NY-23

Huckabee Doesn't Endorse Hoffman In NY-23 -- But Agrees With Him On Everything

Eric Kleefeld | October 23, 2009, 4:49PM

During an appearance on the Neil Cavuto show, Mike Huckabee said he would not make an endorsement in the NY-23 special election -- and then proceeded to profusely praise Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, and say he could never support a pro-choice candidate (which so happens to be the case for the GOP's nominee, Dede Scozzafava).

"Certainly his views represent more closely to mine," said Huckabee. "I'm not taking a role in that with my PAC, simply because I feel like it would be inappropriate with me at this point -- mainly because I'm already speaking to the Conservative Party next week. But it is not an endorsement speech, it is an awards speech, and I don't want to get the two confused."

Huckabee also said: "I'm never gonna support somebody who does not believe that every human life has value and meaning. I'm not gonna support people who would do things like say TARP is one of those great, wonderful things. I think I have a right and responsibility to only support people who hold to principles, above party and above just the politics of winning and losing."

Barack Obama

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | August 1, 2009, 1:04PM

Obama: Economic Situation Improving, But More Work Needed
In this weekend's YouTube address, President Obama said that the latest GDP numbers show that the stimulus bill is working, and that the economy is on the way to recovery -- but there is still work to be done:

"This won't happen overnight. As I've said before, it will take many more months to fully dig ourselves out of a recession - a recession that we've now learned was even deeper than anyone thought," said Obama. "But I'll continue to work every day, and take every step necessary, to make sure that happens. I also want to make sure that we don't return to an economy where our growth is based on inflated profits and maxed-out credit cards - because that doesn't create a lot of jobs. Even as we rescue this economy, we must work to rebuild it stronger than before."

GOP Address: "Republicans Want Health Care Reform That Works"
In this weekend's Republican address, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) warned against a government takeover of health care by the Democrats:

"Republicans want health care reform that works. Reform that brings down costs for families and small businesses, and reform that provides better care to more people," said Thune. "On all these points, the current proposals by the President and the Democrat leadership in Congress fall short. Their plan for government-run health care would disrupt our current system and force millions of Americans who currently enjoy their employer-based coverage into a new health care plan run by government bureaucrats."

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Barack Obama

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | July 5, 2009, 12:56PM

Palin Attacks "Main Stream Media" Not Understanding Her Resignation
Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) released a statement yesterday to comment further on her decision to resign -- and again, she attacks the media for going after her. "The response in the main stream media has been most predictable, ironic, and as always, detached from the lives of ordinary Americans who are sick of the 'politics of personal destruction,'" Palin writes. "How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it's about country. And though it's honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will depart from the White House tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET, leaving for Obama's overseas trip this week starting with Moscow, Russia.

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Mark Sanford

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | June 24, 2009, 9:01AM

Sanford: I Was In Argentina
Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) has now resurfaced at the Atlanta airport, telling The State that he was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, taking a break after a busy legislative session -- not hiking the Appalachian Trail, as his staff had claimed. Sanford said he'd considered hiking the Trail, "But I said 'no' I wanted to do something exotic." When asked why his staff had said he was hiking the Trail, he said, "I don't know," but then later added that "in fairness" to his staff, he'd previously told them he might go hiking there.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 2 p.m. ET today with Govs. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Jim Douglas (R-VT), Jim Doyle (D-WI), Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Christine Gregoire (D-WA) to discuss health care. At 8 p.m. ET, he will hold a town hall from the White House on health care, which will be broadcast on ABC.

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Pres '12

Poll: No Immediate Republican Frontrunner For 2012

Eric Kleefeld | June 2, 2009, 4:11PM

A new CNN poll finds that there is no immediate frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2012. Here are the numbers, with a ±4.5% margin of error among GOP respondents:

Mike Huckabee 22%
Sarah Palin 21%
Mitt Romney 21%
Newt Gingrich 13%
Jeb Bush 6%
Someone else (volunteered answer) 10%

At this point there really doesn't need to be an immediate Republican frontrunner. It's even quite plausible that the lack of a current leading candidate could have its own mix of pluses and minuses.

