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Huckabee tells McCain to cool it

By Stephen Dinan on Sept. 10, 2008 into Dinan

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In a blog posting and e-mail to supporters Mike Huckabee, who was praised for fighting a clean nomination battle with John McCain, is calling on both sides to cut the carping and get back to issues.

Speaking on Fox News on Tuesday, Huckabee said he didn't think Barack Obama intended offense by his "lipstick on a pig" comments — but after a further day's back-and-forth, he says the whole thing is out of hand.

"Almost twenty four hours into this new controversy and the accusations are continuing to fly from both campaigns. That's too bad. Let's shift back to the issues."

He said there's plenty of room to attack Obama on his new education plan, or to talk about health care and energy, rather than go hog-wild over lipstick.

It's a curious move from someone who just last week gave a major speech on McCain's behalf at the Republican National Convention. Huckabee continues to position himself as a post-partisan Republican — exactly the role McCain held after his own 2000 race. We'll see if Huckabee makes of it what McCain was able to.

— Stephen Dinan, national political correspondent, The Washington Times

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There are 15 Comments

mrsp1

I am an ardent McCain supporter, and I agree with Huckabee. The best way to keep Obama from the White House is to attack him on the issues. Media time is scarce, let's use it efficiently.
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Shelbysez

This is hysterically funny!!!! Huck-a-Me-Some-Money, who brown-nosed McCain all through the election (didn't get him the VP, though...so "sad")but ran an EXTREMELY BIGOTED campaign against Romney, thinks he has authority and morals and intelligence to TELL OTHERS WHAT TO DO???!!! Hahahahahaha! Go away you slithering snake! Oh, and have some fun: Google "Obama huckabee gun". You will get ONE MILLION HITS! Not kidding, and some are from very ticked off people! Huck-a-Me-Some-Attention: just SHUT UP--your need for attention is pathetic!
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nrobyar

I agree with Huckabee. The Republicans certainly have enough to debate Obama on with the issues that are important to all Americans. This is petty and certainly beneath the McCain campaign who agreed to a clean, issue-focused race. Shelbysez, it is quite obvious that you are still trying to blame Huck for Romney's failure as a political candidate. The speeches at the conventions dem and rep. were studied for deception and spin vs. truth and authenticity and guess who was at the top for the least deceptive? McCain and Huckabee. Guess who was #14 dead last, most deceptive below Obama Michele Obama Clintons, George W Bush, Thompson Guilinai all of them? Mitt Romney. THAT is why Mitt failed. It was NOT Huckabee.
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wvobiwan

Huck is a good man, but clearly doesn't understand the level of sleaze, bilge, and lies the Dems are capable of. And, the power of their echo chamber in the media. THAT'S why you lost Huck - if the media doesn't play fair you have to force them to with instant responses. Huckabee never leveraged the fact-checking power of the web, and it's ability to cut through the leftist media Dem PR blitz. Knife at a gun fight.
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RGeorgeDunn

The answer to the question, issue, impossed with the Obama mudd is not something that the Washington Elite nor the Media(polit Bureau) want discussed, so their puppet Obama threw out the mudd to give the media something to hash on. Mike is right, as they tryed to use it against John by stopping the momentum of Sarah! HAH!!! Did not work there slurry boys. Ignore the child of adolesence and speak to the issues.
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soxconn

Obama has not used good ole boy metaphors during his campaign before. His speeches have been eloquent and brought tears to the eyes of the listeners. The timing of his statement right after Palin's remark is what links Obama's statement. Her's was a spontaneous remark and humorous, his was a political analogy, planned and directed. Huckabee is not competing with the Democrat attack machine, McCain and Palin are. They Democrats are already saying she needs an abortion to be VP and Matt Damon is going to Disneyland and PM Brown thinks he is a U.S. citizen.
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kingapada

As an outsider - legal resident - of this country who has witnessed free elections in various democracies I am stunned over what takes place here. Topics like terrorism, health care, credit crisis, nuke issues, unemployment, education and so on SHOULD be discussed in this election. Instead we hear about lipstick on pigs, heated talk about a 2000 year old book and its supposed savior, hockey-moms, whether or not to use contraception, and on and on. You would think the SUPPOSED "free leaders of the world" would have better things to talk about than if Jesus thinks we should have pre-marital sex or if he is supporting a war and a pipeline from Alaska. And does it really matter if two women are naked with eachother next door? is this really a topic we should be concerned with in light of what goes on around the planet? I, for one, find it amusing that such a modern nation with its innovative ideas can find itself stuck in such a backwards state of mind. Unless people wake up and realize what is going on, the US will dig itself a grave
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huckabee_fan

