Posted on 01/28/2008 9:29:10 PM PST by unspun
BIRMINGHAM | More than 2,000 people gathered at Samford University's Jane Hollock Brock Hall on Saturday afternoon to hear the 44th governor of Arkansas, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, speak about why he should be the 44th president of the United States.
(Video at bottom of story)
'I still believe that this is a country that's an amazing place to live, and I'll tell you why,' Huckabee said to a large crowd in Brock Hall's main auditorium while about another 1,000 people listened to his speech over a speaker system in an overflow room.
'We can still dream our dreams and live our dreams,' he said. 'It's by the grace of God many of us were born into this country. I think we forget that sometimes.'
Appeal to balance
John Lyman, 48, of Alabaster, said he and his family have always been interested in politics and are always on the look out for candidates and potential candidates, with balance.
Lyman, who sat outside in the cold on the stone stairs of Brock Hall for most of the afternoon holding up two 'Mike Huckabee for president' signs, made no secret about who he thought the candidate for 'balance' was.
'If you look at his record, you'll find that none of his progressive issues were adversarial,' Lyman said. 'He wants to get past all this stuff, the bitterness and arguing, and wants everyone to go in the same direction.'
'I think he'll do the right thing when it comes to national security, and he'll get everyone to invest back in us again, back in America,' he said.
In his speech, Huckabee said if elected president he would rebuild the American economy by putting an end to jobs being outsourced to foreign countries like China and make those jobs available to American workers in the United States.
Hot-button issues
Huckabee also touched on hot-button issues like national security, abortion, dependency on foreign oil and immigration.
'I want our country to have the world's strongest military again,' Huckabee said. 'Not so that we have to use it, but so we can just flex our muscle and send someone packing.'
'If we have to go to war, we should be able to send our troops in with a clearly defined mission and give them everything they need to be successful,' he said.
On abortion, Huckabee — an ordained Southern Baptist minister — said he's pro-life.
'I feel there's a quality of human birth,' he said. 'And whether a person is an unborn child or an 80-year-old, white or black, old or young, rich or doesn't have a penny to his name, our country says that not one of these people has greater value than the other.'
Huckabee said he would end dependency on foreign oil in 10 years by making the country self-sufficient. In regards to immigration, Huckabee said he'd build a fence with a 'front door' that immigrants could enter through legally.
'Anyone that's living in the United States shouldn't be hiding in the shadows,' Huckabee said. 'They're in America. They should have their heads held high.'
Although Gov. Bob Riley, who introduced Huckabee and said he's 'the kind of individual that needs to run for president' and 'he has all those values that make the Republican party what it is today,' not everyone who attended the event was convinced that Huckabee was their candidate.
According to The Associated Press, even Riley distanced himself from his positive remarks by saying he was not endorsing Huckabee as a candidate.
Not all convinced
'I wasn't old enough to vote before and now that I can vote, I don't know who to vote for because none of these candidates really fit what I'm looking for, which is someone in between conservative and liberal,' said Mallory Barnes, a 20-year-old junior biology major at Samford University.
'The issues that are most important to me are the war in Iraq and immigration,' she said. 'It seems like we're not doing anything about immigration, and the war has always bothered me because we're not doing anything over there.'
Tom Blair, 60, of Birmingham, said he enjoyed Huckabee's speech, but he wasn't won over.
'I came here because I was interested in knowing what Gov. Huckabee would bring to the United States,' Blair said.
'I like his illustration about having some other nations feeding and fueling us, but I still don't know if I'll vote for him yet,' he said.
At the beginning of Huckabee's speech, he promised Riley that if he becomes president, 'any of those grants that you might want for Alabama, just consider it done.'
Reach Jamon Smith at jamon.smith@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid294377112/bctid1392485280
Under what Constitutional authority does he propose to do this? Just pass a law mandating who companies can hire? Is he going to stretch the commerce clause that far?
I think he’s well-meaning, but this just blows away so much goodwill Hunter’s supporters have given him.
And Fred Thompson said it would have a "wide gate." And Huckabee's plan is more stringent.
