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On the Bus with Huckabee
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ShareJanuary 11, 2008 11:24 PM
ABC News' Kevin Chupka reports: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has a reputation among the press as being very accessible (at least compared to many of the other presidential candidates). Between St. Johns, Mich., and somewhere on Highway 96 tonight, Huckabee left his plush campaign bus and stepped over bags of Wendy’s leftovers for what is now becoming a semi-regular bus chat. He sits with his back against a bus window and casually answers the questions tossed his way by the still modest traveling press corps.
These bus-time media availabilities, however, afford some reporters time to dig deeper. A more relaxed atmosphere than structured press conferences; we are offered glimpses of the man, more than of the politician. For instance, tonight, after a day in Detroit, a city ravaged by economic downturn the issue of "hope" came up. "Is hope something you can give as a President?" asked one reporter.
Said Huckabee, "Hope has to be built on something tangible but hope is something that you give; it’s what you inspire and encourage in others."
Just because these media availabilities are more laid back does not mean they are any less substantive. For instance, tonight we discussed some of Huckabee’s Democratic counterparts, a subject sometimes lost in the shuffle of Republicans vying for one nomination.
On the similarities between his campaign and that of Barack Obama, Huckabee sees the comparison. He points to some of his rhetoric that Democrats aren’t always wrong and Republicans aren’t always right as both a similarity between him and the junior senator from Illinois, but also as a reason that some in the GOP establishment are so seemingly terrified of Huckabee becoming the Republican nominee.
One reporter went so far to ask whether Huckabee fashions himself as the Obama of the Republican party -– ever the quick wit, Huckabee predictably shot back, "He fashions himself as the Huckabee of the Democratic party."
As for a general election pitting him against either Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton, Huckabee sees a Clinton campaign "focused on the depth and nuances of detailed policy," whereas a race against Obama might be more about "vision and direction and the big picture."
The talk wasn’t all Democrats though. Huckabee also addressed Thursday’s Fox News debate in which Fred Thompson fired at Huckabee directly. This morning, on a rather light-hearted morning cable show he suggested that Thompson, the former senator from Tennessee, take some Metamucil.
Tonight he clarified, "It just seemed like he was very uncomfortable and unhappy last night," adding, "I really do believe that if people can’t have some kind of sense of humor as they approach this stuff, then it causes everybody to become so locked down and consultant driven and their campaigns become so boring because all they’re gonna do is give this robotic answer to everything that is so scripted."
The two buses (the staff and the media) pulled into a rest stop to exchange possible presidential cargo and we continued on to Grand Rapids, the press bus full of typing fingers relaying the latest from our own "fireside chats" with Huckabee.
January 11, 2008 in Giuliani, Rudy | Permalink | User Comments (29)
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This is why he has my vote. He's down to Earth, honest and willing to fight for Michigan. These other candidate are masters at twisting words. McCain is the one who scares me the most with his propaganda of "I'm the only person who supported the surge. I'm the only person with adequate foreign policy experience." Give it a break Senator McCain. You're a 71 year old Washington insider who Republicans turned their back on because of ideas that are anything but conservative. He also bad mouthed evangelicals, including Dr. Dobson about two years ago.
Posted by: Kate Anderson | Jan 13, 2008 8:08:03 AM
As a resident of Arkansas & a former Democrat who several years ago (Reagan Administration) saw the light & became a Republican I want everyone to know the truth about Mike Huckabee. He was the greatest Governor this state ever had. He took a state who's education system & roads had been destroyed by Bill Clinton & his predecessors & fixed it. And he did it even though the overwhelming majority of this state is Democrat. He is the ONLY TRUE CONSERVATIVE in this race. He can fix this nation just as he fixed Arkansas. If you want a man you'll be proud to call Mr. President, Vote for Mike!
Posted by: Cliff | Jan 13, 2008 9:27:15 AM
Mike Huckabee is the only candidate that relates with average, hardworking Americans. Huckabee has my vote, we need servant of the people in office not another bloated Romney, McCain politician!
Posted by: Jenny | Jan 13, 2008 10:34:43 AM
A vote for Huckabee is a return to real Republican values. We used to be a party that was inclusive to all, now it opens its arms to rich, ivy league people and turns the other cheek to the working man.
I want my party back that is why I support Mike Huckabee. The Republican party is just for the rich and white. I am an African American and I feel that Huckabee is the only hope to bring minorities back into the Republican party.Huckabee I am behind you 100%!
Posted by: Gabe | Jan 13, 2008 10:38:53 AM
I want to thank all of you for your in put, especially Anita, Cliff and Gabe. We have allowed our leaders to get away with a lot because we have been so busy with faith and family. We are given finances to help serve others and not to spend them on ourselves - Mike Huckabee is reminding us all of that fact.
Mike Huckabee speaks with "humble authority", he defines and stays with the issues that are important to all of us and he sees it in a biblical world view which makes the greatest difference of all.
Faith - Family - Freedom along with Hope.
We Vote Huckabee in Florida and all the way to the White House. We also have put our money and time where our mouth is - hope all of you will do the same.
Ocala, FL
Posted by: Joyce Bowden | Jan 13, 2008 11:04:00 AM
I was in St Johns, Michigan myself and was out by the busses and saw this actually happen. After Governor Huckabee cheerfully shook hands with many and stopped to pose for pictures with those who asked, he went to his own bus briefly and spoke to the bus driver, then boarded the press bus and off they went. Now I know why all of that happened. Governor Huckabee is for real!
Posted by: Teresa | Jan 13, 2008 12:02:00 PM
Huckabee's biggest advantage is that his platform is designed to defend Americans from the left-wing nanny state and right-wing corporate feudalism.
He not only offers something that no Democrat offers, but his policies are clearly superior to those of his Republican opponents as well.
He captures the change vote but he also has more executive experience than most of the Republican front-runners (I have to check on McCain) so he offers both stability and renewal. Again, this is something the others do not even try to talk about.
Factor in his youth (which is a big consideration when you think how quickly presidents age once in office), charm, and eloquence and you have an uber-qualified populist conservative candidate with the power to pain more than a handful of blue states red.
Posted by: StubbleSpark | Jan 13, 2008 1:39:42 PM
The ABC news story commented about Governor Huckabee's "fireside chats" on the bus. Underlying that comment is a growing awareness of professionals in and out of politics of the most fundamentally interesting tipping point this campaign represents. It is not since FDR and Ronald Reagan that this country has seen the quiet personal professional skills that the Governor displays.
Posted by: Robert Fried | Jan 13, 2008 2:05:40 PM
PJ,
The Dems have been known to bus in homeless,etc. to skew the vote. In New Hampshire, you can register to vote in the primary on the day of the primary, thus eliminating the time needed for checking the legality of the voter.
MAD JAYHAWK stated:
"The media listens to the DNC which has declared Huckabee off limits for critical articles. The DNC wants Huckabee to win."
My response was just to let Mad Jayhawk know that his theory was wrong. If the DNC really wanted Gov. Huckabee to win so they could wipe-the-floor with him in the general election, they could have easily manipulated it in New Hampshire because of the registration deadline (basically a non-existent deadline).
Thanks for the kudos -
Nobody but Mike!
Posted by: Anita | Jan 14, 2008 11:10:40 PM
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