After hearing the implied “jab” in context in which Huckabee was discussing the contrast in the election between the Democrats and Republicans; is it possible the “jab” was aimed at the Democrats rather than Gov. Romney? Could Elizabeth Holmes have an ulterior motive for trying to stir up more conflict between Gov. Huckabee’s and Gov. Romney’s supporters in her Wall Street Journal article?
“Slouched in one of the two captain’s chairs, Huckabee used his time with the press to take a thinly veiled jab at another former opponent, Mitt Romney. “You know for me, the fortunate thing is I don’t have to go around and unsay anything I said during the campaign,” he said, earning another chuckle from McCain.” http://tinyurl.com/3h4r5o
Is there some reason Ms. Holmes can’t stand seeing Sen. McCain and Gov. Huckabee getting along so well? Did Ms. Holmes read about the New York Times Magazine article in which the infamous question asked by Gov. Huckabee with an “innocent voice” being up for an award? http://tinyurl.com/554plk Could she be thinking if she could cause trouble in the GOP she might receive an award, too? You decide.
The CNN article “Rivals no more” has a link to a video almost 11 minutes long. http://tinyurl.com/3uln5u Watching the video you can see how comfortable and relaxed Sen. McCain and Gov. Huckabee are together. Sen. McCain’s comment about Gov. Huckabee at the beginning of the video sums it up. “We are friends; we became friends on the campaign trail.”
Here is part of the interview so you can evaluate the “jab” in context to help with your decision. I did my best to transcribe it correctly from the CNN video.
Huckabee: “The main thing is getting Sen. McCain elected. That’s what’s important for all Republicans who care about the future of the country. There’s going to be a real stark contrast between Sen. McCain and either of the Democrats. We’ve got to make sure that America makes the right decision in Nov. and that’s what’s important.”
Reporter: “Do you expect to be on the road for Sen. McCain?”
Sen. McCain: “Yes!” [Laughter]
Reporter: [inaudible question]
Huckabee: “Absolutely! We’ve conversed and our staff has talked to Sen. McCain’s staff. We hope to be able to help in a number of areas; wherever we’re called upon to be helpful you bet. Because I think this election is a pivotal seminal election in America. And the contrast is going to be stark and significant. This isn’t a matter of degrees. It will be a very different direction America will take depending on who the next president is. As a result to that; it’s going to matter a lot to us. You know for me the fortunate thing is I don’t have to go around and unsay anything I said during the campaign. We had a very civil relationship. I thought it was significant that I felt like the two of us that ran frankly the most civil campaigns in the entire Republican primary ended up the last two on our feet. I hope that’s a sign of things to come in terms of the type of campaign. Sen. McCain is clearly running that type of campaign throughout the process as evident by his actions and comments this week. I think it goes well for the long term future of the Republican Party the manner in which he’s carrying the overall effort.” http://tinyurl.com/3uln5u
Can you imagine Clinton and Obama teaming up on the campaign trail after the primaries are over? It will be almost impossible for me to think of them as friends after one of them knocks the other out.
After hearing Huckabee’s “jab” comment in context; I wish we could see or hear the “innocent voice” question in context, too. We’ll probably never know the real reason the author of the NYT Magazine article decided to include it. But, it certainly accomplished stirring up trouble in the GOP and helped knock out the religious right’s champion during the primary elections.
Thanks for bringing this up granny.
I probably wouldn’t go so far as to say that he was jabbing at the democrats or anyone specifically… I think he was jabbing at negative campaigning in general.
Mitt was not the only candidate who could have been percieved to have gone ‘negative’ Fred was constantly shooting out emails filled with dirt on everybody, including Mitt at times, and Fred singlehandedly was probably responsible for the killshot on Mike’s campaign in SC.
I think that this writer is actually doing a disservice to Mitt Romney by implying that any comment about negative campaigning must be refering to him only.
She is also clearly trying to keep the Romney supporters riled up and in a mindset oppositional to Mike.
I think that many in the MSM are trying to keep this ‘feud’ alive, at the expense of party unity.
I used to have Romney derangement syndrome. He is still not on my shortlist for VP, but I refuse to take the bait that these journalists and extreme bloggers serve up.
I think both Mike and Mitt bring strengths and clear weaknesses to the table. As Mike has said, JM will have to tactically decide which, if either, will bring him the votes he needs for victory.
[...] Nelsa wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAfter hearing the implied “jab” in context in which Huckabee was discussing the contrast in the election between the Democrats and Republicans; is it possible the “jab” was aimed at the Democrats rather than Gov. Romney? … [...]
I watched several videos and read many articles yesterday on McCain’s campaign tour over the past week. So when I saw the video in it’s entirety, the first thing I thought was Huckabee was talking about campaigning in general. I saw it in the context of the conversation they were having as well as the events of the past week. McCain had asked the NC GOP not to run a negative ad associating two candidates judgment with their endorsement of Obama/Wright.
McCain has stressed the desire for a “clean campaign” over issues in the general as well as the primary. (I thought McCain twisted Romney’s timetable statement unfairly. Perhaps he realized how this was negative and hurt the party.)Both Hillary and Obama are having to “unsay” things they’ve said or someone close to the campaign has said. The same has been true for many in the GOP race. So I saw it as more of a comment on the need for everyone to work to compare issues while promoting McCain instead of causing cuts that will lead to death (of the party/nomination/presidency) by a thousand cuts as Huckabee discussed on Hannity and Colmes last night.
It does seem as if there are journalists and bloggers who have ulterior motives for keeping anger/resentment fueled between Romney and Huckabee supporters. In any case, it hurts the party and the country to incite hatred. I think (and hope) that voters are smart enough to start seeing through the MSM’s attempts to sway the election. (Look at the free pass Obama is getting.)I hope both Romney and Huckabee supporters can see that the media is trying to fuel animosity between them and play both sides for fools while the media works to promote it’s own agenda.