I’m very impressed that Hunter is actually campaigning with Huckabee.
Whatever he can do under the Constitution.
For one thin, he will take an oath to protect against "enemies foreign and domestic."
I would think Hunter's close association with Huckabee would provide the impetus to reassess Huckabee's campaign. After all, Hunter has had a much, much better opportunity to evaluate the man than we, out here in the hinterlands that only get media filtered impressions.
LOL.
US Corporations a domestic enemy. LOL
Just kick all those enemies out of the country. Let them take every job overseas. There’s the ticket to helping the little guy.
behind huckabee’s door is free tuition and other goodies. The fence could be made out of steel but with those incentives, it will melt in no time.
And Fred Thompson said it would have a “wide gate.” And Huckabee’s plan is more stringent.
You spin just like your candidate...you really should change your name to spinspin.
Not nonsensical at all. You tell a company it cannot outsource jobs, what does it do? It takes its business off shore where it can operate in a more business-friendly environment.
You are the one who spouted the nonsense about foreign and domestic enemies as related to corporations. If you did not believe such tripe, why did you connect the two?
You grossly distort one very limited thing Mike Huckabee proposed as a 10th Amendment Governor. Get a clue.
A 9-Point Strategy for Immigration Enforcement and Border Security
Overview: Implement a broad-based strategy that commits the resources of the federal government to the enforcement of our immigration laws and results in the attrition of the illegal immigrant population.
1. Build the Fence
Ensure that an interlocking surveillance camera system is installed along the border by July 1, 2010.
Ensure that the border fence construction is completed by July 1, 2010.
2. Increase Border Patrol
Increase the number of border patrol agents.
Fully support all law enforcement personnel tasked with enforcing immigration law.
3. Prevent Amnesty
Policies that promote or tolerate amnesty will be rejected.
Propose to provide all illegal immigrants a 120-day window to register with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and leave the country. Those who register and return to their home country will face no penalty if they later apply to immigrate or visit; those who do not return home will be, when caught, barred from future reentry for a period of 10 years.
This is not a “touchback” provision. Those who leave this country and apply to return from their home country would go to the back of the line.
4. Enforce the Law on Employers
Employment is the chief draw for most illegal immigrants and denying them jobs is the centerpiece of an attrition strategy.
Impose steep fines and penalties on employers that violate the law.
Institute a universal, mandatory citizenship verification system as part of the normal hiring process.
Prevent the IRS and the Social Security Administration from accepting fraudulent Social Security numbers or numbers that don’t match the employees’ names.*
5. Establish an Economic Border
Move toward passage of the FairTax.
The FairTax provides an extra layer of security by creating an economic disincentive to immigrate to the U.S. illegally.
6. Empower Local Authorities
Promote better cooperation on enforcement by supporting legislative measures such as the CLEAR Act, which aims to systematize the relationship between local law and federal immigration officials.
Encourage immigration-law training for police. Local authorities must be provided the tools, training, and funding they need so local police can turn illegal immigrants over to the federal authorities.
7. Ensure Document Security
End exemptions for Mexicans and Canadians to the US-VISIT program, which tracks the arrival and departure of foreign visitors. Since these countries account for the vast majority of foreigners coming here (85 percent), such a policy clearly violates Congress’ intent in mandating this check-in/check-out system.
Reject Mexico’s “matricula consular” card, which functions as an illegal-immigrant identification card.
8. Discourage Dual Citizenship
Inform foreign governments when their former citizens become naturalized U.S. citizens.
Impose civil and/or criminal penalties on American citizens who illegitimately use their dual status (e.g., using a foreign passport, voting in elections in both a foreign country and the U.S.).
9. Modernize the Process of Legal Immigration
Eliminate the visa lottery system and the admission category for adult brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens.
Increase visas for highly-skilled and highly-educated applicants.
Expedite processing for those who serve honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Improve our immigration process so that those patiently and responsibly seeking to come here legally will not have to wait decades to share in the American dream. Governor Huckabee has always been grateful to live in a country that people are trying to break into, rather than break out of.
