You don't get taxed on income, savings, investments, capital gains, or debt," Huckabee said.
When Leno asked how he felt after filming an attack ad against Romney--an ad that Huckabee pulled before it ever ran -- the guest said it didn't feel right:
"I needed to go take a shower or something like that, or give Romney a shower maybe."
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Comments
There is nothing funny about Leno or Huckabee.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | January 3, 2008 7:42 AM
"I needed to go take a shower or something like that
-
Keep scabs clean or they'll get infected.
Posted by: Bruce Y | January 3, 2008 7:53 AM
Ahh. . .another presidential candidate hopelessly out of touch with reality.
Posted by: Janstress | January 3, 2008 9:14 AM
I thought Huck did a great job. He was funny, laughed at himself, managed to keep up with the band, and answered the questions candidly and clearly. My guess is that if Jay had invited any other presidential candidate, they all would have jumped at the chance.
Posted by: Jamie Hering | January 3, 2008 9:15 AM
Pleae nominate this Democrat. He is a carbon copy of the Governor of Pennsylvania and Repukelicans are too dumb to know it.
Posted by: john | January 3, 2008 9:30 AM
Since I'm a Democrat, Huckabee is my dream candidate for the repuglican nomination. His biggest joke is his 23% sales tax!
Posted by: P.D. | January 3, 2008 10:27 AM
I watched the show last night. Don't recall Huckabee talking about any issues that face this Nation today? OK, he talked about ''fair'' tax - I disagree with how he wants to do away with one huge government failure and replace it with something equally scr*wed up.
Anyway, again ONE issue? Just one that would have satisfied me, he didn't talk about our men & woman dying overseas spreading ''democracy'' when our own country is drowning in debt and can't even run fair elections. We get force fed candidates by the media (the 4th and equally corrupt branch of government).
Huckabee - what about health care? What about illegal immigration? What about the crashing dollar? What about the never-ending war? I could go on.
But to go on a TV show and joke the entire time - when our country is sadly in shambles is a disgrace... is this guy really running for President?
Posted by: Jane | January 3, 2008 10:28 AM
Shower with Romney? Huck, are you showing your true Gay side? I'm all for it! Go huck! I'm glad he finally came out on Leno!
Posted by: Gays for Huckabee | January 3, 2008 10:42 AM
I can't vote for anyone who will cross a picket line.
Posted by: Cheryl | January 3, 2008 11:20 AM
Of course Leno and Suckabee did not talk about policy and Huckabee stays away from policy remarks because he is a complete moron. This guy makes Bush look like Einstein. Here are some gems from Hillbilly Huckabee -
1. Does not believe in evolution. Do I need to go further?
2. Believes that his calling to become President comes from a "Higher Power". Didn't we just have Jesus's hand-picked man for President and didn't that turn out so Great?
3. Believes that handguns should be mandatory for United States citizens to "Protect themselves from their Government." This is the guy the Repubs want running their Government? Oh Yeah; I forgot. He reads the Bible. That is the only requirement that a majority of the Repubs look at when picking their candidate for office.
Posted by: MASTER of REALITY | January 3, 2008 11:43 AM
Wow, the vitriol and strawmen in these comments is astounding. For those of you upset at his joking; what do you expect on a latenight talkshow? C-Span politics? For those of you against his stance on Guns; it's rather an enlightened viewpoint on Guns. Anyone who hates Bush should recognize we need to be protected from the government. For those of you against his 23% sales tax... I don't know what to say, you clearly haven't been paying attention... it would replace income tax, not go on top of it. For you, Master of Reality especially, you show know understanding of what a humble man might think of God. Your ignorance is showing. Now, admittedly, Huckabee doesn't have the most developed of platforms. As an erstwhile Republican Voter myself, I have considered supporting him in the primary, but I am not positive. He does seem a little too jokey, and a lot too ignorant of foreign policy, to do a good job. But seriously, all you haters really need to jump of the Partisan/anti-christian bandwagon and look at him for what he is.
Posted by: Jason | January 3, 2008 1:54 PM
At least HUCKABEE is not a femsexist like Hillary. This guy is a wonderful person, thank God the media is helping him with some of the costs associated with running for president.After reading the posts on here, it is apparent he upset the the hell out of the Demotax party. He will whoop all over ANY of the current so-called Dem "Frontrunners" The Demoscants have demo-strated a clear loss before we even vote! Start by getting the feminist (A.K.A. Sexist) woman off the list and we may have a chance for a democrat president otherwise, republicans are well aligned for victory! Since when have Americans voted for a sexist president or made a femsexist a frontrunner? Never! That is a good thing, I don't want a manhater in office no more than I want a woman hater in office. FLY LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A HUCKABEE !
Posted by: John Adams | January 3, 2008 2:55 PM
"...seriously, all you haters really need to jump of[sic]the Partisan/anti-christian bandwagon and look at him for what he is."
Elmer Gantry
Posted by: Clarence Darrow | January 3, 2008 2:57 PM
Very funny, Clarence. I rather meant to imply that we should view him as the most genuine candidate in the entire debate, although probably not the best qualified.
Man, sorry about all the misspellings in my comment earlier. I have never spelled so poorly before in my life.
Posted by: Jason | January 3, 2008 4:02 PM
While I do not support Huckabee, it is refreshing to see a candidate with a real personality (listening Hillary?). No way the Huck will carry states outside of the Bible Belt, even the red ones.
I see Obama as the best choice for Dems and America (and I voted for Bush twice).
Posted by: Liz | January 3, 2008 4:09 PM