Posted on 12/07/2007 11:53:05 PM PST by dano1
Mike Huckabee has vaulted from nowhere into second place in the Republican presidential race, a nationwide poll showed yesterday.
The surge by the former Arkansas governor has come with support from evangelicals, Southerners and conservatives, and largely at the expense of former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, according to the national survey by The Associated Press and Ipsos.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani remains the front-runner at 26 percent among Republican and GOP-leaning voters, about where he has been since spring.
Huckabee has 18 percent, up from 10 percent in an AP-Ipsos survey a month ago and 3 percent in July. Arizona Sen. John McCain has 13 percent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 12 percent and Thompson 11 percent. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
Giuliani also remains the favorite of voters age 18 to 24. In a separate Harvard University Institute of Politics poll, he has the support of 26 percent, compared with 15 percent for McCain.
Among Democrats, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was the choice of 38 percent of young voters and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was next at 33 percent.
Obama: The Illinois senator is already reaping the benefits of Oprah Winfrey's high-wattage celebrity backing.
Thousands of Iowans have flocked to his office for tickets for two events today in Iowa. The campaign declines to say how many tickets have been distributed but says no one will be turned away from the unique opportunity to attract new voters.
Clinton: The New York senator yesterday turned to 32 former U.S. ambassadors and diplomats appointed to top positions by then-President Bill Clinton and confirmed by a Republican-led Senate to endorse her diplomatic skills as first lady.
The backers included former career diplomat Joe Wilson, the Iraq war critic who previously served as ambassador to Gabon; former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard, who served in Canada; former House Speaker Tom Foley, D-Wash., who served as ambassador in Japan, and former Sen. Walter Mondale, D-Minn., who also served in Japan.
Thompson: Campaigning in Ohio yesterday, the former Tennessee senator criticized rival Huckabee, saying it was "surprising" a presidential candidate wouldn't know about a newly released intelligence report that said Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program in 2003.
Huckabee told reporters earlier this week he was not aware of the National Intelligence Estimate report on Iran.
Thompson has been tripped up by news events himself. In September, he said he was not aware that the Supreme Court had decided to hear arguments on the constitutionality of lethal injection.
Early in his campaign, Thompson sidestepped a question about the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case, saying he didn't remember the details.
McCain: The Arizona senator yesterday said in New Hampshire that if he loses his bid for the Republican nomination, he'll return to the Senate. McCain would have two more years left in his fourth term.
What's good or decent about a man that was rabidly pro-abortion and in favor of the homosexual agenda just a few short years ago and is now claiming to be just the opposite? Those are just two issues where he had done complete flip-flops.
There isn't a bigger phony in the race than Romney with possible exception of Giuliani. Both are liberals and dishonest ones pretending to be conservative.
The only reason Huckabee is even a factor is because voters are hungry for an alternative to those two RINOs. Unfortunately, Huckabee isn't all that conservative.
If someone can "vault" Huckabee into second place from nohere, why can we do the same for Duncan Hunter?
So, Romney’s the flip flopper? From the Arkansas Reader, Huckabee on abortion:
“Huckabee said it was preposterous to say that such a deep moral issue should be left up to the states. If abortion is immoral in one state it is immoral in all of them, he said. He was “shocked” at Thompson’s stance. He claimed that he had always believed in a federal ban on abortions.
But a short time earlier Huckabee had sat down with the conservative essayist John Hawkins for a long conversation about the issues. He was asked about abortion. Huckabee said the legality of abortion should not be settled at the national level but should be left up to the states. This is the direct quote from the transcript, which until recently you could access on the Huckabee presidential campaign website:
“I’ve never felt that it was a legitimate manner in which to address this and, first of all, it should be left to the states, the 10th Amendment. . .” The 10th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution is the states-rights doctrine.
If many of these mispronouncements get circulated around Iowa it could hurt Huckabee in the caucuses Jan. 3. His secret is safe with us. We do not circulate in the Hawkeye state.”
I suggest you go start "The Ol' Sparky Party" -- and get your candidate(s) on the ticket in Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina as soon as possible.
Time's 'a wastin'. The country needs your 100% absolute mentality.
No, I will not vote for mitt... I will vote for every other office, but I will write in my vote for President. You nominate mitt and we ALL lose... and we are being honest... and you have been warned deeply and by many Conservatives for quite a long time. rootiromneyhuck will elect a dim... is your vanity worth that? Enjoy the vapors! I hope they are worth it!!!
LLS
“No, I will not vote for mitt... I will vote for every other office, but I will write in my vote for President.”
Fine, commit political suicide, just don’t take me down with you.
I like Hunter, too, but he will be the Governor of my State of California for two terms, then run for President and win!
Unless Fred Thompson is able to pull it together and rise in the polls fast.
All Thompson had to do was say I am for a constitutional amendment for pro-life, however, if this would not work I have another idea with overturning Roe vs. Wade and ensure that I work as hard as I can to get every state on board as a pro-life state. He did not do the first part and it is killing him. I can’t believe that he is not for a constituational amendment...that is what the Republican Party has been for since forever as far as I am concerned. I cannot support him because of this. Oh and of course their is the marriage amendment that hurts him too.
