Calling Mike Huckabee To Set His Sights On 2012

I think Mike Huckabee should start thinking ahead to the presidential election of 2012!

'Stand Up' Says Mike Huckabee In New Television Ad

'Over the Top': Mike Huckabee Campaign Gets Dramatic!

Lifting Americans Up To Higher Ground: Mike Huckabee On the Road in Texas

MIKE HUCKABEE emails from Texas:

My candidacy is, and always has been, about convictions – and the issues and core values that are critical to our country’s future, such protecting traditional marriage, the sanctity of life, individual empowerment and a revamping of our federal tax code to encourage productivity. It’s about lifting Americans up, from hope to higher ground, with a positive vision for America’s future that is grounded in a belief in our nation’s basic goodness, and defined by a ‘can—do’ spirit that knows how to gets things done. My goal is to offer Republican voters, a voice and a choice in this election.

The last four out of five U.S. Presidents have been governors, and there is a reason for this: the challenges facing our nation require steady, experienced, executive management. As governor of Arkansas for 10 ½ years, I delivered on my promises to cut taxes 94 times, reduce welfare by half, reform health care for children and our education system, and transform our transportation infrastructure. My record of results, achieved with a Democrat legislature, gives a meaningful viability to my candidacy.

There are millions of Republicans from across this country who have yet to be heard from. Clearly we were disappointed by the results in Wisconsin, but I look forward to campaigning hard in Texas and Ohio this week – and taking my case before the good people of those states.

McCain and Clinton Attack Obama

Cuban People Deserve Free Elections, Says Mike Huckabee

- Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee has issued the following statement in response to the resignation of Cuban President Fidel Castro:

"The Cuban people deserve nothing less than free and fair elections which would provide the only hope for a prosperous and democratic Cuba. Until Fidel Castro is dead there can be no significant movement towards reform in Cuba. Raul Castro has proven that he's as much a tyrant and dictator as his brother Fidel. Simply providing more power to another dictator does nothing to promote freedom and democracy to the Cuban people."

Polling Map: Republican Candidate Mike Huckabee

Have Coffee with Mike Huckabee in Hudson, Wisconsin

Monday, February 18th, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. For Coffee at the Hudson Bagel & Coffee Co. 800 Carmichael Road - Hudson, WI For more information or to RSVP: Robert.Kuykendall@explorehuckabee.com or (515) 473-8298

Waterboarding? Not Sure What Mike Huckabee Believes, But...

MIKE HUCKABEE states:

I believe that we are currently engaged in a world war. This war is not a conventional war, and these terrorists are not a conventional enemy.
The top priority of the President as Commander in Chief is first and foremost protecting our own citizens.
With a focus on renewed diplomacy and inclusion, we can accomplish the goals of our nation without having to go it alone.
During the Cold War, we had hawks and doves, but this new war requires us to be a phoenix, rising reborn to meet each new challenge and seize each new opportunity.
As President, I will fight this war hard, but I will also fight it smart, using all our political, economic, diplomatic, and intelligence weapons as well as our military might.
The terrorists train in small, scattered groups. We can accomplish a great deal with swift, surgical air strikes and commando raids by our elite units.
We have to get tough with President Musharraf who has allowed Al Qaeda and the Taliban to have bases in Waziristan.
We don't have a dog in the fight between Sunnis and Shiites - our enemy is Islamic extremism in all its guises.
The long-term solution is to empower moderates in the region by attacking the underlying conditions that breed terror.
Part of winning the war on terror is achieving energy independence.
I believe in the Powell Doctrine of using overwhelming force to accomplish a mission.
I have the executive and crisis management experience, the judgment and the temperament to be an effective commander in chief.
I will expand the army and increase the defense budget.

I believe that we are currently engaged in a world war. Radical Islamic fascists have declared war on our country and our way of life. They have sworn to annihilate each of us who believe in a free society, all in the name of a perversion of religion and an impersonal god. We go to great extremes to save lives, they go to great extremes to take them. This war is not a conventional war, and these terrorists are not a conventional enemy. I will fight the war on terror with the intensity and single-mindedness that it deserves.

The top priority of the president as Commander in Chief is first and foremost protecting our own citizens. While we live in a neighborhood of nations and must strive to be good neighbors, as President, I will ensure the peace, safety, and well-being of American citizens at home and abroad.

While I prefer America to be safe and secure within her own borders rather than loved and appreciated abroad, I believe we can accomplish both goals. We can resurrect relationships with our allies and neighbors. With a focus on renewed diplomacy and inclusion, we can accomplish the goals of our nation without having to go it alone.

