Talk about a "Hit Job"

So, Huckabee thinks "none of us couldn've predicted what Dumond could've done when he got out." Hey, I could have predicted it... past behaviour is a pretty good indicator of future behaviour!

Wasn't DuMond's original victim a distant cousin of Bill Clinton's? I thought that was why he became such a cause celebre of the right.

I'm glad to see Huckabee's sleazy manueverings re DuMond under a big media spotlight.

It is sad that this happened, but I fear we aren't getting the whole story, or the truth. I find it increasingly difficult to trust polititions, now that I hear what they say and realize that it's all just vote fishing. They'll tell you what you want to hear to get you to vote for them. The question is in the evidence used to originally convict the man. If it is proven to be handled incorrectly or false, then I can see Huckabee's reasoning. But if it was legit and handled properly, then he was convicted fair and square, so Huckabee's reasoning is incorrect. Either that or Huckabee and the man were friends. It's too early to tell.

The investagation needs to continue, but until it ends, blaming Mike Huckabee is stupidity. A man was released and then raped and murdered again... this is not Huckabee's fault. If for some reason Huckabee truely put pressure on the board to release him then maybe he should be held accountable. For this mother to jump to conclusions and make statements like this stupid. Grow up and wait to see what is truely going on.

The lead paragraph in this story states that Huckabee freed Dumond. A misleading statement. Dumond was freed by an autonomous parole board. If the members of the parole board had felt that Dumond was a danger, they could have kept him in prison. When the members of the board try to lay the blame for their decision on Huckabee, they show the weakness of their own character.

Did we learn nothing from Bush/Dukakis?? One mistaken pardon and we erase the thousands of good decisions Huckabee has made? Wow, it's no wonder the "good guys" won't run for office...if the public will only focus on one mistake and not consider the many good things a candidate has done in the past, why would anyone consider running for President???

I agree...why aren't these judges that let these creeps loose on the general population held accountable for their actions? If somebody gets 25 yrs. then why isn't he still there? Parole should not be granted because it undercuts the sentencing. This creep should've been given the chair anyway.

Cross him off too, I guess. Just don't vote, you Republicans. Stay home. God forbid you ever even think of voting for a competent Democratic candidate. Naw. Just stay home next election day. Stay home.

take the credit and get the blame. Huckabee in charge when Dumond released so it is 100% Huckabee's fault. It's always the top dog's fault and that why he get the big bucks..... superior judgement, he don't have it....

nate - You're an idiot. Show some compassion, for God's sake. Shame on you.

Gov. Huckabee is a decent man, and you should be ashamed to spread this kind of slime around. Besides being factually incorrect, your story ignores the fact that governors deal with hundreds of parole cases, and holding anyone responsible for what hundreds of different people do after release is an impossible standard. Why don't you run a story about how Mike Huckabee saved the lives of many hurricane victims from Louisiana after Katrina?

Dumond was castrated while in jail before he was convicted of the first rape - some felt he was punished enough after that - I'm not a Huckabee fan but he didn't know that Dumond would do what he did to that poor woman in Missouri -

Well, the mudslinging had to happen sometime. This is just awful and I certainly feel for Ms. Davidson's pain. Maybe it's a good sign for Huckabee that it took this long for something to surface. Look deep enough and you'll find the skeletons in everyones' closets. I don't really think that this does enough to discredit the former governor, but nevertheless, that's terribly sad story.

Mike Huckabee will win in spite of this sort of desperate mudslinging.

Duh. Huckabee is obviously evil. He's just foaming at the mouth to set some murderers loose!

Sorry to hear. Obviously the sentencing of life plus 25 years shows that the court could predict his behaviour and did everything it could to keep him locked up. My question is why was Huck so hot to free this guy? They say he exerted pressure for the release -well then, who exerted pressure on him? These
pushs for a release do not come out of the clear blue sky. Makes we wonder who got to him and why he was such a soft
touch on this. What is the whole story? What went on? These news reports are so half a..ed and just tease the reader.

