“Fox News poses as a news organization and puts out dangerous misinformation and is a cheerleader for the Bush administration, misinforming our society. But you know what? They’re entitled to do that.” – Howard Kurtz
As a Fox News viewer, I disagree with Kurtz. And I do think that we need to call in some others to help figure out the mess we are in.. in Afghanistan. Are we going to stay there for yet another 10 years while their farmers feed the world it’s heroin, for instance.
1. Compitent governor of a bluish swing state with strong Democratic majorities locally.
2. Deep well of Evangelical support, but not abrasive enough to irritate moderates. He also has a good, solid economic record and has gotten pretty good reviews on his foreign policy stuff thus far.
3. Connects well with blue collar voters and suburban moderates, two must-wins for Republicans in 2012.
4. He’d…actually be pretty good at the job.
5. Even if he doesn’t win, his nomination will not do irreparable harm to the party and movement.
But then, I’m not the kind of person to get wildly enthusiastic about candidates; others might have more…dynamic criteria.
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 23, 2011; 5:56 PM
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, setting himself apart from most other Republicans, said Wednesday he sees no obvious endgame to the war in Afghanistan and expressed grave doubts about how the United States extricates itself from a conflict that is now nearly a decade old.
“What’s the endgame we’re playing here?” he told reporters at a session hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. “I can’t see a conclusion.”
Huckabee, who ran for president in 2008 and is contemplating another campaign in 2012, described Afghanistan as a political and economic basket case. The government of President Hamid Karzai is “incredibly and hopelessly corrupt,” he said, adding that he doubted that would change.
Farmers, he said, have little incentive to grow anything other than poppies, which feed the heroin trade, because of poor conditions. “You go to Afghanistan and look around and ask, am I in a country or on the surface of the moon?”
Huckabee said many of the conditions that have made it possible for Iraq to begin to develop an economy and a democracy do not exist in Afghanistan, making it all the more difficult for U.S. policy to succeed there.
Asked what should be done, he expressed frustration. “The honest answer is I don’t think any of us knows exactly,” he said. “We are there. I’m asking people to tell me what it is we do to say we’re done.”
Huckabee, who unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination in 2008, is one of the few Republicans to openly question the war in Afghanistan.
A.J. Nolte Says:
February 24th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
“Even if he doesn’t win, his nomination will not do irreparable harm to the party and movement.”
===
T-Paw = Sacrificial Lamb.
No, thank you. That would end his career.
If we’re gonna lose to Obama no matter what (say, if the economy rebounds enough), let’s throw Newt or even Mitt up as our nominee. They’re a couple OLD guys anyway.
Huckabee is correct in his questioning of Afghan. There is nothing in this statement with which I would disagree. I suspect that a number of other GOP conservatives think the same thing—they just won’t say it, yet. His most salient line is the final sentence: “And we can’t afford it.”
“Mike Huckabee has done a better job of covering his tracks than even former Governor and First Lady of Arkansas, Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Right at the end of Huckabee’s eleven-year stint as Arkansas’ Governor, he ordered the hard drives crashed on every computer so that no one would ever have access to his papers.
Not only that, but now the churches where he served as pastor refuse to release any of the sermons he delivered, and I am truly dying to know what’s in them that Huckabee finds so potentially offensive to mainstream America.”
I guess that’s why there are no ‘tell-all’ books coming out about Huckabee.
teledude Says:
February 24th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
“This Pawlenty video is an opportunist attempt to insert himself into an issue he has no connection to for political gain.
His ‘sign the petition nonsense is just farming for emails.
So transparent…but I’m sure he’s getting desperate.”
==
So now the Palin supporters are going after T-Paw by calling him “desperate”? That’s funny. Since Palin’s only chance for the nomination is that others don’t run.
Also two-term Governor Pawlenty is infinitely more likeable, qualified, and experienced than Palin with her infamous 30 months and out.
This is a good move by Pawlenty. Expressing solidarity with Walker is something every major Republican should be doing right now. The only thing that gives me any qualms about having Pawlenty as my number 2 guy is that he’s also Craig’s number 2 guy.
DeMint – out!
Pence – out!
Thune – out!
Christie – out!
Huckabee – out!
Daniels – shot himself in the foot
Romney – 50/50 if he will even run now (without Huckabee he knows he can’t beat Sarah)
In a historic vote, the state Senate today approved legislation that requires the Board of Health to create regulation for abortion centers in Virginia! After over two decades of hiding behind a veil of political secrecy, abortion centers in Virginia will now face greater scrutiny and better health standards.
After a long and passionate debate on the Senate floor, the vote was 20-20 with Lt. Governor Bill Bolling casting the deciding vote in favor of the bill!
We will provide more information on this tremendous victory later.
