Tennessee for Huckabee

Mike Huckabee's February 4th Tri-Cities Rally Speech

2008-02-15T16:55:00.002-05:00

Here is the video of Governor Huckabee's speech during the Tri-Cities Aviation Rally on February 4th, 2008. Watch it and then send it to your friends.

* If you receive an error message, refresh your browser.

Hold Your Horses Folks...

2008-02-12T18:58:00.001-05:00

...Keep your eyes on Virginia.

The Incredible Huck

2008-02-06T09:09:00.000-05:00

Governor Huckabee's showing on Super Tuesday was spectacular. Considering the results he got with the minimal amount of resources he has had throughout this campaign, there can only be one explanation:

Governor Huckabee Super Tuesday Speech

2008-02-05T23:15:00.000-05:00

Here is Governor Huckabee's speech on Super Tuesday.

Super-Duper Tuesday

2008-02-05T18:59:00.000-05:00

Here we are folks: Super Tuesday. We'll be blogging throughout the night as the results come in.

Very big night for Governor Huckabee!

Local Media Highlights Huckabee

2008-02-02T09:36:00.001-05:00

We'd like to bring attention to two articles in a local paper, the Johnson City Press, about Mike Huckabee and his supporters.

Read them and spread them!

Newsflash: Huckabee to Visit Tri-Cities on Monday, February 4th

2008-01-31T19:20:00.000-05:00

The Huckabee campaign has released an official invitation. We have replaced our unconfirmed details with this official information.

You are invited to join Presidential Candidate
Governor Mike Huckabee

Monday, February 4th, 2008
11:30 a.m – 12:30 p.m.
For a Rally at the Tri-Cities Airport/Tri-City Aviation Hangar
253 Airport Circle
Blountville, TN

RSVP to Robert.Kuykendall@explorehuckabee.com or (515) 473-8298.

Also, we have an official invitation you can print out.

Tennessee Right to Life Endorses Huckabee

2008-01-28T11:52:00.000-05:00

We just received word that Tennessee Right to Life has endorsed Mike Huckabee for President. Read the endorsement here. Excerpt:

Tennessee Right to Life announces today the group's endorsement of Governor Mike Huckabee for the February 5 Presidential primary. The strength of Governor Huckabee's public record on matters concerning the protection of human life and strong support among the organization's grassroots members were key to making the decision.

"The beauty of a grassroots organization is that your members set the priorities," said Brian Harris, president of the state's oldest and largest pro-life organization. "For pro-life Tennesseans, the election of a sincere, proven pro-life president is paramount," said Harris. "Our members recognize Mike Huckabee as ‘one of us' and that enthusiasm is driven by his demonstrated record of leadership and sacrifice toward the shared cause of protecting life," said Harris.

Tennessee Poll

2008-01-26T14:01:00.000-05:00

A commenter pointed me to a poll done for the Tennessee primary. I had not seen any polls to date. The poll was released by WSMV-TV, Channel 14 in Knoxville. Click here for a detailed pdf of the poll.

The poll was taken before Fred Thompson's withdrawal from the Presidential race. The results of the Republican poll are as follows.

Fred Thompson: 25%
Mike Huckabee: 24%
John McCain: 12%
Mitt Romney: 7%
Undecided: 26%

As you can see, 26% of likely Republican primary voters are undecided. Couple that with the fact that 25% supported Thompson, we can suppose that close to 50% or Tennessee's likely Republican primary voters are undecided. In other words, roughly 1 in 2 people you bump into in your daily routine are undecided.

The poll also breaks the numbers down regionally, showing what the numbers look like for East, Middle, and West Tennessee. Here's the East Tennessee breakdown:

Mike Huckabee: 23%
Fred Thompson: 18%
John McCain: 13%
Mitt Romney: 9%
Undecided: 30%

Again, there is a heavy number of undecided voters in our region, and add the Thompson supporters to the undecideds, and there are roughly 1 in 2 Republican primary voters who have yet to decide on a candidate.

These are the voters we want to, and need to, reach. Here are 5 ways to target these voters this weekend:

Write and Send a personal endorsement. This can change minds in this primary. Get them out as soon as possible. An example can be viewed here.
Display a bumper sticker. We have plenty, so if you need one, contact us ASAP. Email tnhuck [at] gmail [dot] com.
Get and display a yard sign. We will have hundreds of these by tonight. Please contact us so we can get you a sign (or 2) to place in your yard. Email tnhuck [at] gmail [dot] com.
Print out and distribute voter guides to your friends. Church is a good place to distribute these (with your pastor's permission). A good non-partisan guide can be found at Wallbuilders. Check out the guide here.
Plan to help us plaster the region with Huckabee signs early this week. We will want to cover many public areas, including voting places. The more help we can get with this, the more effective we can be.

Sample Endorsement Letter

2008-01-26T11:36:00.000-05:00

We said at the meeting that we would have a sample endorsement letter posted to the site. You can view the sample by clicking here. Feel free to use it verbatim, or just as an example for your own letter.

NETN Huckabee Meeting Recap

2008-01-25T12:07:00.000-05:00

Northeast Tennessee for Huckabee had a meeting yesterday. There was a good turnout. Below is a picture and very short video clip.

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Play Button

We'll post some more of the organizational ideas that were offered a bit later.

In the meantime, you should also take a look at Governor Huckabee's speech to the AFA on Monday. You can find that post here.

Mike Huckabee Speech

2008-01-23T22:56:00.000-05:00

On January 21, 2008, Mike Huckabee gave a speech at the American Family Association's "Rediscovering God in America" conference. The speech is posted below in four parts.

* If you receive an error message, refresh your browser.

Demand Mike Huckabee

2008-01-23T18:53:00.000-05:00

Mike Huckabee will likely make a play for Tennessee. This means that he potentially will be campaigning in the state. We want Governor Huckabee to visit the Tri-Cities. Help us get him here by participating in our area's "Demand Huckabee" effort.

Hunter Endorsed Huckabee

2008-01-23T16:14:00.001-05:00

Today, congressman and former Presidential candidate Duncan Hunter announced his endorsement Mike Huckabee for President. In addition to giving a boost to Governor Huckabee's campaign, Hunter's endorsement has driven the right-wing crazy.

Official Tennessee Online Headquarters Up and Running

2008-01-22T19:58:00.000-05:00

I came across the Huckabee campaign's official online headquarters for the state of Tennessee. Check it out here: http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=TennesseeHQ.Home. There's not much on there yet, but as we get closer to February 5th, Tennessee is going to become a huge focus for the Huckabee campaign.

Looking Back; Looking Ahead

2008-01-21T18:56:00.000-05:00

I think a reminder of just how far Governor Huckabee has come is in order.

Looking Back

In January 2007, a Rasmussen National Poll for the Republican Nomination put Mike Huckabee with 1%

Roughly one year later, the weekly average for the Nomination put Mike Huckabee in a much better position. Over the most recent 7 week period, Mike Huckabee has either led, or been in serious contention, in the tracking poll.

To be clear, Governor Huckabee's numbers might significantly change due to the South Carolin Primary Results. But even if they do, Governor Huckabee has made an amazing showing thus far. And yes, we did say "thus far." If the past is any indication, Governor Huckabee will be marginalized and written off by both the media and the other candidates seeking the office. And, if the past is any indication, Governor Huckabee will continue to surprise.

Looking Ahead

Now we are heading into the Florida primary, and on to Super Tuesday. Tennessee is a Super Tuesday state, and we plan on helping Governor Huckabee do well in this state.

We received an email from the campaign reflecting on the race so far, and laying out the strategy for the future. We fall into the Super Tuesday portion of the strategy, and the campaign has laid out the following goal for the Super Tuesday states.

1. Launch of online headquarters in every Super Tuesday primary state. We will need bloggers in each state to help organize our grassroots efforts. We will send state specific emails discussing our goals in each state.

