Huckabee: Romney a 'Tattletale' With Iowa Ad

abcnews/blogs ^ | 12/11/2007 | Kevin Chupa

[JRochelle]

GOP contender Mike Huckabee hit back at a new ad rival Mitt Romney launched in Iowa, which brings Huckabee's immigration proposal into question, likening Romney to an unpopular 'tattler' in an elementary school classroom.

"I'm somewhat flattered in that I seem to be the recipient of the first negative attack in the Republican primary," the former Arkansas governor said at a press conference in icy Council Bluffs, Iowa Tuesday morning that focused on immigration issues.

"That's usually a sign of desperation on the part of an opponent who is only way of winning is to attack and to destroy," he said of former Massachusetts governor Romney's ad.

Though he acknowledged supporters who have told Huckabee they "appreciate that [his] campaign has not attacked the other candidates," the he didn’t take long to take a dig at his opponent.

"I think the people of Iowa who have been through this so many times will say, 'I vote for the guy who has a plan for the future of America,' not just somebody looking around and saying as the tattletale of the third grade 'let me tell you what this guy is doing,'" he said of Romney.

"We didn't like it in the third grade; I don't think we like it electing a president," Huckabee charged.

When asked if he was calling Romney a "third grader" Huckabee chuckled, "I said what I said -- I said it was 'like'... I was metaphorically saying that when all of us were in school there's usually in the class, someone who loves to tattle, and usually the tattler is not the most popular kid in the classroom."

At the same press conference, Huckabee announced the endorsement of Jim Gilchrist, the founder and president of the Minuteman Project, the controversial citizen action group that promotes border security.

[JRochelle]

Lets hope these two keep up their squabbling and take each other out.

[ECM]

I can get behind that as long as it doesn’t free Rudy up to run away with it.

[pissant]

They both slap, scratch and pull hair. LOL

[bw17]

Huckabee is a virtual unknown, and has gotten a pass so far from the press and the other candidates. The Democrats aren’t going to expose Huckabee for two reasons:

1) he’s on the same side as them on taxes and immigration

and

2) he’s a very weak candidate in a general election

If Romney doesn’t expose Huck’s record, then who will?

[dforest]

The two stinkin’ stinkers can fight it out. They both suck.

Neither one is conservative and are not worth our time mooning over.

[JRochelle]

I agree.

I was talking to my sister today and even she (who has said many times she would never vote for McCain) said she prefers McCain over Huckabee. Or Romney. But she prefers Rudy. (May God forgive her for that.)

[Jane Austen]

Huckabee is pathetic. His stand on illegal aliens gives me nightmares.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Hopefully creating an opening for a real conservative—Fred Dalton Thompson.

[donnab]

What I noticed most about Huck’s Romneys the tattler response was that he did not deny what Romney accused him.
The other thing I know is that if someone is tattling there is something amiss to be tattled about.

[FastCoyote]

[GOP contender Mike Huckabee hit back at a new ad rival Mitt Romney launched in Iowa, which brings Huckabee’s immigration proposal into question, likening Romney to an unpopular ‘tattler’ in an elementary school classroom.]

Oh yeah, now we’ve reached Fun Time! This is exactly what I hoped would happen.

No I’m not! Yes you Are! No touch backs! I called them First!

I’m still hoping Fred is the Last Man Standing.

[Checkers]

“Lets hope these two keep up their squabbling and take each other out.”

So we get Rudy?

[no dems]

I can get behind that as long as it doesn’t free Rudy up to run away with it.

Not a problem. Rudy is NOT winning Iowa. If your scenario plays out, the beneficiary will be Fred Thompson.

[originalbuckeye]

Huckabee is showing his own naivete. Does he think his record won’t come to light? Was Romney making things up or is this what Huckabee really said? I think the ad was truthful and people need to know these facts before the primaries. How would most Republicans feel if they voted for Huckabee in the primaries and then found out his true stands on these issues? I used to be really against McCain due to his bad temperament. Now he seems more controlled and I can see him in the VP slot. The question is, who can be elected nationally? Rudy’s peccadilloes immediately neutralize the Clinton’s 90’s scandals. What would we use against Hillary! in the General election if we put up Rudy? Thompson, so far, has been waaaay too dozy for most people to take notice of his positions. Romney has flip-flopped on a few issues that are important but I allow people to change their minds for the better. Romney will still have to overcome even conservatives who have an aversion to the Mormon faith.

Well, that’s my summation. Huckabee needs to chill. This info is better for us if it comes out before the primaries. In the end, I suspect the ticket will be Romney/McCain. Obviously that’s a long shot but so is every other combination.

[ECM]

I can definitely handle that—MAD it is :)

[Route66]

A tattletale? What a very strange response.

Besides, that term implies Romney is telling the truth, but that he shouldn’t be snitchin'.

[wtc911]

Hopefully creating an opening for a real conservative—Fred Dalton Thompson.

_____________________________________

Agreed. Think he'll run?

[Hacklehead]

Its pretty stupid to complain that someone is running an ad showing how your positions are different from his. Hucks a puss.

[CharlesWayneCT]

“Mommy, he’s tattling on me....”

That’s really grown-up, isn’t it?

This explains why Huckabee pardoned all those convicted guys, he felt sorry because they were only in jail because people tattled on them.

[Earthdweller]

Huckabee is lobing so many unusual comebacks onto the political landscape that I think he has everyone off guard. In the old days people would have had him incarcerated for upsetting the boring status quo. If nothing else he is refreshingly different.

[WOSG]

Flipfloppery from pro-amnesty Huckster:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316253,00.html

Huckabee vetting files:

http://realmikehuckabee.blogspot.com/2007/12/meet-huckster-san-diego-union-tribune.html

http://www.taxhikemike.org/
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2007/nov/14/taking-stock-tax-hike-mike/