Huckabee needs to man up if he is responsible, as Miss Davidson claims. I am so sorry for your loss, ma'm. May God bless you and your family and all her friends. Stories like this are so heartbreaking.

What I want to know is why is this story the most prominent on the front page, and yet not one word about the Dem fundraiser Hsu indictment? Or the Cantwell(D)aide sex arrest?
Spread the slime around equally, ABC.

Ignorance is bliss and stories like these are written to appeal to those that are bliss filled.
How is it the Gov.'s fault? And does this young woman's mother blame the parole board as well?

May Carol Sue rest in peace!

Huckleberry has his own Willie Horton now.

ABC needs to run this on their regular news program, not just this blog.

IF Hucleberry was a Dem, it would be all over the mass media right now.

But IOKIYAR.

Yes, Huckabee is personally responsible for her daughter's rape and death.

Get a life. Read the whole story. I swear....No wonder ABC news can't get the ratings! I'd expect this of CNN...but ABC?

Come on you guys...you all can and SHOULD do better.

Why do I get the feeling that ABCNEWS is intentionally NOT telling a complete (unbiased) story here. I am sure there is a LOT more information from the Huckabee side than was presented - instead it's the usual fire and forget tactics, say something dreadful about a person without any consquences to themselves....

Liberal Media - tainted political stabs at an already impressionable liberal audience. Biased media - definitely. Waste of time - yes. Huckaabee WILL surprise all mainly because absolutes and the truth will always fight as well as be supported. Remember America that feelings should always come last when weighted decisions are made - feelings are temporary. By the way, anybody that is released from prison can do whatever they choose - any released prisoner could do exactly what happened in this case. Life is a risk - always and at any time.

This seems like a shoddy journalism (and I'm a Ron Paul supporter!)

The lead paragraph in this story states that Huckabee freed Dumond. A misleading statement. Dumond was freed by an autonomous parole board. If the members of the parole board had felt that Dumond was a danger, they could have kept him in prison. When the members of the board try to lay the blame for their decision on Huckabee, they show the weakness of their own character.

Come on people, this is a partial story at best with only limited information and would have to be closely looked at to see what if any impacts. This is an attempt to throw mud in the last days of the run before the Iowa cacus and is simply an effort to sway opinion and anything about any of the canidates at this point should be taken with a grain of salt. What happend to this woman and her family is horrible. The person who commited the crime is who is to blame.

Tt is funny that the republican are now
saying that it is unfair to Huckabee to
look negatively on him regarding his action in the release of the prisoner that went and committed a murder once freed, but they did'nt see it that way
when it happened to Dukakis.

Dumond was an evil man and he was the problem.

Huckabee was a new Governor in a heavy democrat state - the whole parole board was appointed by Clinton and Tucker. Do you really think that he had enough influence to change their mind?

It is a tragic story and it is truly awful. Every time Huckabee runs for office, they bring this up... I just don't see how he can be held responsible for the parole board's decision.

Just a few facts.

This criminal was 'railroaded' because the orginal victim was a relative of Bill Clinton. There were a lot of doubts about his original guilt. The parole board was entirely made up of people appointed by Democrats (Clinton and Tucker). The amount of 'power' Huckabee had over them was nil. They are the ones that made the decision to release, not Huckabee.

This article is just full of half-truths

This is a LOW BLOW by abc.

"This just in Mike Huckabee responsible for the 1930's great depression....details to come."

Mike had NOT the authority or ability to free anyone...Drummond was freed by a parole board.

This story is DESPICABLE!

The total country is tooooo soft on crime - I would have voted for Huck
but since this is coming to light
will not - hopefully their will be
a third party candiate

Huckabee just another neo con.

All right,

First, the notion that Huckabee "pressured" a parole board made up completely of Democrats opposed to Huckabee is absolutely absurd.

Second, he did NOT pardon this killer, nor did he express his opinion to "have him pardoned." A governor doesn't pardon criminals.

Finally, what good does finger-pointing do to anyone, most of all the family of the victim?

Mike Huckabee had nothing to do with "freeing" Dumond. Huckabee's only OFFICIAL action in the Dumond case was DENYING DuMond clemecy. He did so just moments after the state parole board granted DuMond a parole on condition that another state take him.