We are pleased to help in this effort. We ask fellow Tennesseans to help us.

Northeast Tennesseans

Three ways that Northeastern Tennesseans can help is to:

Join our Meetup group (Very Important)
Attend our next meeting
Sign up at our Northeast Tennessee Grassroots Headquarters

HuckChuckBloopers

2008-01-20T22:20:00.000-05:00

See some funny outtakes from the HuckChuckFacts commercial that featured Governor Huckabee and Chuck Norris.

South Carolina Primary; UPDATE: AP, FoxNews Project McCain

2008-01-19T18:33:00.000-05:00

We are here for the South Carolina primary results. We'll update the results as often as we can.

Update: 9:23pm EST. * Last update of the Night

83% Reporting

John McCain: 33% (Projected Winner)

Mike Huckabee: 30%
Fred Thompson: 16%
Mitt Romney: 15%
Ron Paul: Who Cares?
Rudy Giuliani: Who Cares?

Northeast Tennessee Huckabee Dinner Meeting

2008-01-18T12:02:00.000-05:00

The folks at Northeast Tennessee for Huckabee have announced a dinner meeting that will be held next Thursday. Head on over to their blog to get the details.

Bumper Stickers

2008-01-17T23:33:00.000-05:00

Bumper Stickers, Bumper Stickers. We've got bumper stickers. If you're in Northeast Tennessee and would like one, please contact us at tnhuck [at] gmail [dot] com.

Huckabee Momentum

2008-01-17T22:19:00.000-05:00

What better indication of a swirl of momentum than the amazing fundraising that the campaign has done in the last 36 hours. Last night, the campaign sent out an email indicating that their strategy in South Carolina would require an additional $300,000. As of this post, they are only $15,275 short.

If you would like to give, please use our Northeast Tennessee for Huckabee donor code, which is R6228.

Chuck4Huck BBQ

2008-01-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

Just released is the details of the upcoming Chuck for Huck BBQ fundraiser for the Huckabee campaign. Click here for the details.

Random Updates

2008-01-14T11:28:00.000-05:00

The folks at NETN For Huckabee have posted Governor Huckabee's 'Detriot Economic Club' speech in its entirety. You can view it here. This was a very good speech by the Governor.

Also, we'd like to welcome a new Tennessee Blogger for Huckabee. Huckabeespot began last Friday.

Announcing NETN For Huckabee

2008-01-11T19:29:00.000-05:00

Tnhuck blog is proud to announce the formation of the Northeast Tennessee for Huckabee grassroots organization website. NETN For Huckabee’s site is located at http://www.netnforhuckabee.com.

The purpose of NETN for Huckabee is to organize supporters of Mike Huckabee in the Northeast Tennessee region. Head on over to http://www.netnforhuckabee.com to find out more information and to get involved in the Northeast Tennessee effort help Mike Huckabee become the next President of the United States.

New Hampshire Primary; Update: NBC, Fox, CNN Project McCain

2008-01-08T19:32:00.000-05:00

We are here for the New Hampshire primaries. We'll update with results as often as we can.

Update: 10:55pm EST

*Final update of the night.

73% Reporting

John McCain: 37% (Projected Winner)

Mitt Romney: 32%
Mike Huckabee: 11%
Rudy Giuliani: 9%
Ron Paul: 8%
Fred Thompson: 1%
Duncan Hunter: 0%

Limbaugh Asks; We Answer

2008-01-07T21:55:00.000-05:00

Rush Limbaugh: My question for you evangelicals is this. If you're looking for a real conservative, why are you supporting Huckabee? He's completely discredited himself. What about Fred Thompson? If you're looking for a real conservative.

I'll answer this, being an Evangelical. I do not claim to speak for all Evangelicals, of course.

Why do I support Huckabee over Thompson? Here's one big reason. It is precisely because he has credibility on the issue of abortion that I support him. Governor Huckabee is in congruence with the Republican party platform with his support of a Constitutional Amendment protecting the unborn. He also seeks to have Roe v. Wade overturned. In short, Governor Huckabee not only supports the pro-life message, he also has a desire to advance the pro-life agenda.

Senator Thompson has expressed no such desire. In fact, he has expressed that he would very much like to leave the decision of killing unborn children to the individual states. If a state wants to do that, then Thompson apparently has no objection. To people like me that sounds a lot like telling an abolitionist that so long as the federal government is not forcing slavery on the states, then slavery is just fine and dandy. Thus, it appears that Senator Thompson vocally supports the pro-life message, but has no intention of advancing the pro-life agenda.

It really is that simple.

I take this issue seriously. When presented with a candidate who merely wants Roe v. Wade overturned, and a candidate who wants both Roe v. Wade overturned and a Constitutional Amendment protecting human life, then the choice is clear.

Governor Huckabee on Hannity

2008-01-04T15:35:00.000-05:00

Governor Huckabee will be appearing on Sean Hannity's radio program soon. We will upload a clip once it is done. Update: Clips added.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Dobson Reacts; I Am Not Impressed

2008-01-04T11:29:00.000-05:00

Msnbc has Dr. Dobson's reaction to Mike Huckabee's Iowa Caucus victory:

The results of the Iowa caucuses reveal that conservative Christians remain a powerful force in American politics...That had to be a great shock to those on the far-Left! The New York Times wrote a demeaning obituary of Values Voters in an article called 'the Evangelical Crackup.' CNN piled-on, proclaiming the demise of the 'old values'... Sixty percent of the voters in the Iowa caucuses were self-identified Evangelicals, and 45 percent of them supported Mike Huckabee. The former governor may not become the eventual Republican nominee, and I have not endorsed him, but what happened there last night was evidence of an energized and highly motivated conservative community. Not bad for a supposed bunch of demoralized, depressed, disillusioned and disengaged Reaganites.

Sorry, Dr. Dobson, but that is weak. I do not think that having sat on the sideline so far (and continuing to do so to this moment) in this election that you now have authority to speak on behalf of the Evangelicals who have chosen to participate. Values Voters participated in spite of your leadership rather than as a result of it. The Evangelical "followers" in Iowa (the people you are supposedly leading) were clearly convinced that Huckabee is their candidate. The question I have is where have you been?

Congratulations are in Order, but There is Much Work to be Done

2008-01-04T00:28:00.000-05:00

Of course, we are proud of Governor Huckabee's win in Iowa. But we realize that the opposition from the Governor's own party is going to come louder, and it will be more organized. If history is any indicator, the attacks will come against Huckabee, and usually those attacks will be fraught with falsehoods. Hence, to the degree that the misrepresentations are shouted by the other candidates, we will be ready to set the record straight.

We congratulate the Governor; but there is much left to be done.

Huckabee Wins; Update: More Folks Calling it for Huckabee

2008-01-03T21:04:00.000-05:00

Fox , NBC, and CNN all project that Huckabee has won Iowa! We're waiting on the final numbers, but currently with 93% of precincts reporting, it stands thusly:

Huckabee: 34%
Romney: 25%
Thompson: 13%
McCain: 13%
Paul: 10%
Giuliani: 3%
Hunter: 0%

We'll try to keep this updated as the news comes in.

Hannity Listens While Romney Spins the Truth about Huckabee

2008-01-03T16:24:00.000-05:00

Today presented another example of why I am fed up with what has come to be called the "Republican Establishment." Among this group are the conservative media entities, which mostly is comprised of blogs and talk radio. Today, Sean Hannity had Governor Romney on his radio program. I have not been impressed with Governor Romney, and have stated that I will not vote for him. Today's radio interview presented a keen example of exactly why I am fed up with the "Conservative Establishment" in general, and Governor Romney in particular.