*This policy will be drafted to comply with the final federal court decisions on this issue.
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=26
I don’t understand why republicans can’t just be conservatives for a change. We’ve just heard what Bush said about immigration. Huck has to have his New New Deal and mccain can’t shut up about gorebull warming.
They should admit they were wrong and Change. Yes you can!
But there is much that America and our legitimate government can do, before approaching your red herring argument.
There can be no denial anymore. Huckabee is the last conservative in the race.
He/she is supporting his candidate just like the rest of yall are. I personally would like to hear more about Huckabee. If what gets posted “ain’t so” then IMO we should just debate the issue. No?
There is much that can be done. Like creating a business-friendly environment.
That's just b.s. Reminds me of democrats telling folks how the republican party want to poison the water and feed old people cat food. Just so much nonsensical inanity.
Hunter speaking behind a Huckabee sign...
one limited thing? he favors illegals, pardons hundreds of criminals and against waterboarding for terrorists and you think he is good for security.
It all comes together. He’s going to be one of these presidents who believe in “forgiveness” and “turning the other cheek” with our enemies.
I want to take away their tuition and welfare! Give them nothing so that they won’t want to come here!
Guess it could be worse, he could have endorsed McCain or Rudy or Mitt. Actually, I have no use for Huckabee either.
Its called the Fair Tax. It will make the US a tax haven for the whole world.
Sure.
“...I want our country to have the world’s strongest military again.”
________________________________________
Does that mean he doesn’t think we have the strongest military now?
"I would think Hunter's close association with Huckabee would provide the impetus to reassess Huckabee's campaign. After all, Hunter has had a much, much better opportunity to evaluate the man than we, out here in the hinterlands that only get media filtered impressions"
Look, there's little doubt who is the more conservative leader between Duncan Hunter and Mike Huckabee: Hunter is. But it's also true that for whatever reason, Hunter's candidacy didn't catch fire and he's out of the race, leaving Huckabee (and goofball Ron Paul) as the last candidates standing between Rudy McRomney and the White House.
The anti-Huckabee hysteria on FR is quite laughable. Most of it came from Fredheads who were desperate to say anything in the theory that tearing down Huck would help Fred (as SC demonstrated, that was not the case). Probably about 2/3rds of what they wrote has as such credibly as a Michael Moore documentary. For instance, Huckabee is about as far away as you can get from a "gun-grabber" and wanting "retreat" in Iraq -- check his record.
There's only one candidate left in this race who's has an across the board proven consistant conservative record on pro-life, pro-family, pro-gun, pro-traditional values, pro-tax reform (abolish the IRS) pro-Isreal, pro-victory in Iraq, anti-China, anti-L.O.S.T., etc., and that's Mike Huckabee. Yes he has been wrong on several issues of major importance to conservatives but he looks like Ronald Reagan when you compare his values to Rudy McRomney.
Some former Fredheads are actually trying to sell Mitt Romney as the most conservative candidate left. This the guy who was unabashedly pro-abortion in 1994, ran to the left of Ted Kennedy on gay rights, STILL supports the so-called "assault weapons" ban (and said so recently in one of the GOP debates), and enacted HillaryCare in Massachuttes (and yet we're supposed to believe Mitt is not a "nanny stater", but Huck is??)
Hunter dropped out. He is no longer a candidate. It's unfortunate but it's reality. You can cast a protest vote for Duncan Hunter that will make you feel good but do nothing in the way of stopping Rudy McRomney, or you can hold your nose and select the most conservative candidate who is viable enough that he has a shot at acutally defeating them.
I met Duncan Hunter in at the Ames Iowa Straw Poll. He is a principled man and he does NOT cave. He supports the most consistantly conservative candidate he can find in the race, and always has.
And we all know how Duncan's going to vote.
Well that is a reasonable argument. And you are right that compared historically to Rudy McRomney, Huckabee is definitely more conservative in many areas.