Consider this before taking this article (or ANY news article or source) at face value.

This is just like blaming President Bush for the wild fires in California which some people actually did. This isn't the entire story first of all and secondly I can assure you that everyone of the people running for office has made a mistake and some of them have made more than one believe it or not. If this is the worst he has done then we should skip the election and just give him the job. You want to know why there aren't issues like this with the Senator's running for office? Because they don't do anything...the only people qualified to be President are Bill Richardson, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Rudy Guliani...the rest of them are worthless...they prove it every day in their current jobs. They have never run a city or state, balanced a budget, or been directly responsible for people in a city or state. They bicker and fight to get pork barrel bills passed to help their friends while the people I mentioned earlier are actually running some form of government.

After Dumond was charged with raping a distant cousin of the Clintons, Dumond was attacked and castrated. The local sheriff displayed Dumond's testicles on his front porch. Many believe that the Clintonistas were behind the attack. This has nothing to do with the eventual parole of Dumond, but I post it here to encourage all of you to investigate this case thoroughly on your own. It is a tragic case all around. But, one thing is for certain--Governor Huckabee did not parole Dumond.

Dumond was paroled not pardoned. A governor can only pardon, not parole. Ultimately, the parole board is who freed Dumond. I am sure the parole board members are trying to find someone to blame for their desicion.

Our hearts and prayers should go out to the family of Carol Sue instead of bringing up this tragedy in an attempt to destroy a good man, who would be a great leader for our nation.

You are only hearing one side of the story. Let Mr. Huckabee speak his side. Personally he has my vote 100%.

How about we wait for more facts to come clear before jumping to conclusions. I think it is interesting that this makes big headlines right as Gov. Huckabee gets to the top of the polls in Iowa.

I hope this does not come down to a "Willie Horton" witch hunt. If so, the money line will probably come back to Hillary at some point.

I'm not a Huckabee fan, but it does seem to me that the article is a little misleading stating that HE released Dumond, as opposed to stating he applied pressure, which is what he did do apparently. I think a large question here is WHY he applied the pressure. If there was something nefarious, I am sure this reporting unit would have said something (not well known for being incredibly conservative friendly). Instead, I would assume that Huckabee's own conscience led him to this action, and THAT is what we should judge him by. Do we trust his conscience? I don't know, but it is something to think about.

This isn't a story about the rape and murder (which is sad and painful for the family)...it is a smear story on Huckabee. Sure it's sad that it happened, but the last time I checked the Govenor wasn't the person that granted him parole and I am safe to bet that he wasn't there with a key to let him out.

Huckabee was Governor and on the Parol board. He was highly influential in this decision. I am against Pardons all together, I believe we should trust our judges and jury's and not a governors gut. This shows really poor leadership and character on Huckabees part. He is out of consideration in my book. Bill Clinton is another famous person with a love of pardons. Bad people do time to keep them from doing more!

Huckabee pressured the parole board to release Dumond because Dumond's first victim - the teenager - was a relative of Bill Clinton. Huckabee was trying to score points with the rabidly anti-Clinton right wing. Because of Huckabee's pandering, Dumond was able to kill another victim.

Read what notorious Clinton-hater Steve Dunleavy wrote back then:

'"The new Governor, Mike Huckabee, has assured me Wayne will be a free man,' Mrs. Dumond said Thursday. 'He is not one of the Clinton crowd. He is a very fair man. He has always been disturbed about the way the Clinton people never wanted my husband free,' she added."

Blaming Huckabee for this mans actions is absolutely ignorant! This story is completely one sided and even though it is very hard to deal with from a mothers point of view, there was no way that anyone who didn't personally have a relationship with that sick man could have known that he would do this. This is the same as blaming a judge for someone that is a repeat convict.

Who is this Lois Davidson being quoted? I see no context or relationship whatsoever to the story.

Without any context or comments from the Huckabee camp, this is a pretty nasty hit-piece.

Huckabee in no way acted to commute or pardon the sentence of Dumond. This is a sad and horrible story, but this is not Mike Huckabee's fault.

