November 30, 2007
Hotline After Dark -- You Asked For It
Mike Huckabee made the TV rounds last night:
Huckabee, asked why WH '08 GOPers are "submitting to religious vetting about" their "belief in the literal nature of the Bible": "When guys like you quit asking it, we'll quit answering it. But the fact is, we get asked these questions in the debates, and if we evade them, if we act like we're not going to answer them, then we're going to get hammered for being unwilling to address the questions that are put to us. So that's why I keep answering them."
On his Jesus answer to a death penalty question at the 11/28 debate: "If you play the first part of the answer is anything but funny because ... what I mentioned was that I carried out the death penalty ... more than any governor in my state. And I pointed out that no one else on that stage had ever done what I have done, that's actually have to carry out the death penalty. I mentioned that it was the toughest decision I ever made as a governor because it was the only decision that was irrevocable. ... It was a heavy responsibility. So there was anything but levity when it came to that issue with me."
MSNBC's Matthews: "You wouldn't believe, as president, that you were carrying out the will of God, would you? You wouldn't have a messianic notion because of your deep religious belief?"
Huckabee: "You're never, ever to be God. In fact, I think the most dangerous thing that a person has is this messianic complex, where he thinks that he's not being a servant of people, he's being God of people.
That's the opposite of what my faith teaches me. My faith says that if you want to be great, you become servant. You don't lift yourself up. You're willing to allow yourself to be put down. And I think when we see people who think they're running not for president but to be lord of America, that's a very dangerous thing. And I certainly don't look at it in that way" (MSNBC, 11/29).
On Fred Thompson's ad at the debate saying he flip-flopped on taxes: "It wasn't a flip-flop. First of all, if you noticed, that was about 110 pounds ago, and so I could use the excuse I was in a state of sugar stupor and was talking out of my head. But the reality is, that was a statement, about a minute's worth, taken out of context of a speech in which I was basically giving a put up or shut up speech to the legislature who had been saying we have got a $200 million deficit, and we don't like any proposal the governor has to fix it. So I said, OK, you don't like my proposals? Here's one of yours, I'll take it" ("Situation Room," CNN, 11/29).
And he appeared with Chuck Norris on "On the Record":
Huckabee, on his rise in IA: "Well, I don't want to over-predict what's going to happen, but we certainly have been on the right track. And the voters of Iowa are very sharp. They've been through this before. They look for somebody in a president that I think brings some authenticity and speaks straight to them. Midwesterners want it straight -- I want to say it in a rather crude way. They know the difference between the manure that's out in the cow pastures and the manure that the politicians put out, and they want to know the difference."
FNC's Van Susteren: "I'll take that as a compliment, by the way. I'm a Midwesterner."
Huckabee: "I'm an Arkansan, so, believe me, it is a compliment."
Norris: "I'm an Okie" (FNC, 11/29).
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
John Edwards also made multiple TV appearances:
Edwards, on GOPers being upset that CNN aired a question from a Hillary Clinton supporter at the 11/28 GOP debate: "Heaven forbid. I mean, how could we possibly survive if someone who is antagonistic or has a different point of view than you do ask you a question? And no, we can't possibly expect somebody who answers questions from either independents or the other party to get elected president of the United States. How could anybody be ready to do that? I think this whole discussion's ridiculous."
More: "I didn't get to see the debate. But I heard that Mitt Romney said something about the two Americas that I've talked about in the past and how he doesn't think they exist. You know, what planet does this guy live on? I mean, all you've got to do is pay any attention to what's going on" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 11/29).
In the latest installment of "World News Tonight"'s "Who Is?" series, ABC's Gibson interviewed Edwards:
Edwards: "When I was born, we were poor. ... My father had to borrow money from somebody, $50, to get me and my mother out of the hospital."
On his second run at the WH: "When I was running in the nomination process in 2003 and 2004, I'd spend most of my time thinking about being a candidate. And since that time, I've spent most of my time thinking about what I'd want to do as President. And those two things are not the same" (ABC, 11/29).
He was also on "Charlie Rose" (PBS, 11/29).
NOT LOOKING BACK IN ANGER
And Fred Thompson nat'l co-chair/ex-Sen. George Allen (R-VA) was in the "Situation Room" last p.m. to discuss the 11/28 debate, but conversation turned to questions about him:
CNN's Blitzer: "I think it is fair to say nobody appreciates and understands the intersection in recent of the Internet and politics better than you, given what happened to you ... when you were running the last time around, that so-called 'Macaca Moment.' Give us a little sense. We saw the You Tube debate last night. How much has this changed politics, the fact that people can get these videos, post them online and people see what's happening?"
Allen: "I think it is great. ... I look at the internet as the greatest invention since the Guttenberg Press for the dissemination of information and ideas. ... [The 'macaca' comment] was a mistake on my part.
... The more the people are informed and have access to information and ideas, the better."
On whether he thought he should have been on stage with the other WH '08 GOPers: "No. ... [Thompson's] one who I'm very comfortable in and enthusiastic and in endorsing because I think he is type of strong leader who has guided by principle foundations."
On whether he will have a political comeback: "I have not decided. My political efforts are helping Fred Thompson. I'm also presidential scholar for the Reagan ranch which is perfect in that I give speeches at colleges. .... Susan and I have not decided whether we will run again or not. But we get a lot of nice encouragement" (CNN, 11/29). [KATHERINE LEHR]
Posted at 09:13 AM
Comments
Post a comment
The Watergate · 600 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-739-8400 · fax 202-833-8069
NationalJournal.com is an Atlantic Media publication.