Mike Huckabee

Huckabee: Steele Can Attack Obama -- And Nobody Can Call Him A Racist

Eric Kleefeld | May 26, 2009, 5:14PM

Mike Huckabee has some high praise for Michael Steele -- though it's not the most graceful acclaim ever given.

"I'm not sure anyone else could be as effective in challenging the Obama policies any more so than Michael," said Huckabee. The reason: "Well, I believe that that no one is gonna be able to use the racism charge."

Fun fact: Steele said last week Obama won with the help of the media -- who didn't vet him because he's black.

Barack Obama

Poll: Obama Leads Big GOP Names For 2012

Eric Kleefeld | May 21, 2009, 1:28PM

A new national survey from Public Policy Polling (D) finds President Obama leading several potential 2012 opponents by substantial margins.

The numbers: Obama leads Newt Gingrich 53%-36%; he's ahead of Mike Huckabee 52%-39%; he leads Sarah Palin 56%-37%; and he beats Mitt Romney 53%-35%.

Obama's approval rating is 55% in this poll, to a disapproval of 38%. By contrast, Gingrich's favorable rating is only 30% against 47% unfavorable; Huckabee's is 44%-32%; Palin's is 42%-50%; and Romney's rating is 40%-36%.

Of course, it's only May 2009, and Iowa Republicans presumably won't be voting until January 2012. So take this all with a heap of salt.

Barack Obama

Poll: Obama Ahead Of Gingrich, Huckabee, Palin And Romney In 2012 Matchups

Eric Kleefeld | April 23, 2009, 11:35AM

A new national survey from Public Policy Polling (D), already looking forward to 2012, shows President Obama ahead of four potential Republican opponents.

Obama leads Newt Gingrich 52%-39%; he's ahead of Mike Huckabee 49%-42%; he beats Sarah Palin 53%-41%; and he leads Mitt Romney 50%-39%.

"Barack Obama might not have the same overwhelming approval rating he did in the earlier days of his administration," PPP president Dean Debnam said in the polling memo. "But he's certainly still more popular than any of the major Republican figures in the country."

Michael Steele

Huckabee: Steele's Abortion Comments "A Violation Of The Most Basic Of Human Rights"

Eric Kleefeld | March 12, 2009, 1:09PM

Mike Huckabee is also slamming Michael Steele's comments about abortion in the GQ interview, with this post on his leadership PAC's blog:

Comments attributed to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele are very troubling and despite his clarification today the party stands to lose many of its members and a great deal of its support in the trenches of grassroots politics. Since 1980, our party has been steadfast and principled in believing in the dignity and worth of every human life. We have supported a Constitutional amendment to protect life and the party has taken the position that no one individual has the supreme right to own another person in totality including the right to take that life. For Chairman Steele to even infer that taking a life is totally left up to the individual is not only a reversal of Republican policy and principle, but it's a violation of the most basic of human rights--the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. His statement today helps, but doesn't explain why he would ever say what he did in the first place.

In a very worrying sign for Steele, Huckabee is clearly aware of Steele's clarification this morning that he is pro-life and supports a Human Life Amendment. But it doesn't appear to be good enough.

(Via Taegan Goddard.)

Pres '12

Poll: GOP Field For 2012 Wide Open, Palin Has Small Lead

Eric Kleefeld | February 27, 2009, 1:33PM

A newly-released CNN poll, conducted just over a week ago, asked Republicans their choice for the 2012 nomination: Sarah Palin 29%, Mike Huckabee 26%, Mitt Romney 21%, Bobby Jindal 9%, Someone Else 10%. The margin of error is ±4.5%.

Bear in mind this poll as done before this week's address to Congress by President Obama -- and thus before Jindal's response speech.

So who knows what impact the speech has had on Jindal's numbers. It raised his name recognition, certainly -- but it wasn't exactly a good speech, and he's been ridiculed on all the late-night comedy shows. That, and it obviously predates today's news that he completely lied during his speech about his experiences in Hurricane Katrina.

Then again, Rush Limbaugh has been rallying the Republican base against the liberal media's ganging up on Jindal, and also against the Republicans who have joined in.