The judge in this case should be removed from the bench for freeing this man who raped and murdered a young woman. If Huckabee was an influence in the Judges decision then both are to blame. This criminal should not be walking the streets. I agree with the mother, she should sue Huckabee and the Judge both. I sincerely hope she has a good lawyer to put this man back in prison. Furthermore, Huckabee is not going anywhere. He has to be glad to win in Iowa but he's not going to win many states if any more. He's not that well known like all his rivals are. I still believe Hillary will win the nomination no matter how many comments are made about her. Obama will go back to being a senator and that's where he belongs.

Lawrence - I think you were a little rough on the mother. What if you lost a child because of a horrific violent act done by someone who had previously been convicted of a similiar crime and then had been released from prison early by a parole board? I think I'd call someone to task for it -- don't tell me to grow up.

The ghost of Wille Horton has risen again. I wonder which republican camp had dug this up.

My God. I'm not even a Republican and can't stand the religious right but this sensationalist mudslinging is ridiculous. Politics just gets uglier and uglier.

It has been reported that Governor Huckabee released, pardoned, or granted parole to convicted rapist Wayne Dumond. That is not true. It's interesting that Wayne Dumond's name only surfaces during an election year for Governor Huckabee. In 2002, his Democrat opponent in the midst of the general election made a political issue out the entire thing. Arkansas voters didn't buy this false attack from the Democrat in 2002 and re-elected Governor Huckabee to another term as Governor of Arkansas. Here are the facts of the Dumond case:

Governor Jim Guy Tucker gave executive clemency to Wayne DuMond, and commuted his sentence to 39.5 years. This action made Wayne DuMond immediately eligible for parole.

The parole board was made up entirely of Democrats appointed by Democrat Governors Bill Clinton and Jim Guy Tucker (who was later convicted on federal charges and removed from office). Not one member of the board was appointed by Huckabee.

Governor Huckabee never took action in the DuMond case that made him parole eligible.

Governor Huckabee either denied Wayne DuMond's clemency request, or took no action (which is the same as a denial) on four separate occasions.

Governor Huckabee did not parole Wayne Dumond. Governor Huckabee had no authority to do that. Governors in Arkansas don't grant parole-the parole board does.

The fact remains that Governor Huckabee didn't commutate, pardon, parole or grant any form of clemency to Wayne DuMond.

Go MIKE! I believe in you!

Be careful of what you read! Very misleading introduction to this story. Remember ABC is one of the left wing media outlets, so show some intelligence,please, since I see very little of it here. The parole board decided first to free this guy. First of all this man was not a murderer, he was sentenced for rape. Rapists don't do life. I guess we need to keep EVERY single criminal in jail if this is going to be everybody's attitude.

Wow. I guess the other people running are scared...this comes out right after it's announced that he's the leader of the pack. Typical. Here we go for a roll in the mud. I really hope he wins out though. He's the only one in the race that I would cast my vote for.

Lawrence - I think you were a little rough on the mother. What if you lost a child because of a horrific violent act done by someone who had previously been convicted of a similiar crime and then had been released from prison early by a parole board? I think I'd call someone to task for it -- don't tell me to grow up.

Governor Jim Guy Tucker gave executive clemency to Wayne DuMond, and commuted his sentence to 39.5 years. This action made Wayne DuMond immediately eligible for parole.

The parole board was made up entirely of Democrats appointed by Democrat Governors Bill Clinton and Jim Guy Tucker (who was later convicted on federal charges and removed from office). Not one member of the board was appointed by Huckabee.

Governor Huckabee never took action in the DuMond case that made him parole eligible.

Governor Huckabee either denied Wayne DuMond's clemency request, or took no action (which is the same as a denial) on four separate occasions.

Governor Huckabee did not parole Wayne Dumond. Governor Huckabee had no authority to do that. Governors in Arkansas don't grant parole-the parole board does.

The fact remains that Governor Huckabee didn't commutate, pardon, parole or grant any form of clemency to Wayne DuMond.