Among the criticisms that Governor Romney spoke about on Hannity's radio program today was that Governor Mike Huckabee supports "tuition breaks for illegal immigrants." Of course, the governor is referring to a bill that Governor Huckabee supported while governing Arkansas. What was not mentioned was the fact that Governor Huckabee simply has not said he supports tuition breaks for illegal immigrants in his campaign for President. Governor Huckabee has not advocated such a policy in his run for the Presidency. This is common knowledge, and is an inarguable fact. Yet Governor Romney today said that Governor Huckabee "supports tuition breaks for illegals." The key word, here, is the word "supports," which Romney says in the present tense. Thus, Romney asserts that this is a position that Governor Huckabee is currently advocating. Said another way, Romney presents it as if it is without a doubt true that Governor Hucakbee, upon becoming President, will enact tuition breaks for illegals at the federal level. This is simply untrue. This is not a position that Governor Huckabee holds, and Romney knows that. Yet that did not stop him from asserting it today. That is shameful and worthy of rebuke.

To make matters worse, the show's host, Sean Hannity, did not bother to correct this very important error. Conservative talk show hosts such as Sean Hannity have earned a positive reputation among conservatives for seeking and reporting the truth; and this is one of the major reasons they have become so popular. But I want to say that, whatever Hannity's view of Governor Huckabee is (and it strikes me as particularly negative), he ought not to have allowed Governor Romney to present something as fact which is blatantly false. Many folks in America have come to rely on people like Sean Hannity because they are perceived as trustworthy advocates of truth. I must say that today's show has, for me at least, convinced me of a disheartening fact. Apparently Sean Hannity and others are concerned with the truth, but only when it advances their particular agenda. Should the truth reflect poorly on their underlying agenda, they will just as soon resort to dishonesty. That is also shameful and equally worthy of rebuke.

Honestly, the Dishonesty is Disheartening

2007-12-31T14:50:00.001-05:00

Governor Romney, as expected, has waited until the final week before the Iowa caucus to unleash attack ads against governor Huckabee. The support that governor Huckabee has won with his resonating message in the last couple of months governor Romney is trying to buy back by slamming the airwaves with negative, dishonest 30 second television ads. Governor Huckabee responded to the false attacks with an incredibly concise, yet accurate statement:

"If a person is dishonest in his approach to get the job, do you believe he will be honest in telling you the truth when he does get the job? You need a president who gets the job honestly. Because if they don't get it honestly he probably won't serve honestly."

Herein is one of the major reasons that Huckabee supporters like myself support governor Huckabee over governor Romney. It is not because Huckabee is a Christian and Romney is a Mormon. It is because Huckabee is trustworthy, and Romney is not. It is because governor Huckabee has made the hard decisions, and governor Romney has not. It is because governor Huckabee will say what is true whatever the cost, and governor Romney will not. For instance, see here and here.

Governor Romney has distorted the truth. He has not only misrepresented the records of his opponents, he has also misrepresented his own record. He does not deserve the high honor that is the office of the President. Should he become the nominee, I will not vote for him. I suspect there are many like me in that regard; possibly enough like me to ensure that governor Romney will not win the White House in 2008.

If governor Romney is the nominee, then in order to get me to vote for him, one would need to try and persuade me that having a dishonest Republican is better than having a dishonest Democrat. If the only difference is that the dishonest Republican will cut my taxes, whereas the dishonest Democrat will raise them, I'm afraid I would have to respond by saying that I simply cannot vote for either a dishonest Republican or a dishonest Democrat. If presented with such a situation, I will gladly and proudly write governor Huckabee in as my candidate.

Breaking: Huckabee adds Christmas Linebacker to the Campaign Roster

2007-12-21T16:27:00.000-05:00

The Huckabee campaign has just announced that they have added the Christmas Linebacker to its stellar campaign roster. After the many critiques and concerns that have been expressed regarding Huckabee's controversial Christmas ad, the addition of the Christmas Linebacker could not have come at a better time. "Our campaign is truly blessed," Huckabee was quoted as saying. In a statement to the press, a campaign spokesperson said:

The addition of the Christmas Linebacker brings a fresh perspective to our message. The Linebacker has agreed to travel with the campaign through the Christmas season.

When asked what the press should say to people who have not heard of the Christmas Linebacker, Huckabee's spokeperson responded, "Just show them the video." Video below.

Important Note:

Every element of this "story" has been made up by the tnhuck team as a stairical joke. No part of the post should be considered as accurate or true.

Coulter Attacks; Huckabee Responds

2007-12-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

Ann Coulter has criticized Governor Huckabee in a column and several interviews this week. Her full column can be found here. We will post a snippet from that column, and we have also posted the video of one of her interviews below. First, the video.

Ann Coulter: Neil Cavuto Show (FoxNews)

Second, a snippet from the column:

...And yet, Huckabee has said he agrees with the Supreme Court's lunatic opinion that sodomy is a constitutional right.

Lawrence was promptly denounced not only by Republican governors and Christian groups across the nation, but also by anyone with sufficient reading comprehension skills to see that the Constitution says nothing about a right to sodomy. But when Huckabee was asked about this jaw-dropping ruling from the high court, he said the majority opinion "probably was appropriate."

Huckabee Response

Naturally, we are concerned whenever a potential presidential candidate explicitly suggests that a decision such as Lawrence was decided correctly. We have looked further into the issue, and have come across Governor Huckabee's response to the criticism. We have posted it in its entirety.

Ann Coulter's comments are based on a response I made during a radio call-in show in which a caller asked what I thought about the Supreme Court ruling on Lawrence v. Texas. At the time I had not read the ruling and was basing my opinion on the summary by the caller. After reading the decision I believe it is obvious that the ruling was wrongly decided. Lawrence v. Texas is an extreme example of judicial activism. It could, in fact, be inappropriately used to attack our marriage laws nationwide.

I am in agreement with the dissent by Justices Scalia, Rehnquist, and Thomas:

[The ruling] dismantles the structure of constitutional law that has permitted a distinction to be made between heterosexual and homosexual unions, insofar as formal recognition in marriage is concerned. If moral disapprobation of homosexual conduct is 'no legitimate state interest' for purposes of proscribing that conduct, ...what justification could there possibly be for denying the benefits of marriage to homosexual couples exercising 'the liberty protected by the Constitution'?

Furthermore, As Justice Thomas said, we might disagree with the wisdom of a law, but that is the province of the Legislature, not unelected judges. No such activist Justices will be appointed as long as I am President.

I wish Ms. Coulter had contacted me or my campaign to discuss my position in detail before writing her column. I would have appreciated the opportunity to clarify this matter.

Bottom Line

Governor Huckabee's response indicates that he might agree with the policy of repealing anti-sodomy laws, but that he disagrees with the notion that the Supreme Court of the United States has the authority to do so. Rather, Governor Huckabee seems to believe that if anti-sodomy laws are to be repealed, then it is the legislatures of the individual states that are to do so, not the Federal Courts. This is precisely the position that is expressed by Justice Clarence Thomas in his dissenting opinion in Lawrence v. Texas. We will not go as far as to say that Ann Coulter's criticism was unfair; but we will say that when all of the facts are known, her concern on this matter is unfounded.

Ms. Coulter also criticizes Huckabee on his position on evolution and school textbooks. We will address that particular criticism in a future post.

Huckabee Press Conference: On Christmas and Pardons

2007-12-19T14:37:00.000-05:00

Here is a video of a press conference where Governor Huckabee discusses his "controversial" Christmas ad, commutations and pardons, and Governor Romney's vicious and disingenuous attacks against his record.

Huckabee on the Today Show

2007-12-19T13:11:00.000-05:00

Huckabee talks about the supposed "cross" in this new ad. He goes on to talk about his view on crime. In the end you understand why he is more consistent in his principals then the other candidates. Another reason I like Mike.