Based on what we’ve learned from the new Palin manuscript, teletude might be Willow, Bristol, or even Sarah herself. Sarah Palin is a great Alaska gal! Come clean teletude, what is your relation to the Palin machine? Makes me wonder how many of the Hotair commenters are paid Palin staffers.
Daniels is too unpredictable for me. The drug issue when he was younger is forgettable, but the erratic behavior on conservative policy as of late is a huge red flag.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Scott Walker, Tim Pawlenty, and John Kasich = The good guys from the Great Lakes region of North America
You too, Kavon
February 24th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
GOP12 tweets..
February 24th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
GOP12 tweets..
T-Paw is still my personal second favorite possible candidate for 2012.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
Daniels was my third. I guess Barbour or Perry moves to three after Huck and Pawlenty but there is a big drop off from 2nd to 3rd.
Barbour has some issues and I’m not talking about just his lobbying. But no politician is perfect. They’re politicians!
Perry has serious budget problems in Texas, but then again, they all do.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Howard Kurtz
Five reasons Huckabee isn’t running for president
1. He admitted he has no idea what to do about Afghanistan.
2. He confessed that he wants to keep making a nice salary at Fox News.
3. He offered an impassioned defense of his decision to grant clemency to an Arkansas convict who went on to kill four police officers.
4. He has bulked up again and does not look in shape for political combat.
5. And, yes, he praised Michelle Obama.
===========================================
Right on Kurtz!There are much more than 5 reasons.
Now you need to post :”5 reasons why Tim
Pawlenty should run for president”.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
“Fox News poses as a news organization and puts out dangerous misinformation and is a cheerleader for the Bush administration, misinforming our society. But you know what? They’re entitled to do that.” – Howard Kurtz
As a Fox News viewer, I disagree with Kurtz. And I do think that we need to call in some others to help figure out the mess we are in.. in Afghanistan. Are we going to stay there for yet another 10 years while their farmers feed the world it’s heroin, for instance.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
1. Compitent governor of a bluish swing state with strong Democratic majorities locally.
2. Deep well of Evangelical support, but not abrasive enough to irritate moderates. He also has a good, solid economic record and has gotten pretty good reviews on his foreign policy stuff thus far.
3. Connects well with blue collar voters and suburban moderates, two must-wins for Republicans in 2012.
4. He’d…actually be pretty good at the job.
5. Even if he doesn’t win, his nomination will not do irreparable harm to the party and movement.
But then, I’m not the kind of person to get wildly enthusiastic about candidates; others might have more…dynamic criteria.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Responding to 4. Oh, and I forgot to mention, he might put the midwest and upper midwest solidly in play for us.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/23/AR2011022305540.html?hpid=moreheadlines
I’m confident that Governor Huckabee will try and do the right thing and get a sensible strategy concerning Afghanistan.
What we’ve done so far is NOT working. And we can’t afford it.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
A.J. Nolte Says:
February 24th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
“Even if he doesn’t win, his nomination will not do irreparable harm to the party and movement.”
===
T-Paw = Sacrificial Lamb.
No, thank you. That would end his career.
If we’re gonna lose to Obama no matter what (say, if the economy rebounds enough), let’s throw Newt or even Mitt up as our nominee. They’re a couple OLD guys anyway.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
#8 – Craig,
Huckabee is correct in his questioning of Afghan. There is nothing in this statement with which I would disagree. I suspect that a number of other GOP conservatives think the same thing—they just won’t say it, yet. His most salient line is the final sentence: “And we can’t afford it.”
February 24th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
A.J. Nolte,
You forgot #6:
Mouchelle Obama’s and Joy(less) Behar’s
best friend Huckabee will not run.
February 24th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
#4: I’m waiting for the 500 reasons why Sarah Palin won’t run; heck it could even be a book!
February 24th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
American Thinker..12/2007…
“Mike Huckabee has done a better job of covering his tracks than even former Governor and First Lady of Arkansas, Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Right at the end of Huckabee’s eleven-year stint as Arkansas’ Governor, he ordered the hard drives crashed on every computer so that no one would ever have access to his papers.
Not only that, but now the churches where he served as pastor refuse to release any of the sermons he delivered, and I am truly dying to know what’s in them that Huckabee finds so potentially offensive to mainstream America.”
I guess that’s why there are no ‘tell-all’ books coming out about Huckabee.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Timing is everything.
On the heels of the revelation of Reverend Wright’s decades long relationship with Mohmmar Kaddaffi…
today, Huckabee said the GOP made “too big of a deal” out of Rev. Wright/Obama in the 2008 campaign.
He is self destructing.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Yeah, all the polls show that, teledude.
Oh, wait.. it’s Palin in complete total free fall.
http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.com/contests/us-favorability-palin
February 24th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
This Pawlenty video is an opportunist attempt to insert himself into an issue he has no connection to for political gain.
His ‘sign the petition nonsense is just farming for emails.