Seems ABC is also scared now, because Huckabee is now a clear winner. That's the reason why you are making this headline? If God will really allow Huckabee for this nation nobody can be against God. He is a man of God and that's what the Lord want for this country. He want His man to lead this country.

GOD BLESS US ALL.

Its all politics, lets see who the mom is voting for!!!

Interesting that you (ABC) should choose to headline this "story" the day Huckabee is tied to be the the front runner nationally. Hmm

And if Huckabee doesn't get elected? Does that mean God didn't want Huck elected or that Huck wasn't God's man? The fact of the matter is that you have absolutely no clue what God wants. You need to have a serious reality check. You're naively obnoxious and you don't know what God wants or what his will is.
If Huck wins-God wanted it!
If he loses-Oh God didn't will it!

You should be ashamed of yourself.

The lib media is working overtime to "get" Huckabee. Yet, Hillary and her scandals are untouchable. Go figure how Hillary got such "good friends" in the media. $$$$ Cashola talks. Have the "news" people been partaking?

Oh please. I don't know Mike Huckabee and have no intention of voting for him, but governors approve paroles on a regular basis. If the parole board let this guy out then they are as responsible as anyone else.

A parolee went on to continue hurting people.

It ain't Huckabee's fault. This is Swift Boating at it's finest.

Nice Hit job ABC. I guess ABC is scared of Huckabee as well. :-) This story has no merrit and they know it. Its typical media trying to make a story and stir up controversy. Mike did not parol this guy. The parol board made up of Democrats did. They are at fault. And even so, no one even those Democrat parol board are at fault. No one knows what someone will do after they are released. Lets get statistics as to how many crimes are committed after folks are released from prison. This is not a story, nor do I care. This is just like going after Romney because his judge appointy. NO STORY.

If this isn't a hit job...what is? Wow, ABC and Brian Ross...If you are going to report news to the ignorant public can you at least provide all the facts? One small and ambiguous paragraph giving Huckabee's side of the story? This is why ABC's ratings are in the toilet...

Huckabee for President! Vote Huckabee!

Tell the whole story ABC! By NOT telling the complete unbiased story they misrepresent Huckabee! Why not tell the whole story from Huckabee's point of view? Drive-by media, that's why! Vote Huckabee!

I'm very sorry for he loss this poor mother went through. Completely sad.

It seems all candidates for president have something they 'regret'; everyone that is, except Ron Paul. I don't think you'll ever see a factual negative headline for Ron Paul which is another reason he should be our next president.

This is more of an effort to smear someone that is becoming a leading candidate then to actually give a news story. Why did they never bring up the people that Bill Clinton pardoned that hired members of his family as lawyers?

This guy is just another Republican who probably lives along with his other Rep buddies hiding in mens rooms looking to hookup with another man.

These Republicans make me sick, claiming their so conservative, and then waddaya know, they're found to be doing wrong doings.

Holy than thou, the people make me sick, because they are the biggest hypocrits alive.

It never ceases to amaze me how liberal media can take a story, share one side with skewed facts, and try to pass it off as being wholly true.

Something tells me we're not getting the whole story. This is just to get people to jump to conclusions and blame Huckabee for the murder of the girl. People get paroled all the time and don't go and kill people. You really can't predict every murder that is going to happen.

Look, everyone makes mistakes, unfortunately this had major consequences. Mike Huckabee misjudged a man's character. If he had any clue this man would kill again, he would have never let him free. Oh yeah, also note this convict fooled an entire parole board, whose job is to judge people's character. This entire article is just another example of left wing media. If this had happened to Hillary Clinton I guarantee it wouldn't be posted.

If this happened in 1999, then I think the woman already knows what went on.

This is such garbage journalism. All of a sudden, now that Huckabee is a real contender, suddenly this Missouri mother's "plight" has significance? I have confidence Huckabee will overcome this trash gotcha journalism.

The reason Huckabee wanted Dumond free was because 1) Clinton didn't; and 2) Dumond's first victim was a distant cousin of Clinton's. Dumond became a cause celebre to the fringe Clinton-haters. Huckabee was pandering to them when he pressured the parole board, and when he offered to commute Dumond's sentence. Thanks to Huckabee's pandering, Dumond claimed another victim. Telling this story isn't a "smear," it's telling the simple truth.