But several of the things that cemented my support for Hunter included his gruff, no BS stand on what world opinion of the USA meant to him. Huck turned my stomach when he channeled Obama, fretting about our “loss of prestige” and our “arrogant” foreign policy. This was manifested policy wise in his decision to support McCain in his calls to close Gitmo and end waterboarding. That is liberal claptrap.
Also, just as I will never support Romney because of his past and current 2nd Amendment position (I can accept his recent conversion to pro-life) and his china cheerleading, I will not support a man who called the folks in his state who demanded a get tough policy on illegals “racists and demagougues”. Those words in that context leave your mouth, you don’t ever get my support, ever.
So while Huck may have impressed Hunter with his charm and sincerity and his recent aping of some of Hunter’s positions, I do not share Hunter’s enthusiasm. And a man who “definitely” would support a nationwide ban on public smoking is a man unfamiliar with the constitution.
But to each his own, my friend.
I plan to write in Duncan Hunter when I vote, but I will stipulate not the current Duncan Hunter, but the Duncan Hunter of last year.
I was thinking the same thing, does he realize we pay more for military expenditures than the rest of the world combined?
The enemy can be personally forgiven at any time -- doesn't mean one doesn't kill him.
After they have been killed or otherwise defeated with overwhelming force and rendered harmless, then we may freely turn any cheeks, sure.
They're kind of tired, by now, so they may not be as strong as a few months ago. (He wants more armaments, improvements and recruits.)
Workers UNITE!
I’m a free trader so I could never support Hunter.
I’m glad that Bush made the case for free trade with Columbia at the SOTU. They need all the help they can get against FARC on the one hand and Chavez and Castro on the other. We’re not going to win the war on drugs until we help wean coca farmers towards a real economy. A strong Columbia is in our national interest and Hunter is opposed to a treaty.
I love hearing Huckabee talk. He is the embodiment of American Grace. He would be such a great President.
I wonder if Duncan would have hooked up with Huckabee had he still been on the Ticket.
Looks like a VP in the making for Huck’s Ticket.
Sorry, pissant, if your scanning this Thread.
Yeah, I guess his son hanging, cutting, and stoning a dog to death was the embodiment of American Grace...or as Huckabee calls it, mercy killing. Or perhaps it was the grace he showed towards Wayne Dumond, who raped, went to prison, let out on early release with support of Huckabee, then committed a double homicide.
‘Anyone that’s living in the United States shouldn’t be hiding in the shadows,’ Huckabee said. ‘They’re in America. They should have their heads held high.’
-———————————————————————————>
Tell that to the 3,000 Americans killed on 9/11.
Tell that to a mother or father whose child has been killed by an illegal driving on the roads of the USA.
Tell that to someone overlooked on a college application in favor of an illegal.
Tell that to all the hospitals closed because they had to provide service to illegals and consequently discontinue service to US Citizens.
Tell that to the folks to major cities fighting gangs formed by illegals selling prostition, drugs and tickets to the USA.
HUCKABEE (AND IMHO MCCAIN) JUST DON’T GET WHAT WE ARE SEEING DONE TO OUR COUNTRY BY ILLEGALS. TAKING AWAY OUR JOBS, OUR HEALTH CARE, OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR SAFETY AND OUR COUNTRY!!!
Have you ever fought a smoking ban locally?
Perfectly normal rational people turn into pod people when it comes to smoking bans.
The well funded brainwashing started 40 years ago. Huckabee resisted at first. I think the anti-smoking Nazis threaten them with all kinds of bad press or worse. The law he signed was not as stringent as the one Romney signed in Massachusetts.
The Huckster’s idea of “stringent” is leasing a gov’t building and a state employee to Mexico for the sum of ONE DOLLAR. That would be the MEXICAN CONSULATE in Little Rock, AK.
http://thecitizensjournalblog.blogspot.com/2007/02/mexican-consulate-in-little-rock.html
NON-SCIENTIFIC POLL: All responses welcome; maybe.
Who do you think Romney might pick as a VEEP? Hunter, Thompson, Huckabee or None-of-the-above?
Who do you think McCain will pick for his VEEP? Lieberman, Kennedy, Feingold or Geraldo Rivera?
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