So transparent…but I’m sure he’s getting desperate.
He’s been running the longest and still has zero traction. No one would recognize him on the street. You can’t run for president incognito.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Huckabee: ‘I don’t have a lot of reserve built up’
$2.8 Million mortgage amortized over 30 years at 5% nets a monthly payment of $15,031.
$15,031 a month for thirty years. + ‘I don’t have a lot of reserve built up’ = He won’t run.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
Craig, you need to talk those poll numbers over with 2008′s nominees, Rudy and Hillary.
They have some insight for you.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
teledude Says:
February 24th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
“This Pawlenty video is an opportunist attempt to insert himself into an issue he has no connection to for political gain.
His ‘sign the petition nonsense is just farming for emails.
So transparent…but I’m sure he’s getting desperate.”
==
So now the Palin supporters are going after T-Paw by calling him “desperate”? That’s funny. Since Palin’s only chance for the nomination is that others don’t run.
Also two-term Governor Pawlenty is infinitely more likeable, qualified, and experienced than Palin with her infamous 30 months and out.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
pawlentyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Oh sorry, was I snoring?
February 24th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
Huckabee was just on the 700 club and said if enough people buy his book, he’d be encouraged to run.
No thanks.
He’s just not a serious person anymore.
Hey did anyone hear Rush today? He spent about an hour talking about how it would be under a Palin administration.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Interesting headline from Time:
Sarah Palin Wins On National Security, Mitt Romney Hurts On Social Issues
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2011/02/24/sarah-palin-wins-on-national-security-mitt-romney-hurts-on-social-issues/
February 24th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
This is a good move by Pawlenty. Expressing solidarity with Walker is something every major Republican should be doing right now. The only thing that gives me any qualms about having Pawlenty as my number 2 guy is that he’s also Craig’s number 2 guy.
That’s enough to foster a lot of introspection.
February 24th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
19. Teledude, my friend..
Palin’s dismal poll numbers and favorabilities are historically low.
Six recent Public Policy Polling tweets..
February 24th, 2011 at 4:00 pm
This:
The difference between voting present and real leadership.
http://iowans4palin.blogspot.com/2011/02/difference-between-voting-present-and.html
I bet I’ll see Craig in Iowa stumping for Palin before it’s all over…
February 24th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
You can talk poll numbers with President Hillary okay?
I’m too mature for that nonsense.
February 24th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Good for Mr. Pawlenty.
February 24th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Dave,
T-Paw and Huck = 18 1/2 combined YEARS of successfully balancing budgets as governors. Each one.
Romney and Palin = Oh wait, should I just count # of months as governors???
Big difference between the first two and the second two.
February 24th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
DeMint – out!
Pence – out!
Thune – out!
Christie – out!
Huckabee – out!
Daniels – shot himself in the foot
Romney – 50/50 if he will even run now (without Huckabee he knows he can’t beat Sarah)
they droppin’ like flies!
They are all afraid of the girl!
It’s going to be Sarah and the seven dwarfs
This thing could be over without firing a shot…
February 24th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Romney is more like 90+% in, Huck at 75%, and Palin at 5%, imho.
February 24th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
teledude Says:
February 24th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
“They are all afraid of the girl!”
==
Are you four years old?
February 24th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
I understand that’s your opinion.
You place a lot of weight on meaningless polls too.
I’m truing to help you.
February 24th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Do any of you have a job?
February 24th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
I can do percentages
DeMint – 0%
Pence – 0%
Thune – 0%
Christie – 0%
Huckabee – 1%
Daniels – 70%
Romney – 50%
Palin 100%
February 24th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
This is my job.
February 24th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
36. Your job? Palin pays you to belittle and underestimate the competition? Interesting.
February 24th, 2011 at 4:49 pm
Two points.
I am not ‘undermining’ anyone, merely observing the political landscape as I see it.
No one is paying me, I am self funded.
It was a joke.
Okay, that’s three points, the last one was a bonus.
February 24th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
Email from the Family Foundation of Virginia:
February 24th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Based on what we’ve learned from the new Palin manuscript, teletude might be Willow, Bristol, or even Sarah herself. Sarah Palin is a great Alaska gal! Come clean teletude, what is your relation to the Palin machine? Makes me wonder how many of the Hotair commenters are paid Palin staffers.
February 24th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
I wonder why no one will buy that book?
You’d think some publisher somewhere would take a ‘risk’ on a negative tell-all about Sarah Palin, wouldn’t you?
Maybe that name just isn’t very marketable…oh wait
February 25th, 2011 at 9:02 am
No. Doubt.
Daniels is too unpredictable for me. The drug issue when he was younger is forgettable, but the erratic behavior on conservative policy as of late is a huge red flag.
February 25th, 2011 at 9:03 am
Palin is great, by the way. Control your obsession, haters.