Huckabee on Education

2007-12-17T11:29:00.000-05:00

The New Hampshire chapter of the National Education Association has endorsed Mike for president! Below is why:

Perhaps this blog will call the teachers that vote for Mike "teacherbees"?

Huckabee Leads in Florida

2007-12-14T12:21:00.000-05:00

Rasmussen just released its latest polling numbers for Florida. The breakdown is as follows:

Mike Huckabee: 27%
Mitt Romney: 23%
Rudy Giuliani: 19%
Fred Thompson: 9%
John McCain: 6%
Ron Paul: 4%

Gov. Huckabee continues to impress with his continued rise in popularity.

Final GOP Debate

2007-12-12T16:12:00.001-05:00

There was a debate this afternoon hosted by the Iowa Des Moines Register. Here is a clip of what we think is one of Gov. Huckabee's best moments.

Huckaboom

2007-12-12T12:06:00.001-05:00

The polls are coming out so fast it is hard for us to keep up. Here are some notable, recently released polls.

Rasmussen - Iowa (12/10/2007)

The most recent Rasmussen polling in Iowa shows confirms that Mike Huckabee has pulled away in that state for the Republican nomination. The breakdown is as follows:

Mike Huckabee: 39%
Mitt Romney: 23%
Fred Thompson: 9%
Rudy Giuliani: 9%
John McCain: 6%

Also, in today's daily tracking poll, Rasmussen shows Huckabee regaining the national lead. Here's the breakdown:

Mike Huckabee: 23%
Rudy Giuliani: 20%
Mitt Romney: 14%
Fred Thompson: 10%
John McCain: 8%

It appears, at least for now, that Huckabee has risen above the high amount of criticism that has been thrown at him in the last week. There are more polls that have been released, and perhaps we will bring attention to those soon.

A Whole New Race

2007-12-07T12:55:00.000-05:00

The Attacks Came Down, and the Polls Went Up

2007-12-07T11:01:00.000-05:00

Today's Rasmussen daily tracking poll shows Gov. Huckabee increasing his front-runner status by one percentage point. Here is the breakdown:

Mike Huckabee: 22%
Rudy Giuliani: 18%
Mitt Romney: 13%
John McCain: 12%
Fred Thompson: 9%

It is likely that these numbers have yet to account for any potential shifts in support since the heavy attacks against the Governor that began on Wednesday. Next week's numbers should give a better idea of how that criticism has affected the Governor's support

Polls, Polls, Polls; Attacks, Attacks, Attacks

2007-12-06T11:25:00.000-05:00

There's been so much going on with respect to the Huckabee campaign in just the last two days. We've seen new poll number and new criticisms. We'll do our best to bring these to you. Let's begin with recent poll numbers.

National Poll Numbers

On Tuesday we brought you the Rasmussen national numbers, and suggested that the trend would have Gov. Huckabee surpassing Mayor Giuliani for the national lead by Wednesday. Sure enough, Wednesday's numbers did not disappoint. Today's numbers did not disappoint either. Here's a look at the recent daily numbers since Thanksgiving:

Another national survey also shows good news for Huckabee. A December L.A. Times/Bloomberg National Survey shows that Huckabee has moved into second place nationally for the Republican nomination, 5 percentage points behind poll leader Mayor Giuliani. Here's a look at that poll:

Individual State Poll Numbers

Governor Huckabee has also received some positive polling with respect to the individual state races Recent releases from Arkansas and South Carolina signal that Huckabee's momentum has not faded.

Arkansas

On Wednesday Rasmussen released a poll indicating that Gov. Huckabee has a better chance than Mayor Giuliani to beat Senator Clinton head to head in Arkansas. Here's the breakdown comparing Huckabee to Giuliani:

South Carolina

Rasmussen released a poll today indicating that Mike Huckabee has moved into a quite significant lead in South Carolina. Those results are below.

Bottom Line

Gov. Huckabee has been on the move. He is up in the polls, and some have even referred to him as the front-runner in Iowa and nationally. Corresponding with that success, Huckabee has begun to receive a lot of scrutiny, especially beginning with the stories surrounding his role in paroling Wayne Dumond. It remains to be seen whether such scrutiny will harm his momentum. We'll be watching his poll numbers closely over the next few days to see if Huckabee can rise above the scrutiny.

What's the Deal With the Reaganites

2007-12-04T14:33:00.000-05:00

It is true that the Republican hopefuls for President have all tried to convince us that they are the candidate who is most like Ronald Reagan. We here at TnHuck happen to think that Mike Huckabee has made the best case. Now that he is on an upward trend in the polling, the other candidates are trying what they can to derail his momentum by seizing on the most ridiculous things. They have yet to criticize his kindergarten days (as one prominent candidate has done), but given the trend, we would not be surprised if they do.

Of course, Fred Thompson is the former Senator of our state, and as Senator, we are of the opinion that his record was undistinguished. We are also of the opinion that his campaign for President is likewise undistinguished. When the rumors were spreading that he might run, we knew that he would not live up to the expectations which many had hoped he would. We knew better than to expect Fred to ride in on his white horse (or his red Ford pickup) to save the day. We knew that he was not the savior of the Republican party. We knew this because we are Tennesseans. Low and behold, while the pundits seem surprised that Thompson has gained virtually no traction, we are sitting back and saying, "Told you so."

The Thompson campaign has taken upon itself the task of trying to single-handedly destroy the Huckabee campaign. The problem is that the more Thompson tries to do this, the higher Huckabee rises in the polls. That is probably due to the fact that Fred Thompson's critiques are about as convincing as his run for President.

Now, we have chosen to unload on Fred because of one particular attack that his campaign leveled today. In an interview with Imus this morning, Mike Huckabee was asked about his foreign policy credentials. Here is what Huckabee said:

When asked by Don Imus this morning about his lack of foreign policy credentials, Mike Huckabee joked: “And the ultimate thing is, you know, I may not be the expert as some people on foreign policy – but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.” (WABC Radio, 12/04/07)

In response to that comment, Bob Haus, Executive Director of Iowa Friends of Fred Thompson, responded:

“When confronted with a serious question about his lack of foreign policy experience, Mike Huckabee makes a joke. The security of Americans and our allies is no laughing matter. What Americans are looking for in their next president is a commander in chief, not a Court Jester,” added Bob Haus, Executive Director of Iowa Friends of Fred Thompson.

That statement was picked up by some right-leaning bloggers. One of the comments that we find to that post is as follws:

God save us from a man who jokes about national security…

This caused us to chuckle a little. It is especially ironic for the Reaganites to make such a statement. We seem to vaguely remember someone who made jokes about national security. We recall that he said the following:

My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.

We jogged our memory to remember who it was who made that statement. It seems that the person was none other than the great Ronald Reagan himself. Was Ronald Reagan a court-jester? Did he take foreign policy lightly? Should he have been allowed to be President given that he was prone to joke about such things? Come on Reaganites. Lighten up. A joke about foreign policy does not indicate that a person does not take the issue seriously.

Given the state of things, I doubt the Reaganites would even think that Ronald Reagan was enough like himself to be nominated.

Huckabee Tied for Lead

2007-12-04T12:13:00.000-05:00

We've been fairly busy the last few days. What better way to resume our regular activities than by reporting the latest Rasmussen national poll indicating that Gov. Huckabee is now sharing the lead with Rudy Giuliani nationally in the race for the Republican nomination. Full poll here. Breakdown below.

Given the trend of the last three days, we fully expect to see that Gov. Huckabee will have the sole lead tomorrow.