Romney is my second choice after Duncan!!! Duncan Hunter is my number one choice!!!
There once was a governor named Huck,
Who ran for president with only a Buck.
He laughed and he joked,
And when confronted he choked,
And then that was the end of that bloke.
It’s essential that people are educated as to who Huckabee really is — the Republican version of Jimmy Carter.
The Liberals are salivating at the prospect of him being the nominee for the GOP: www.democratsforhuckabee.com.
And of course, you know, he’s Bill and Hillary’s favorite pick. That should frighten any thoughtful conservative.
“The less you know about Huckabee, the more you like him.”
“I agree with enjoying the fury over Huckabee! What tantrums! The truth is with the economy starting to struggle, I can’t think of a better candidate to win in 2008. He comes across well on TV and seems to be the best retail politician running in either party. He is definitely able to reach out better to the middle class who is having a difficult time paying the bills with high gas and food prices. All of our candidates have flaws but Huckabee with his ability to communicate to the electorate will win the day if given the chance.”
LOL. If you looked up the word ‘dunce’ in the dictionary, Huckabee’s picture would be there. That’s how Huckabee ‘comes across’ on TV.
“Mike Huckabee has vaulted from nowhere into second place in the Republican presidential race, a nationwide poll showed yesterday.”
I’m still suspicious of the poll numbers.
LLS
I guess The National Review (endorsed Romney today) and its entire staff have also been bought off by Romney, huh?
And Limbaugh, and Medved, and Hannity, and Hewitt, and Laura Ingraham.
I guess the RDS people are the only ones who can see the real truth, and everyone else is just so poor of spirit that they fell prey to the Romney money brainwashing technique.
/psyche
Desperate is what NRO is.
But, I'll be happy to demonstrate conclusively that Romney has a liberal record and Massachusetts and those supporting are doing so solely based on his rhetoric and not his record.
NRO or anyone else has a lot of nerve ripping Huckabee while supporting a RINO like the Mitt wit.
Gun Control
Romney favors "Assault" Weapons Ban * "He [Romney] is a supporter of the federal assault weapons ban."
- Romney 2002 campaign website
Romney Favors Waiting Periods
* Regarding the Brady Bill which required waiting periods to buy a handgun, Romney stated, "I don't think [the waiting period] will have a massive effect on crime but I think it will have a positive effect."
- Boston Herald, 8/1/1994
Economic Issues
Romney supports minimum wage laws
* In as a candidate for Governor 2002, Romney proposed indexing the Massachusetts minimum wage with inflation, telling the Boston Globe "I do not believe that indexing the minimum wage will cost us jobs. I believe it will help us retain jobs." - - Boston Globe, 7/25/2002
* "The minimum wage is important to our economy and Mitt Romney supports minimum wage increase, at least in line with inflation."
- Romney 2002 campaign website
Romney Balances Budget with $500 Million in New Fees
* "His first budget, presented under a cloud of a $2 billion deficit, balanced the budget with some spending cuts, but a $500 million increase in various fees was the largest component of the budget fix." Cato Institute annual Fiscal Policy Report Card - America's Governors, 2004. Romney was rated a "C" overall by Cato.
See presentation on Cato website
Romney imposes "socialized" health care on Massachusetts
* In 2006, Romney introduced a universal health care bill (which passed the Legislature in a slightly amended version) which has been criticized by conservatives as being socialistic.
Republican Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is trying to accomplish in his final year in office what Democrats can only dream of these days: boosting government spending on and regulation of health care and requiring individuals to purchase government-designed policies. Romney's plan, which is backed by such liberals as Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, Mass.), is being pitched as a compact between citizens and the state.
- National Review Online, 1/26/2006
We want a candidate who is a conservative AS POSSIBLE but still has the personality, the zing, the powerful campaign structure in place to defeat the smarmy sHrillary/Barako tribe come November '08.
The National Review endorsement of Mitt Romney today should go a long way to alleviate those who just can't wrap their brains around a Republican from a Northeast liberal state.
In fact, the entire objective in politics is to CONVERT the other guy, and if Romney (already a family values mainstream conservative) was 'converted' on a few more issues recently - then GREAT.
Why do some Freepers see it as a negative if someone becomes MORE CONSERVATIVE on key issues.
I say.... GO Romney!! I can't wait to see Mitt Romney and his telegenic and wholesome looking family being juxtaposed alongside the campy and disheveled sHrillary/Slickster crew.
It will be like comparing filet mignon with yesterday's stale used hamburger from Joe's Greasy Spoon Diner.
SHrillary and the Slickmeister are the Grease.
Wasn’t Romney once supporting a new Constitutional Convention, which would have been dominated by leftist radicals??
I wish someone would tell that to Micheal Medved and Hugh Hewitt
That's exactly what he did.
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