Posted on 08/14/2008 12:22:36 PM PDT by pissant
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee thinks having former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as the vice presidential nominee is a bad idea, but not because Romney is a Mormon.
"I think a lot of people, not just social conservatives, but a lot of the Republicans I know are not necessarily comfortable with Romney," he told CBS. "But it has nothing to do with religion. It has everything to do with inconsistencies in positions he's held, and that's it."
Huckabee, a former Baptist minister whose long-shot presidential campaign was kept alive mainly by support from Evangelicals, was commenting on organized efforts by some of his backers in Michigan and Ohio to urge Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) not to choose Romney as running mate.
McCain told the Weekly Standard on Wednesday that he was open to choosing a vice presidential nominee who supports abortion.
Several current and former Republican officials have been reported to be in the running as McCain's vice president, including Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) and former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.
Romney, a former CEO of Bain and Co. who ended his bid for the Republican nomination in February, is reportedly on top of the shortlist. Pundits regard him as a good match for McCain, who has struggled to change perceptions that he is less adept on economic issues than Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL).
But many critics have also cited Romney's being a Mormon as a huge obstacle to his political aspirations. He has also been repeatedly criticized for changing his views on abortion and gay marriages; he initially supported abortion and same-sex unions but is now opposed to both. His home state of Massachusetts was the first state to legalize gay marriages.
A conservative political action committee, Government Is Not God, said as early as March that Romney "utterly unacceptable"as a vice presidential nominee.
Huckabee ended his bid for the Republican nomination in March after losing considerable support among Evangelical voters to former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, who is known for his opposition to abortion. He surprised everyone by winning the first contest of the primary season in Iowa, but failed to follow up with any other victories.
Yes. He said it on an interview on national TV.
Let’s see, we have Romney and Lieberman. Which do you think will pi** people off more if McCain picks him for VP?
Glenn Beck said the MSM built Huck up to split the vote between he and Romney because they knew Romney was quite capable, this in turn gave the nomination to McCain. Glenn Beck was right, they scream about operation chaos meanwhile McCain was hand picked by the MSM and you guys are going to go vote for him.
“Romney is NOT a conservative. He only plays one on TV.”
He’s more conservative than McCain, though. And at least he understands economics. McCain is a dufus.
Huckabee is the reason we’re stuck with McCain.
Actually, he lost more evangelical votes to Mitt Romney than he did to Fred Thompson. Fred wasn't a big draw for the evangelicals.
Of course, the last sentence is completely wrong (Not just because the "he" is not qualified so you can't be certain if they are talking about Thompson or Huckabee). Huckabee won several states. Thompson didn't manage to win any states.
Huckabee was never close to winning a majority of conservatives, evangelicals, or anything else. His only job was to keep the conservatives from coalescing around a single candidate. First, he went after Fred Thompson, tearing the evangelical vote away from him. Then he went after Romney. He supported McCain all the way.
And in case somebody really still believes Huckabee is a good fiscal or any other kind of conservative, realise that Huckabee's PAC is supporting Don Young in Alaska -- a corrupt spender known for the Bridge to Nowhere.
I’m sticking to my theory that Fred was Mccain’s stalking horse. McCain was dead meat until Fred drew from Mitt and Huck and everyone else.
No surprise that Huckabee supporters are still trying to make sure we have RINOs for both President and Vice President. He worked hard for McCain, and now I guess he’ll work hard for some RINO VP pick.
I’m guessing the only reason he isn’t going after Cantor for being a Jew is that he doesn’t think Cantor is being seriously considered.
I’d rather go with neither of them, but I’d much rather have Mitt than Huck.
For while it is true that Mitt changed positions (rightward) on numerous issues in the past few years, a fact that is very off-putting to conservatives — is Mitt really sincere? why’d he take so long to come around in his 50s? —
it is arguably worse that Huckabee holds numerous CONSISTENT liberal positions on issues outside of abortion and guns.
How about Fred Thompson 10 years ago? ._.
But remember, with Romney detractors the important thing is that he's a Mormon, and they all know that all Mormons are from Utah.
McCain’s best choice for winning is Fred Thompson, IMO. Not that I’m a big fan of his, but Fred has managed, somehow, to attract much of the conservative base after a career as a center-right guy along the lines of GHWB.
Really? Hmmmm do you have something against Jews? Then why did you bring it up?
I'm an Evangelical for Cantor ping!!
I personally would love McCain to tap Thompson, as a matter of qualifications, independent of the vote-getting issue.
But Thompson wouldn’t accept it, and, even if Thompson did, I fear that many superficial swing voters would point and laugh at the “Grumpy Old Men” ticket. (Such derision would help sew up Florida for McCain, but IMO McCain already has to consider Florida “his” and focus on other states like PA, VA, OH.)
Huckabee’s a joke. He’s corrupt and totally without class. No one cares what he says anymore.
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LOL! If only.
Santorum?
"He’s more conservative than McCain, though. And at least he understands economics. McCain is a dufus."
It was Mitt that wanted to tax citizens 20 billion for a Detroit bailout for their votes and McCain who said the big three needed to get their act together with no bailout?
Who just said ethanol was a scam and ought to be ended?( It wasn't Myth).
Who used half a billion Federal money to bail out his Utah hack friends?
Who in Massachusetts made Hillarycare possible, and ran on it( for a while, until it started to go sour)?
Who never did one single corruption probe as Governor, in a state that economy makes Moscow look honest?
It seems the only think Huckabee has left is just his hatred of Romeny.
it actually is rather sad.
If you just want someone who understands economics, I say get Ron Paul for VP. Huckabee and Romney are both nanny staters, and yes, McCain is a doofus on the economy.
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