Huckabee is TRULY Pro-Life

2007-11-29T20:20:00.000-05:00

There has been much controversy over Mike Huckabee's position on immigration when he was governor. As you might know Huckabee supported a law allowing illegal immigrants to get scholarships (or have the chance of getting one) to colleges if they met the same standards as other kids. The only catch was they had to become US citizens. Now many have said this is amnesty and soft on immigration. I am here to say it is the only true pro-life position and one that benefits society.
First take a look at the video below for Huckabee's response to the issue:

Now explore the options for a second. The scenario requires the student who had no choice in breaking the law to complete high school and meet the same requirements as others to even become eligible for the scholarships. They added a requirement, as I stated earlier, to first become a citizen. Now what is the opposite view? The student still does well in high school but now has no chance at college (or little chance since the illegal family normally has little money) and remains an illegal immigrant causing the illegal immigrant problem to be worse. Furthermore, this child will now take a probably illegal low paying job which hurts our economy. Is that really a better option? The answer is an obvious no. If the person becomes a citizen and a productive member of society then more good has been done and a life has been helped. So what is the true pro-life position here? To keep a child in a bad environment because of the illegal actions of others or to stop the chain of law breaking and create a new American? The answer is clear and I support Huckabee for supporting an idea that I too used to criticize. One needs to really think about the consequences and think of what is better to accomplish. Mike Huckabee, luckily, has a strong moral conviction and this law would solve many problems while creating none.

I encourage folks to really think about these issues and determine whether or not they actually support your convictions. Pro-life includes after birth and Mike Huckabee has shown that not only does he believe this but he puts it into action. And that's why I like Mike.

Fact Check: A Response to FactCheck.org

2007-11-29T15:19:00.000-05:00

I was reading factcheck.org today and noticed an article on Huckabee and taxes. The article can be found by clicking here.

The first thing FactCheck.org addresses is a video where Huckabee says he is for a tax increase. Huckabee said the following after a clip of the speech was aired:

That was in the context of a [Arkansas] Supreme Court order that we had to fund education at a higher level. The legislators had come down to the special session and there was all kinds of talk about, well, this tax increase or that revenue possibility is out of the question, dead on arrival. … Now we were at the point, with a court order over our heads – we were going to have to improve our schools.

It is true that Huckabee was incorrect about this. The speech was about an overall budget shortfall and not about education. Huckabee is right in saying that you should look at the entire speech because if you did you would find out why he is qualified for the job of president.

Take a look at the entire speech found here: Part 1 Part 2
The speech talks about how Arkansas was having budget troubles in 2003. After years of cutting and cutting spending Huckabee finally decided you can't cut anymore without "amputating a vital limb". This shows good leadership and proper role of government. You first trim what you can and then when that is not enough you have to raise revenue. People get this crazy idea that taxes are a bad thing but in reality they are the only way we pay for roads and schools. The fact that Huckabee was willing to do what it takes to help his state out shows how he can really get the job done.

The next claim is really no big deal. FactCheck talks about how Huckabee signed a bill taxing nursing home beds at about 6%. As noted it was supported by the Arkansas Health Care Association mainly because Medicare needed to be funded somehow. Once again this shows how Mike Huckabee did what was necessary to provide for its citizens.

Next up is the gas hike:

Huckabee: Yes, I did. Certainly, there was an issue that involved road building and infrastructure on roads and bridges, and I did support that. We added $1 billion to our economy, 40,000 jobs, went from having the worst to the best roads. When we put that out there for the people to decide whether they wanted to affirm it, they did by an 80 percent vote, I would call that leadership.
We would call that not true. Huckabee is right that about 80 percent of Arkansas voters approved a referendum to increase funding for highway repair. But the referendum happened after the gas tax hike had already become law.

This is actually a misunderstanding of what Huckabee said. It is true that Huckabee "put that out there for the people to decide whether they wanted to affirm it". Perhaps FactCheck doesn't realize that affirming something doesn't have to be before the fact. You can affirm a result after the action has taken place. Huckabee is not claiming here that they voted for it and then it happened. The fact that he later allowed it to be put for a vote does indeed show leadership and the fact that 80% approved it shows he and the legislative body worked the entire time for the people.

In the end, what this shows is how Mike Huckabee can work with democrats on getting things passed and thinking in terms of "vertical" politics. You hear the "Club for Growth" drown on about tax increases but sometimes they are needed and sometimes not. Mike has already stated he doesn't believe tax increases are needed in the federal government but rather a reduction in spending. Mike Huckabee did this in Arkansas by first cutting the budget before being forced to raise taxes and that is the true fiscally conservative person. Someone who would rather run a deficit and threaten our country is no real fiscal conservative.

In Debate, Huckabee had "Strongest Performance"

2007-11-28T23:18:00.000-05:00

Recapping the Republican Youtube Debate, CBS' Vaugnn Ververs declares that Governor Huckabee, "turned in the strongest performance of the evening." Read the full article here. Snippet below.

But Huckabee, who has distinguished himself in the debates all year, turned in the strongest performance of the evening at a time when he’s beginning to become a force in the race. Time and time again, Huckabee stood out, giving thoughtful and eloquent answers to questions about immigration, taxes, the death penalty and the bible, which for an ordained Baptist minister is a familiar subject. He also once again delivered the best punch lines. When asked what Jesus would do in regards to the death penalty, Huckabee said, “Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office.”

Huckabee Snatches the Lead in Iowa

2007-11-28T11:27:00.001-05:00

Good news for Mike Huckabee today. The latest Rasmussen poll shows him leading in Iowa. Poll is here. Breakdown below.

Mike Huckabee: 28%
Mitt Romney: 25%
Rudy Giuliani: 12%
Fred Thompson: 11%

Huckabee's Second Ad

2007-11-26T10:36:00.000-05:00

Mike Huckabee began running his second ad today. You can view it below.

The Washington Post Discovers What We Already Knew

2007-11-21T10:17:00.001-05:00

There is another poll out today indicating that Mike Huckabee is a serious contender for first place in the Iowa Caucuses. The poll stacks up this way:

Mitt Romney: 28%
Mike Huckabee: 24%
Fred Thompson: 15%
Rudy Giuliani: 13%

The Washington Post compares these numbers to a poll they ran in July, and it is quite telling. See the graphic below:

Another significant finding is the enthusiasm that Huckabee supporters have. From the Post:

But almost half of Huckabee's supporters (48 percent) said they would definitely vote for him in January and only a quarter said there was a good chance that they would change their minds before the caucuses. In contrast, just 29 percent of Romney's backers said they would definitely vote for him, while 42 percent said there was a good chance that they could vote for someone else at the caucuses.

Huckabee truly is poised to upset the entire race for Republican nomination.

Best Political Ad

2007-11-19T12:01:00.000-05:00

Released yesterday, many are already calling it the best political ad of the season. And it was, of course, created by Mike Huckabee. Watch and enjoy.

Could Huckabee Win Iowa?

2007-11-14T15:28:00.000-05:00

Newsweek asks "Could Huckabee Actually Win Iowa?"

Why, yes. Yes he could.

Huckabee Poll Surge; Drudge Surprised?

2007-11-13T23:22:00.001-05:00

Huckabee surprises Drudge? Check out the screenshot showing Drudge featuring a link to a recent poll showing Huckabee with excellent numbers in Iowa. While Drudge was surprised by this, I most certainly was not.

Drudge featured a headline outlining Governor Huckabee's excellent numbers in Iowa. Drudge refers to a CBS/New York Times poll that shows Huckabee in second place and within striking distance in Iowa. The poll for the Republican candidates broke down thusly:

Mitt Romney: 27%
Mike Huckabee: 21%
Rudy Giuliani: 15%
Fred Thompson: 9%

This is excellent news for Governor Huckabee.

Huckabee Now Top Tier

2007-11-12T17:20:00.000-05:00

It appears Huckabee is officially in the "top tier" of candidates.

According to Rasmussen Reports, Huckabee is in a virtual tie for 2nd with three other candidates in the national polls.