When you print a headline you owe the whole story,, ABC. The headline was a great eyecatcher as you intended it to be. First glance suggested that Huckabee was an accessory to murder. Further reading showed nothing concrete except 2nd hand opinions. hopefully, what you printed was an introduction to a few forthcoming chapters.

What's worse, Huckabee was involved w/ this parole because right-wingers thought that the parolee (who went on to kill again), had been wrongly accused of killing a Clinton relative.

Hey Bill,

It's the Liberal media that threw him into the limelight in the first place. Show me something on Fred Thompson or Duncan Hunter!

A paid actor on (and the number 5 man in the oh so trustworthy polls) the Right has more experience in governement than your running Man, Hillary. (6 years representative vs 2.5 years senate)

You stay home. I want the right person in POTUS. Huck ain't it.

I am deeply sorry about your loss. I would much rather have Romney for president over Huckabee, however... I personally feel that this alone is not a reason to not vote for Huckabee. I feel there is too much being left out of the whole story. Like I said, I am sorry about the loss of life, chastity and your daughter. But I am a bit leary of basing my vote on a story that I only know one side and has heavy personal emotions tied to it.

Typical ABC so-called "News." Let's face it. Each one of us has made at least one horrible mistake or has done what we thought was right only to see devastating results. I cannot understand why anyone would judge any candidate on a single event. If you want to report a news story, why not try to figure out why this guy is suddenly surging in the polls. That's what I'm investigating, and I'm not even a reporter!

this is kind of ridiculous... all the republicans are fighting over who can demonize criminals, illegal immigrants, and Muslims the most. This is pure slime as far as I can tell. Sometimes decisions will backfire, but that doesn't mean we should sentence all criminals to jail for life. If the man deserved to be paroled, then what happens afterwards is not Huckabee's responsibility. Obviously, all the sympathy in the world for the victim's mom, but it's easy to point fingers at others, while the true responsibility is only with the murderer.

As a native Arkansan, believe me, Mike Huckabee is the reason Dumond was freed. He made it happen and then pretended he "forgot" what he said to the parole board. At least one of the parole board members was reappointed right after this happened.

Huckabee is greedy, too. He wrote a book right after the Westside School Shootings, went all over the media promoting the book, then did not donate any of the profits to the children who were murdered and injured by the gunmen. He also was way to busy vacationing on the beach to come back for the memorial service for the four little girls and teacher who were shot.

Christian? Yeah, right.

"Governor Jim Guy Tucker gave executive clemency to Wayne DuMond, and commuted his sentence to 39.5 years. This action made Wayne DuMond immediately eligible for parole.

The parole board was made up entirely of Democrats appointed by Democrat Governors Bill Clinton and Jim Guy Tucker (who was later convicted on federal charges and removed from office). Not one member of the board was appointed by Huckabee."

The truth comes out!

I love it when mere mortals have the audacity to state what God 'wants' for this nation, or for anything else quite frankly.

The evangalicals are foaming at the mouth for Shuckabee cuz they found another mouthpiece to spout their wingnut ideas without hesitation.

Isn't it enough that George W proved to be an absolute hypocrite when it come to his being a "Believer"?

The more a candidate talks God, the less I want him in charge of this nation, kinda like religious leaders of the Middle Eastern countries you "Believers" claim to hate.

Whether Huckabeee pardoned this guy or not, he strikes me as another wolf in sheeps clothing...

But then again, who am I to judge?

This nation is so screwed.

I bet God called him on the telephone and told him to release Dumond! I don't trust anyone that claims to talk to God. The pope doesn't even claim to talk to God!

Willie Horton Part II.

A former parole board member tells ABC News that Huckabee exerted strong pressure on the board to release Dumond.

During the campaign, Huckabee has insisted he played only a minor role in Dumond's release and had concerns that Dumond had been wrongly convicted.

****************************************
The Truth Comes Out, this is directly from the article. THANKS SciFi!