When the sun rose on September 11, we were the only superpower in the world; when the sun set that day, we were still the only superpower, but how different the world looked. During the Cold War, you were a hawk or a dove, but this new world requires us to be a phoenix, to rise from the ashes of the twin towers with a whole new game plan for this very different enemy. Being a phoenix means constantly reinventing ourselves, dying to mistakes and miscalculations, changing tactics and strategies, rising reborn to meet each new challenge and seize each new opportunity.

As president, I will fight this war hard, but I will also fight it smart, using all our political, economic, diplomatic, and intelligence weapons as well as our military might. The terrorists unfortunately have a great many sympathizers all over the world, folks who are happy to show up and be filmed shouting "Death to America," but the actual number of those willing to blow themselves up is relatively few, and they train and plot in small, scattered groups.

It's an enemy conducive to being tracked down and eliminated by using the CIA and the Pentagon's Joint Special Operations Command. We can accomplish a great deal, we can achieve tremendous bang for the buck, with swift, surgical air strikes and commando raids by our elite units, working with friendly governments, as we've done with the Ethiopians in Somalia. These operations are impossible without first-rate intelligence. When the Cold War ended, we cut back on our human intelligence, just as we cut back on our armed forces, and both have come back to haunt us. As President, I will beef up our human intelligence capacity, both the operatives who gather information and the analysts who figure out what it means.

Right after September 11, with wounds fresh and emotions running high, President Bush declared that all other countries were either for us or they were for the terrorists. Such a black-and-white stance doesn't work in the Arab and Muslim worlds, where there are more shades of gray than you'll find at Sherwin-Williams. Is President Musharraf of Pakistan for us 100%? No, since September 11, he's been playing both ends in the middle to survive. At the moment he's pulled too far away from us. While we have been focused on Iraq, Al Qaeda and the Taliban have expanded their training camps in the Waziristan region of Pakistan with impunity. This bodes ominously not just for Afghanistan, but also for Al Qaeda's plotting and training for more attacks all over the world, including here in the United States. This is the direct result of an ill-conceived autonomy agreement President Musharraf made with Waziristan's tribal leaders. In fact the tribal leader Musharaff has praised for fighting foreign terrorists, Mullah Nazir, recently said that he would protect Osama bin Laden! We have to get tough with Mursharraf and re-calibrate the carrots and sticks we use with him. Pakistan is the fifth largest recipient of American aid, and right now we're not getting real good value. We're in a game of chicken with this military dictator: he warns us not to pursue terrorists across the border with Afghanistan, not to strike their bases on his territory because it could cause his government to fall and an even less friendly figure to take his job. But we have to make clear to him that he is of no use to us if he allows the Taliban and Al Qaeda to use his territory with impunity. The current situation highlights that, despite our generous aid, both the Taliban and Al Qaeda enjoy a disturbing degree of popularity in Pakistan. Ultimately it is this popularity contest, this war of ideas, that we have to win. Creativity and flexibility are Musharraf's keys to retaining power.

Creativity and flexibility are our keys to dealing with him and other Muslim leaders. Instead of asking if someone is for us, instead of demanding that every ally be at the level of Great Britain, I will ask if we should be for them, if they can be useful in any way, however limited, however temporary.

The terrorists have succeeded in dividing us over how to fight them, but we are not taking full advantage of their divisions and of the broader divisions in the region. For example, Hamas, Al Qaeda, and Hezbollah are all terrorist groups, but Hamas and Al Qaeda are Sunni and hate Hezbollah, which is Shiite, as much as they hate us. We are worried about the Iranians extending their sphere of influence west, but so are the Sunni Arabs in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, who dislike the Iranians not just because they are Shiites, but because they are Persians. Fighting smart means learning the neighborhood, achieving a level of political, religious, and cultural sophistication about the Arab and Islamic worlds that will pay huge dividends for us. We have to know the cast of characters, not just the national political leaders and their leading opponents, but the clerics, the tribal and clan leaders. We get criticized for our arrogance, but it's our ignorance that's killing us.

As for the underlying dispute between Sunnis and Shiites that's been going on for fourteen hundred years, we don't have a dog in that fight. Our enemy is Islamic extremism in all its guises. The Saudis want us to support extremist Sunni groups to counter growing Iranian influence. The Saudis assure us that they can control these groups and keep them from turning against us. We saw how well that turned out with Al Qaeda. I will support moderates, not extremists, with no favoring of Sunnis or Shiites.

The long-term solution to terror is to empower moderates in the region. My goal in the Middle and Near East is to correctly calibrate a course between maintaining stability and promoting democracy. It's self-defeating to try to accomplish too much too soon, you just have elections where extremists win, but it's equally self-defeating to do nothing. First, we have to destroy the terrorists who already exist, then we have to attack the underlying conditions that breed terror, by creating schools that offer an alternative to the extremist madrassas that take impressionable children and turn them into killers, by creating jobs and opportunity and hope, by encouraging a free press and other institutions that promote democracy. The recent rising appeal of Al Qaeda across North Africa - Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia - shows why we have to do better in the war of ideas - and soon.