While the Republican race remains very fluid, voters are starting to pay attention and meaningful trends are starting to take shape. Over the past week, those trends have signaled good news for Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Mike Huckabee while delivering the opposite message to Fred Thompson.

Over the past week Guiliani has remained at the top with around 23% and Romney, McCain, Thompson, and Huckabee area all around 12% to 14%. If you look at the Iowa polls, Huckabee is in second and gaining on Romney.

Rasmussen Reports has been the most accurate polling group over the last two elections.

Dobson Says "Huh?"

2007-11-09T23:05:00.000-05:00

The Spectator has updated its earlier story that reported the Dr. Dobson was preparing to endorse Governor Huckabee. From the update:

Tim Minnery, Senior Vice President for Focus on the Family, Dobson's organization, denied on Friday afternoon that Dobson intended to endorse Huckabee in the coming days. Minnery's denial was submitted to the Spectator after Dobson received calls from other social conservative leaders inquiring about the leaked endorsement plans from the Huckabee campaign and Dobson associates. "Dr. Dobson isn't close to an endorsement of anyone in the 2008 race," Minnery wrote in an email to the editor denying there was an endorsement planned.

"Dr. Dobson isn't close to an enodrsment of anyone in the 2008 race." Isn't close? That's too bad, really. Huckabee is the clear choice for Conservatives. If such a high level individual goes out of the way to make such an unequivocal denial on Dobson's behalf, then I would suggest that today's earlier report is flat out wrong. Dr. Dobson has not come around like so many of us have wished he would.

And MSNBC's Firstread reports that the Mike Huckabee campaign has released a statement speaking to the confusion. From the release:

“There is no imminent campaign announcement about his [Dr. Dobson's] support -- and my campaign has not said there is, despite wild Internet rumors and some press accounts to the contrary. I have also spoken personally to him about the matter.”

This is probably going to serve only to make people upset. There were already plenty of people who were upset at Dobson (and others) for not backing the clear candidate for social conservatives. Then today many of those people were elated to hear that Dr. Dobson had come around. Now they find out that Dr. Dobson "denies ferociously" that he is planning to endorse Mike Huckabee. That is just going to remind everyone about how much they have despised the way Dobson and other leaders have handled this election cycle.

Dobson to Back Huckabee?

2007-11-09T10:39:00.000-05:00

According to a post at the American Spectator today, there appears to be some indication that Dr. James Dobson has settled on Mike Huckabee as his preferred candidate for President of the United States. The Spectator writes:

Sources close to Dobson say that within the next ten days he is coordinating an endorsement plan with the presidential campaign of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Many people, myself included, have been somewhat critical of Dr. Dobson and other Christian leaders for their refusal to back Governor Huckabee. If this report is true and Dr. Dobson does intend to publicly endorse Governor Huckabee, I have a couple of thoughts.

Dr. Dobson's endorsement would mean that Mike Huckabee's campaign would see a significant increase in support. This would likely include, among other things, a significant increase in campaign funding.
Dr. Dobson's endorsement would indicate that some significant Christian leaders still do care about the principles upon which they live. Dr. Dobson's endorsement of Huckabee could trigger a domino affect, and his influence could encourage other leaders to hop on board.

If the Spectator report is true, the race for the Republican Nomination could see a significant shift.

Dick Morris: Huckabee Can Win in Iowa

2007-11-07T10:07:00.000-05:00

Dick Morris writes on Mike Huckabee's chances to win in Iowa.

But Huckabee has no money. Yet, despite a total absence of advertising, he has risen steadily in Iowa from single digits to double digits to second place. Indeed, his lack of funding may be creating a reverse chic, attracting voters who are turned off by the massive hard sell of the other campaigns.

Alcorn Backs Huckabee

2007-11-06T22:09:00.000-05:00

Randy Alcorn, committed pro-life advocate, explains why he supports Mike Huckabee.

While I would hate to be a politician, I have always thanked God for men and women who are called to that. So I thank God for Mike Huckabee. And especially when he labors to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, I feel like the least I can do is support him.

Alcorn is another individual who has found pragmatism to be unacceptable when it demands that one abandon principle.

Huckabee v. Edwards: God and Santa Claus

2007-10-31T10:52:00.000-04:00

There has been some stir over the Governor's answer to the evolution question that he gave in a debate in July. Most people criticising his answer have twisted and manipulated it to say something that he did not say. I made a video contrasting the views of Governor Huckabee with John Edwards. The conclusion: Huckabee believes in God; John Edwards believes in Santa Claus.

Fact-Check: Huckabee Hard-Drive "Scandal"

2007-10-29T15:02:00.000-04:00

As we have been noticing, now that Governor Huckabee is generating some momentum in the race for President, the media, as well as interest groups, have taken it upon themselves to attack Huckabee. Do not expect to hear truth from these sources, however. Consider this example.

In an opinion piece for the US News and World Report, Bonnie Erbe tries to create a scandal by resorting to the well-known (and highly effective) strategy of reporting half-truths. Says Ms. Erbe:

Other questions surrounding his [Huckabee's] tenure are even more puzzling. One is why earlier this year, as Huckabee was leaving office, he apparently ordered the destruction of more than 100 computers in the governor's office.

What!? The Governor ordered the destruction of more than 100 computers in the governor's office? Is my mind changed? No. Here's why.

The incident Ms. Erbe refers to, and which she tries to manufacture a scandal, is an instruction of the Governor to destroy more than 90 (not "over 100" Ms. Erbe) computer hard-drives (not "computers", Ms. Erbe) in order to "protect sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers" from being leaked (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, July 18, 2007).

The destruction of the hard-drives hardly constitutes a scandal. On March 17, 2007, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that an ethics panel had cleared Governor Huckabee of any wrong doing regarding the destruction of the hard-drives. A Jim Parsons had filed a complaint that Huckabee had violated the law in destroying the hard drives. From the Gazette:

Jim Parsons of Bella Vista filed the complaint, claiming that Huckabee violated Arkansas Code 7-9-410, which requires that records regarding public ballot initiatives be retained for four years.

The commissioner of the ethics committee, in a letter to Governor Huckabee, wrote that the commission had dismissed the claim by a vote of 4-0. From the Gazette:

Sloan wrote that the law didn't require Huckabee to keep those records. Furthermore, he wrote that such records usually are in paper, not electronic, form.

So, an independent ethics committee cleared Huckabee of any wrongdoing in the destruction of the hard-drives. But that is not all.

On July 18, 2007, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that Huckabee had been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Arkansas State Attorney General. Said the Gazette:

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said Tuesday that his office's research has determined that former Gov. Mike Huckabee and people in his administration broke no laws when more than 90 [not "over 100" Ms. Erbe] computer hard drives [not "computers", Ms. Erbe] were crushed before Huckabee left office in January

So, an independent ethics board unanimously cleared Governor Huckabee of any wrongdoing, and an investigation by the Attorney General's office concluded the same thing.

Conclusion:

Ms. Erbe not only misstates the facts, she also only reports half of the truth. She tries to manufacture a scandal out of the destruction of hard-drives upon termination of the Governor's tenure in office, and yet an independent ethics committee, as well as the Attorney General's office, has cleared him of wrongdoing. Ms. Erbe's reporting is irresponsible, incorrect, and deserving of rebuke.

Rasmussen Poll: Huckabee Tied for Third

2007-10-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

As promised earlier, new Rasmussen polling data was released today. The poll shows Huckabee in a tie for third place nationally. This is a daily tracking poll, and thus the numbers will likely shift up and down frequently. The trend, though, is the most amazing thing to note. Huckabee has gained 7% since October 1.