Thanks for a great article! I do not for a minute think that Huckabee was criticizing Romney; I think he was talking about MOST candidates in a political campaign criticizing each other. Huckabee did not do this to anyone, and neither did McCain, so the two are still very cordial and do not have to backtrack and apologize for the past - a good basis for true friendship.
Looks like you could be on to something. The main stream media might be trying to cause trouble in the Republican Party. I read other articles that look like they are intentionally trying to get Romney and Huckabee supporters at each other’s throats.
I am almost (:-)) speechless. Granny is really asking if those darn media folks are trying to stir up trouble between Huckabee and Romney supporters? I actually had to read it twice to make sure I understood what Granny was complaining about.
Without going into the whole story again (that is not the purpose of this comment), lets just say that I, like every Romney supporter, developed an INTENSE dislike for Gov. Huckabee arising from events that occurred early in the primary.
What has really sent me over the edge, however, is the constant flood of anti-Romney articles from the Huck alliance people–even though Romney dropped out of the race almost 3 months ago! Now, mind you, I try not to be too sensitive. There is nothing wrong with writing an article in support of your candidate and it is fair game to draw contrasts, etc. But you folks put out a steady stream of simply anti-Romney garbage and insults to the extent that it has been a rare day when such an article does not make its way to realclearpolitics. Some of the worst offenders were Speedzster and Granny. And now Granny is complaining about those darn media folk trying to stir things up between Huckabee and Romney supporters??? Unbelievable.
Finally, people like speedzster and granny continue to keep my dislike for Huckabee at a fever pitch–to the extent that I am seriously considering starting my own blog to see how many anti-huckabee articles I can get on realclearpolitics. And trust me, there is more amunition than I thought. I am just trying to decide if it is worth the effort.
Oh, on the comment by Huckabee, sure looks like a little jab at Romney. And while it does not increase my fondness for Gov Huckabee, I would not even give that sort of little jab a second thought. Romney did the same thing in his top 10 list a few days ago. Given the stuff that you folks have been putting out over the last few months that comment hardly makes me blink an eye.
Bags
Bags,
This is in response to your first comment.
Romney’s distortions and lies are what made us want to defend Huckabee. Unless he admits he distorted Huckabee’s record and apologizes; why should we stop? He drew first blood. Then he started “campaigning” for the VP position by openly saying he’d love the VP spot. Fiscal conservatives have been saying moral value conservatives think he’d be a fine VP. Obviously, not all of us do. His supporters are constantly calling Huckabee and us names. We wouldn’t NEED to put our message out IF we didn’t see so much pro-Romney and anti-Huckabee stuff all the time. “We the people” that want someone representing us are the ones fighting so hard. As I’ve stated before; it is NOT Romney’s religions that disqualifies him, it is his liberal record. Everything I said about Romney I can back up. NO ONE has ever showed me where the information I have found is incorrect or incomplete. Romney supporters base their comments about bigotry on reporters incomplete reporting and opinions. Romney would best serve our country by doing what he does best by staying in business. I researched the “jab” to get the “rest of the story.” In spite of what Romney supporters seem to believe; not everyone thinks about him all the time. The Dems are the ones beating each other up right now. The current campaigning is what they were discussing in the interview. Taken totally in context; it makes it seem more like the “jab” was aimed at them. But, if you want to walk around for the rest of your life with a chip on your shoulder; go ahead. Just use something genuine to back up your biased remarks.
Bags,
I would like to tone down the anti-Romney vigor, as well, as Chairman of the Huckabee Alliance. But I don’t think we can do that until it becomes clear that Mitt Romney won’t be McCain’s VP. We didn’t oppose him so passionately for the presidential nomination just so that he could get one heartbeat away from the Oval Office.
OK, fist of all Romney took the first shot, at Huckabee so i don’t know were u guys get off! can u Romney,
Supporters PLZ answer one Question. if Romney is the so called savior of the Conservation movement……
then why did Romney come in 4th in the most Conservation
state in the union and 3th in every southern state?
I should add that Speedzster is not a part of the Alliance. Although Huckabee supporters do vote for his articles, likely out of their zeal to defeat Romney, I do not approve of the tone or content of his posts.
Granny,
See you in the blogosphere.
Bags
Bags,
I am willing to debate civilly whenever possible.
if Romney is the so called savior of the Conservation movement……
then why did Romney come in 4th in the most Conservation
state in the union and 3th in every southern state?
Actually romney received a 90% vote in the most conservative state… and got elected governor in the most liberal.
Granny - good insight. Still think the jab was aimed at Romney. But don’t you worry. There is no way MR will be the VP candidate. Period. You’re wise to stop the neg campaigning that makes y’all look bad.
“The innocent voice”. If you go back and read some of Huck’s subtle comments you can see why he said this. He felt that his religion was always under scrutiny while MRs was hardly questioned. Many mormon haters would agree.
They honestly blame the press for not revealing the true hateful, polygamous, blasphemous, deep rooted evils of the Mormon religion. The problem with that is that Romney never campaigned as a Mormon. He deflected and minimized the role of his church whenever he was asked. This made it unfair game to touch it. Huck ran as the christian leader. While MR claimed business success and the Olympics, Huck was a former pastor. He wore religion on his sleeve and a definite guide to his decision making as a president, which made it open game.
By the way, the Mormon church is widely perceived as a pious, benevolent family oriented religion, especially out here in the West. So the press would never give the Mo Haters what they wanted.
Which is probably why MR fared so well here. Not that there were so many mormons voting for him. But the religion was actually viewed as a positive rather than a negative (or more of an unknown folks were uncomfortable with.)