In the past, we've been constrained from helping some of the good guys because our dependence on oil has forced us to support repressive regimes, to conduct our foreign policy with one hand tied behind our back. It's time, it's past time, to untie that hand and reach out to the moderates with both hands. Oil has not just shaped our foreign policy, it has deformed it. When I make foreign policy, I want to be able to treat Saudi Arabia the same way I treat Sweden, and that requires us to be energy independent. These folks have had us over a barrel - literally - for way too long. The first thing I will do as President is send Congress my comprehensive plan for energy independence. We will achieve energy independence by the end of my second term. We will explore, we will conserve, and we will pursue all avenues of alternative energy - nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel, and biomass.

If I ever have to undertake a large invasion, I will follow the Powell Doctrine and use overwhelming force. The notion of an "occupation with a light footprint" that was our paradigm for Iraq always struck me as a contradiction in terms. Liberating a country and occupying it are two different missions. Occupation inevitably demands a lot of boots on the ground. Instead of marginalizing General Shinseki when he said we needed several hundred thousand troops for Iraq, I would have met privately with him and carefully weighed his advice and his underlying analysis.

Our current armed forces aren't large enough - we have been relying far too heavily on our National Guard and our Reserves, we have worn them out. When our enemies know that we are spread thin, they're more apt to test us by provoking a crisis. Having a sizeable standing army actually makes it less likely that we'll have to use it. So I will increase the defense budget. We have to be ready to fight both conventional and unconventional wars against both state and non-state enemies. Right now we spend about 3.9% of our GDP on defense, while we spent about 6% in 1986 under President Reagan. I would return to that 6% level. I believe we can do this without raising taxes. I will limit increases in other discretionary spending and rely on the normal increase in federal tax revenue that is generated annually as Americans' incomes rise.

Crises arise suddenly and unpredictably, and no one has the database for every possible scenario. What we have to evaluate is the strength of a leader's operating system, because if that's sound, he can always add the data. I'll be an effective commander in chief because I have executive experience and crisis management experience. My record as Governor shows that I'm intellectually curious, a quick study, and have sound judgment. I will get advice from a broad circle with differing perspectives and portfolios; encourage dissent and stay out of the bubble; refuse to wilt under criticism, but also be flexible and ready to change course if a policy isn't working. I will communicate my rationale for our foreign and defense policies clearly and frequently to Congress and to the American people.

Mike Huckabee Answers the First Question: WHY?

Governor Mike Huckabee emails:

The first question I am often asked these days is: "Why are you still running for President?"

It is because I believe that I am the best candidate to represent you in the fall against the Democrats. Why? Because I have core conservative beliefs that I have never wavered from:

I believe in the Human Life Amendment and I will fight for it from Day 1 of my Presidency.

I believe in the Marriage Amendment.

I believe in massive tax reform and am an advocate of the FairTax.

I believe that President Bush's tax cuts should be made permanent.

I believe in the Surge, our troops and General Petraeus.

I believe the 2nd amendment is one of the best ways to protect us from tyranny and I will work tirelessly to protect it from activist judges.

I believe in real border security and have proposed a detailed 9 point plan to secure our borders.

I believe the best judge is a conservative judge that won't legislate from the bench.

These are some of the reasons why I am running for President and let me also say that YOU are another reason. I am running to give you a voice in the process. To lift up your voice with mine and to tell our Party and our government that we need to do better. We need to think big and fight for our ideas.

Deep Concern for John McCain: Failure to Win Conservatives

Howard Fineman writes:

Looking closely at the NBC exit polls from Virginia, I see numbers that will make delightful reading for the Barack Obama campaign--and a cause for deep concern in John McCain's camp. Obama, the figures show, is expanding the demographic reach of his surging Democratic candidacy, while McCain is hemmed in by his increasingly glaring failure to win over conservatives and evangelical Christians.

Mike Huckabee and John McCain in Close Race in Virginia

CNN reports that as of 8 pm, Mike Huckabee is leading in Virginia by a slim margin!
At just 4 minutes later, McCain and Huckabee are in a dead heat, tied at 46%.

Mike Huckabee Takes On the Media

Barack says he'd like to "argue" with John McCain; Hillary questions Barack's integrity; John McCain says the general in the field and not the politician running for president should decide when troops come home; and Mike Huckabee says the media has prematurely called the race.

Exit Polls in Virginia

Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, had a couple of supporters too, like Sharon Webb, a homemaker and former military careerwoman.