Rudy Giuliani: 23%
Fred Thompson: 17%
John McCain/Mike Huckabee: 13%
Mitt Romney: 12%

Huckabee on Christian Conservative Leaders

2007-10-29T12:45:00.000-04:00

Via World Magazine:

Prominent Christian leaders have been slow to embrace Huckabee, and [Gary] Bauer told WORLD that his primary concern is the candidate's electability in the upcoming primaries.

In a private meeting with supporters after his speech, Huckabee expressed frustration over Christian leaders' reticence to back him: "It's a little bit like a soldier who goes to war and his own army won't give him the supplies he needs to win."

But evangelicals at the conference handed Huckabee a huge win over the weekend: In a straw poll conducted by the FRC, Huckabee garnered 51 percent of those who voted on-site, swamping every other candidate. Romney trailed in second place with 10 percent of the on-site vote. (The FRC allowed online voting as well, and Romney edged Huckabee by 30 votes in the overall tally.)

In my opinion, there is a demonstrable rift between the so-called "Christian Leaders," and the Christians they are presumed to be leading. That rift is essentially that the aforesaid leaders are pursuing pragmatism, whereas those who are not leaders are pursuing principle. The leaders are openly skeptical of Huckabee (for unprincipled reasons, I might add), but nevertheless the voice of those attending the Values Voter Summit handed Huckabee a resounding amount of support.

Iowa Hawkeye Poll

2007-10-29T09:59:00.000-04:00

Today the University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll released its most recent poll numbers for the Iowa caucuses. Here are the results:

Mitt Romney: 36.2%
Rudy Giuliani: 13.1%
Mike Huckabee: 12.8%
Fred Thompson: 11.4%
John McCain: 6%

A summary:

Mitt Romney continues to hold a strong lead in Iowa among candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination. But Mike Huckabee's Iowa numbers -- buoyed, perhaps, by growing support among Evangelical Christians -- have jumped significantly since August, putting him in a near-tie with Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson, according to a new University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll of likely GOP caucus-goers released today, Monday, Oct. 29, 2007.

Time.com points out that Huckabee's position and success are especially interesting due to the fact that he has only spent $1.7 million. Contrast that with Mitt Romney's $53.6 million and Rudy Giuliani's $30.2 million. Huckabee has moved up from the 2% that he received from the same poll in August. This is truly an amazing feat. Huckabee has increased his support by 1while spending significantly less than the other candidates. This indicates to me the the Governor not only has a message that is resounding with voters, but that he is also able to stretch finances; and that is very impressive in today's money-centric campaign strategies.

The poll also evaluates the Democratic candidates, but who cares about that?

In addition, we should be seeing some more Rasmussen numbers sometime today. We will, of course, discuss those once they are released.

Huckabee Roundup

2007-10-29T09:17:00.000-04:00

A Note From the Editor

It typically is the duty of a blog that favors a particular candidate to paint that candidate in the best possible light. Sometimes doing that would require either totally ignoring, or else positively spinning, criticism that the candidate receives. This blog is not going to do that. Rather than ignoring or spinning criticism of Governor Huckabee, I will try to present and respond to the criticism to show why, even in the face of such criticism, I still support Governor Hucakbee for President. Sometimes the criticisms might be true, and other time they might be distortions; nevertheless, it is important that they be presented and addressed. Toward that end, here is what has been happening over the past few days

Not surprisingly, Governor Huckabee's surge has prompted some attacks on his record.

On Friday, John Fund wrote unfavorably of Mike Huckabee in the Opinion Journal. Here's some snippets:

I have known and liked him for years; on the stump he often tells the story of how we first met outside his boarded-up office in the state Capitol, which had been sealed by Arkansas Democrats who refused to accept he had won an upset election for lieutenant governor in 1993. But I also know he is not the "consistent conservative" he now claims to be.

Phyllis Schlafly, president of the national Eagle Forum, is even more blunt. "He destroyed the conservative movement in Arkansas, and left the Republican Party a shambles," she says. "Yet some of the same evangelicals who sold us on George W. Bush as a 'compassionate conservative' are now trying to sell us on Mike Huckabee."

Lucas Roebuck, former opinion page editor of the Benton County Daily Record, former assignment editor for KNWA-NBC, and former managing editor for the Northwest Arkansas Times, wrote a rebuttal to the Opinion Journal piece. Here is a snippet:

Fund attempts to make the case that Huckabee is “not the ‘consistent conservative’ he claims to be.” However, instead of constructing a well-researched case of examples of Huckabee’s supposed conservative inconsistencies, Fund strings together a handful of individuals who simply accuse Huckabee of being liberal with little or no factual support. Furthermore, what little evidence Fund does present is skewed by critical omissions of relevant fact.

The Huckabee campaign released its own rebuttal of the Fund article.

The Governor has apparently done so well in the last week or so that CBN News decided to scrutinize his theology.

On Sunday, Time reported that Governor Romney took a shot at Huckabee.

He wanted in-state tuition breaks for illegal aliens in his state. I think that’s the wrong way to go.

Governor Huckabee's response:

I guess I’d be coming after me too. I’d also be crying, if I’d spent all that money.

I've been doing a little research of my own of the main criticisms that are coming out about the Governor. I have to say that in most instances I find the criticisms to either be distortions of the truth, or I find that the criticisms are insignificant according to my hierarchy of values. I will do my best to present my conclusions in following posts. In doing so I am likely to break the golden rule of blogging that says never to construct a post that is longer than 500 words. Well, if we want to get to the truth of the matter, sometimes we need more than 500 words. And if people want to get to the truth, they should be willing to endure a lengthy post; if they are not willing to get to the truth, they probably should not bother reading this blog.

Huckabee Passes Romney in National Poll

2007-10-26T10:57:00.000-04:00

Rasmussen Reports released a poll today that shows Governor Huckabee has moved ahead of Governor Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination. The results were as follows:

Rudy Giuliani: 20%
Fred Thompson: 19%
John McCain: 14%
Mike Huckabee: 12%
Mitt Romney: 11%

Governor Huckabee continues to stun. Way to go Governor!

Huckabee Gaining National Steam

2007-10-25T12:28:00.000-04:00

According to a recently released Rasmussen poll, Gov. Huckabee has reached double digits in national polling for the first time. Huckabee receives 10% of national support for the Republican nomination. This may look like a small number, but the indication is that Huckabee is trending upward on a consistent basis.

Consider, for example, an important fact: there are at least some conservatives who, having previously written Huckabee off, are beginning to give him a second look. There is a growing swell of frustration with the pragmatic attitudes being adopted by conservative "leaders." The tide seems to be turning a bit as person after person abandons the pragmatic deception, and turns back to principled thinking. If that happens more, the other candidates will begin to lose some of their support as some of their less than happy supporters warm to Gov. Huckabee's princpled conservative campaign.

One example of conservatives who are beginning to warm to Huckabee is the tripartite endorsement from Christian bloggers Justin Taylor, Joe Carter, and Matthew Anderson. Having previously bought into the pragmatic notion of electability, these three have now come out in support of Mike Huckabee. They write:

For several months we have admired the scrappy campaign of Gov. Huckabee but believed it would be a wasted effort to support him with our time, energy, and finances. We bought into the notion that he could never get the GOP nomination since conservative voters would not support him. And the reason we were told conservative voters would never support him is because he could not get the nomination. To quote John Piper (from a different context), "It’s like the army being defeated because there aren’t enough troops, and the troops won’t sign up because the army’s being defeated."

We can no longer sit idly by and allow the campaign of a worthy candidate and an honorable man to flounder for lack of support.

So far, Huckabee has been able to avoid the negative attack politics that permeates the process. As he gains steam, however, I would not be surprised to see the other candidates and their supports begin to take attack shots at him. That would be a true indicator that Hucakbee is not only a threat, but a major threat.

Huckabee in the Press

2007-10-25T11:11:00.000-04:00

Today, New York Times columnist Gail Collins, who is by no means a Huckabee supporter in the least, rebukes the likes of James Dobson, Gary Bauer, and Tony Perkins.