Join the "Huckabee Fan Club" today! * 39 States in America have already joined in just the last 20 days alone! * Phenomenal growth... 700% growth in fans from day 3 to now! http://www.freewebs.com/huckapedia/huckabeefanclub.htm or 1. Google: Huckapedia 2. Click on "Huckabee Fan Club" email: vote4mikehuckabee@gmail.com Thanks, Huckapedia
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85yearOldObserver

This campaign is more about campaigning than about issues. The tragedy is that the press and the partisan contributors seem to want it that way. Obama's carefully scripted speeches are not objectionable. When he goes off the monitor he get into real trouble. Hatred of George W Bush is the basic force behind Obama's campaign. Memories of the loss in 2000 have warped the Democrat Psyche. Instead of working to solve current problems they have smeared George Bush even when it gave aid and comfort to our terrorist enemies.
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kingapada

There is a simle explanation for the hatred of George Bush; he is an incompetent president who has not done anything to make this country better. Please name one good thing he has done! And do not include protecting us from terrorism because thousands of Americans have died in Iraq.
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seahorse

Now we are seeing the dark side of the Republican party once again and they are no doubt in charge of the campaign. They have sucked McCain right into their little game of lies and deceit. It is quit eviedent that they will now do anything to distract from America's problems so as not to be tied to Bush's policies and mistakes.However the public will not be fooled this time around. They know that it is hollow with McCain and just more smoke and mirrors. When you watch the other candidates you see smiles on their faces,however, when you watch the Republicans you see the cynical Bush,Cheney,Gonzales,Brown,and Davis sneers. Doesn't give you a warm and comforting feeling. We have had a"Maverick" in the W.H. for 8 years and look what it has gotten us. Now they want to put 2 so call"Mavericks" in the W.H. for 4 years and double your "pleasure".
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GrannyT

There are clear differences between Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama on the issues. Gov. Huckabee is right. Both campaigns need to concentrate on the issues and let the voters decide which nominee is closest to us on those issues. Sen. McCain thanked Gov. Huckabee for his "guidance" at the O'Fallon Rally. He needs to heed to that council this time.
Mark as offensive

mrsp1

To Shelbysez: Sir, if you call someone a "bigot" because he is outspoken about his faith, then men like George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan are also bigots. See the following link for instance: http://www.truckersinsofusa.com/newsletter/real_roots.htm If you call someone a "bigot" because he treats adherents of other religions as below himself, Governor Huckabee simply has never done that. If you call someone a "bigot" because (in 11 words out of a 10,000 word-story) he admits that he doesn't know much about the LDS and then asks a reporter (who, by the way, happens to be an expert on religions) if mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers, and then, when it comes to media attention, IMMEDIATELY apologizes, then you would do well to re-think your position. Governor Huckabee responds to the "bigotry against mormons" accusation on the Rush Limbaugh Show, August 27, 2008: "It was a question that I actually asked of the New York Times Magazine writer, because he knew a lot more about Mormonism than I did. It appeared as 11 words in about a 10,000-word story, and that got all the play. I personally apologized to Mitt because it did come across wrong and it's simply not the way I feel and it isn't, and I don't think Mitt Romney's religion has a thing to do with it. I think, you know, a record has to do with it, but not his religion." Yes, Huckabee is an evangelical. Yes, he is a strong, outspoken evangelical. But no, he is not a "bigot".
Mark as offensive

SKYJILL

Huckabee, despite his puppy-dog eyes, is a hypocrite. I liked him at first, but now I will never forgive his back-stabbing tactics aimed at Mitt Romney, perhaps the closest to being flawless of all the candidates. What kind of a "religious" person does that? He seems to be utterly star-struck at the possibility of becoming a stand-up comic.
Mark as offensive

xpress_yourself

The mainstream media will show a divide in a party, just not the liberal party. I feel the liberal side had a lot of discrepencies while trying to clench the nomination, don't just focus on the other side, be fair!
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