“His values are in line with mine,” said Ms. Webb, a Hispanic woman. “I don’t think McCain has the same values as me on immigration.”

Ken Kessler, 68, an Army veteran and an engineer was a Mitt Romney fan until he dropped out of the race last week. He said he voted for Mr. Huckabee because “I’m conservative, and he’s the best I could do.”

Despite the Tough Talk

On the Republican side, Mr. McCain hit a unsettling bump in the road to his near-certain nomination. The victories by Mr. Huckabee, a populist ordained Southern Baptist minister, raised questions about Mr. McCain's ability to bring religious conservative voters to his side for the general election. Turnout was low among Republicans, and many of those who did show up were party-faithful religious conservatives. The wins give Mr. Huckabee renewed energy going into Tuesday's primaries, which had been seen to favor Mr. McCain.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Mr. Huckabee won the Kansas caucus with 60% of the vote to Mr. McCain's 20%. Texas congressman Ron Paul received 11%. In Louisiana, the vote was tight. Mr. Huckabee had 43% to Mr. McCain's 42%, with 99% reporting.

"It was an important victory, especially after the pundits spent the past few days saying this campaign is over," said Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman after the victory in Kansas. Despite the tough talk, it's mathematically unlikely that Mr. Huckabee could catch Mr. McCain. After Mr. Huckabee's Kansas win he had a total of 234 delegates, compared with Mr. McCain's 719, according to the Associated Press. A candidate needs 1,191 delegates to secure the Republican nomination.

Barack and Mike Take States in Saturday's Primaries

Barack Obama beat Hillary Rodham Clinton in contests in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington, while Mike Huckabee embarrassed John McCain with wins in Kansas and Louisiana.

More Gracious Than I Am: Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee emails,

Yesterday, Mitt Romney announced that he will no longer seek the Republican nomination for President. I wish Mitt and his family all the best.

Over the past year, Mitt and his entire family have sacrificed a lot during the course of his campaign and for that, we should all be appreciative of their service and dedication.

This is a two-man race for the nomination, and I am committed to marching on. I believe in the importance of a strong national defense -- which includes winning the war against Islamic extremists and the protection of American sovereignty.

I am redoubled in my resolve to carry on my campaign in a civil, dignified manner. The issues that got me into this campaign—protecting life and traditional marriage, defending the 2nd amendment, enacting the FairTax and real border security are going to keep me in this campaign.

Huckabee Shows Steel, Driving His Point Home

Michael Hirsh for NEWSWEEK reports:

Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor who had fallen far off the pace since his upset victory in Iowa, turned into a major power in his own right, winning the key Southern states of Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas. Huckabee's strong showing in the Bible Belt—a region that has become a must-win for Republican candidates in general elections—demonstrated not only that his candidacy is very much alive but that McCain still has a lot of work to do in winning over both his party's conservative base and the presidency.

Huckabee drove the point home, declaring himself McCain's main primary challenger heading into the later primary contests. "I've got to say that Mitt Romney was right about one thing: this is a two-man race," Huckabee said. "He was just wrong about who the other man in the race was. It's me, not him." Despite the good news coming out of the South, Huckabee still got thumped in the rest of the country, in states like New York and New Jersey and Arizona, demonstrating that his appeal may not extend nationally. But the campaign didn't see that as a problem. Huckabee didn't spend resources and time in winner-take-all states in the Northeast, and aides pointed to Florida as an example of his bang-for-the-buck mentality. "In Florida Romney spent $8 million and we spent zero, and we tied with him with zero delegates," said Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman. Huckabee plans to take Wednesday off before starting a full-on blitz in Kansas, Louisiana and Washington in preparation for Saturday's contests. From there it's on to the Potomac region for primaries in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. By then the Huckabee folks hope it will truly be a two-man race. "It's time for Romney to get out," said Saltsman.

'What A Day! We Won'

Mike Huckabee emails,

What a day! Thanks to the hard and tireless work of tens of thousands of supporters nationwide we scored terrific victories last night. You made calls, you sent emails, you wrote letters and waved signs and because of you we won: West Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia and we came oh so very close in Missouri and Oklahoma.

Let’s celebrate a bit this morning, but we must now quickly shift our focus to the next states casting votes: Louisiana, Washington, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Our campaign is already competitive in each of these states but we need to drive our momentum there and begin contacting voters immediately. Kansas, Louisiana and Washington all cast votes on Saturday and The "Chesapeake Primary" (DC, MD and VA) is next Tuesday.

Mike Huckabee Wins Arkansas as Does Hillary Clinton

Former Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee is projected winner of Arkansas Republican primary while former first lady, Hillary Clinton is projected to take the Arkansas Democratic primary.