Why do the leaders of the religious right keep sidling away from a Baptist minister whose greatest political sin seems to have been showing compassion to a prisoner who appeared to deserve it? Why can’t they rally around the candidate who pushed for more government spending to promote poor children’s health and education, and reminded his conservative critics that when they talk about being pro-life, “life doesn’t begin at conception and end at birth?”

Meanwhile, Mike Glover writes on Huckabee for AP. Snippet:

"There have been some major surprises in the past," said Ray Hoffmann, Iowa GOP chairman. "If he does second or third here and then second or third in New Hampshire, people are going to have to take another look."

Brownback Likes Rudy?

2007-10-24T22:36:00.001-04:00

The Hill is reporting that Senator Sam Brownback is considering whether he will endorse Rudy Giuliani. Says Brownback:

I’m going to meet with him and I’m going to talk to him and hear what he is specifically saying now because he’s changed on a number of the abortion issues[.]
He’s changed on partial-birth [abortion] and he … has said he would appoint strict constructionists.

I have been analyzing Giuliani's promise to appoint strict constructionist jurists, and I have determined that such a promise is meaningless. It is sheer trickery. Giuliani is trying to move the goal posts by using the words "strict constructionists" in a way that is vastly different from the way social conservatives have come to understand that term. Giuliani is muddying the waters on this very important issue, and I suppose I will have to make the case since the pro-life vanguard has dropped the ball.

Look for a post in which I will show why Giuliani's promise of strict constructionist jurists is meaningless.

Huckabee Hits $450,000

2007-10-24T18:08:00.000-04:00

The final a donation of $1000.00 came in just after 6PM/ET, and the Huckabee campaign has now breached the $450,000 barrier. I suppose it's time for a new contribution goal. Huckabee's on fire. Head on over to make a contribution to this worthy candidate.

Below are three screencaps that will forever preserve the moment:

Boston Globe Column on Huckabee

2007-10-24T08:16:00.000-04:00

Boston Globe columnist Scot Lehigh joins the club of folks who say that Huckabee is out of the second tier. He writes:

In a field where the leading candidates have thus far proved unpalatable or unconvincing to the Republican base, Huckabee is a true believer, a committed, consistent conservative. Now that he's outrun his second-tier rivals, don't be surprised to see his candidacy take off.

Of course, Huckabee supporters have known this for a while. The fact that it is starting to be said in the media is very good for Huckabee. What we are likely to see in the weeks and months ahead is the pundits trying to rewrite the history of this race by claiming they knew Huckabee had a chance the whole time. Those of us who know the facts, however, know better. We have known Huckabee had a chance the whole time, and the Media has been, quite literally, in left field.

Cold Feet ?

2007-10-23T20:43:00.000-04:00

According to a Foxnews report, Pastor Don Wilton has retracted the endorsement he made of Mitt Romney. Pastor Wilton is was president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and his endorsement of Romney was made on October 19th. Wilton Said:

It was my personal error to agree to support Romney's campaign. Until this incident I had never endorsed any person running for any elected office, Democrat or Republican.

Read Wilton's entire press release here.

I could not help but notice that Wilton's endorsement was made the day before Governor Huckabee's speech at the Values Voter Summit. I wonder if the momentum that Huckabee has generated in the last few days has caused one of his own to give him a second look. Huckabee was, after all, president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention. This is some excellent news!

Dick Morris on Huckabee

2007-10-23T12:15:00.000-04:00

Today, Dick Morris writes in an article for RealClearPolitcs that Mike Huckabee is "an articulate, principled, knowledgeable, conservative Christian[.]"

Mike Huckabee is beginning to generate national attention, and he has done it the old fashion way. He has not bought his way into contention; he has simply articulated a message and a vision, and folks are lining up behind him. Now if we could just get those pesky "Evangelical Leaders" to back him...

Facebook Group for Tennesseeans (And Anyone Else)

2007-10-23T11:54:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the Huckabee campaign for plugging this blog.

For fellow Tennesseeans, we have a facebook group called TennesSEE for HuckaBEE. Feel free to join.

Huckabee Discussed in CT

2007-10-23T10:27:00.000-04:00

Tony Beam discusses Huckabee in a column for Christianity Today. The bottom line:

As long as Governor Mike Huckabee is in the race thank God we don’t have to compromise. We don’t have to hold our nose and vote. We can march into the voting booth, vote Huckabee, and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we have stood by the things that matter most.

If Huckabee can continue to generate this sort of sentiment, watch out over the next few months. Huckabee may not have a lot of money, but he has something much, much better: a message.

Evangelicals Unwisely Continue the Third-Party Threat

2007-10-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

Newsweek interviewed Richard Land, who they described as "a leading evangelical [serving] as president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission." Some of the highlights:

NEWSWEEK: So we wanted to ask you, first of all, about the third-party idea and whether it's serious. A number of people are suggesting it's just a threat.
Richard Land: My intuition [is that] this is not a bluff. If Giuliani is the nominee there will be a third party...This is not a bluff.
NEWSWEEK: Is Huckabee's success there a harbinger of things to come? Is he starting to gain some traction?
Richard Land: We'll see. Everyone says he does great when he speaks; everyone says he does great in the debates. But so far that hasn't translated either into fund-raising success or into a surge in the polls...

I think a third-party campaign is likely to ensure the Democratic nominee the Presidency. All the talk about a third-party run is, in the very least, premature. Mike Huckabee is a candidate who holds values that are not just consistent with those in the Bible, as Dr. Grudem put it, but they seem to be genuinely derived from the Bible, and he has the skill to communicate those values to other people in a way that bridges the gap between ideological lines. This is vertical politics, as the Governor puts it, and his message resounds with anyone who hears it. Talking of a prospective third-party run while Huckabee is still in the race is ridiculous. Instead, evangelicals should throw their support around him.

Why I Started This Blog

2007-10-22T14:21:00.000-04:00

I follow political happenings closely, and while I have supported Mike Huckabee for quite some time, I did not want to take the time to write a blog. But some things have happened in recent days that have caused my blood to boil. Let's review.

On October 1st, the New York Times reported that, "a coalition of influential Christian conservatives is threatening to back a third-party candidate." The coalition here referred to was none other than the so-called, media-dubbed leaders of the Christian Conservative block such as James Dobson, Tony Perkins, and Richard A. Viguerie.
On October 18th, the Washington Post, quoting Chuck Colson, summarizd the seemingly prevalent attitude among the so-called, media-dubbed conservative leaders saying, "...there's no one candidate out there around whom evangelicals and conservative Catholics can sort of coalesce around and get excited about."
On October 18th, none other than the fine theologian, Dr. Wayne Grudem, penned an article entitled, "Why Evangelicals Should Support Mitt Romney" in which he argued that Mitt Romney was the best qualified, morally palatable candidate for Evangelical voters.
On October 22nd, the Washington Times reported that a meeting of several "conservative leaders" could not find a satisfactory candidate coming out of the "Values Voters" summitt held on October 19-20.
On October 21st, Gary Bauer discounted Mike Huckabee on the grounds that Bauer believed that Huckabee is only seeking the office of the Vice President.

These five things have led me to vast disappointment with the people who have been thought to be leaders of the Christian wing of conservatives. One purpose of this blog is to argue that Mike Huckabee is the clear and convincing candidate for those who are considered "values voters." As a Christian I am disappointed, to say the least, that those who have been considered leaders in the fight for Christian values are unwisely and unjustifiably embracing a doctrine of political pragmatism that will ultimately derail the advancement of the very values they claim to be trying to preserve.

In posts to follow, I will examine why I think pragmatism will ultimately fail the conservative movement. But in the mean time, please allow me to introduce you to Mike Huckabee.