NPR: Huckabee Calls Attacks On His Record "Poisonous"

Huckabee Calls Attacks On His Record "Poisonous"

Mike Huckabee had a brief news conference with reporters in Los Angeles today. He's there to raise money and for an appearance on the Larry King show. So he decided to " ... give you guys (meaning reporters) a few minutes to have at me... I'll probably deeply regret it, but that's part of the game we play these days."

In response to the claims that Mitt Romney's made in recent mailers and TV ads that Huckabee's soft on crime, the former Arkansas Governor said: "I did something he (Romney) never had to do. I carried out the death penalty 16 times, more than any governor in my state's history."

"Every time Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson attacks me, my feeling is we're a week away from Christmas and I think the country could use a little good will and peace on Earth more than they can [use] some tit for tat in the political arena, " Huckabee said. That's a point he makes in his new TV ad/Christmas greeting.

Huckabee called the attack mailers "poisonous ... I think some of my opponents are clearly frustrated that they have spent millions and millions of their dollars, and they are now significantly behind me ... Despicable tactics are the only thing they have left in their arsenal."

That was Candidate Huckabee. Pastor Huckabee was also on display.

He said that religion is playing a bigger role in this election than in past ones. He's certainly helped that along by running a TV spot touting himself as a Christian leader. But he said that he was getting more scrutiny on this score than any of the other candidates, "and particularly the depth of questions that I'm asked. I don't hear any other candidate asked in depth about the nuances of his church's doctrine like I am. And there are a lot more questions that are scrutinizing the inner workings of being a Baptist ... If you like would like to go and ask everyone of the other candidates to describe some of the details of the doctrine of their church, I think that would be fair game. To ask me singularly to talk about mine, I'm not sure how that's relevant ..."

-- Ina Jaffe

8:57 PM ET | 12-17-2007 | permalink

Comments

He said nothing in defense of letting 1033 people out of prison that were convicted by a jury of peers.

Sent by nate | 9:02 PM ET | 12-17-2007

I totally agree. Mitt Romney can't stand on his own record so he has to bash others.

Sent by Chuck | 10:08 PM ET | 12-17-2007

What percentage of those executed were people of color? Carrying out the death penalty 'more than any other governor in his state's history should not be touted as responsible political behavior. I saw a great quote the other day "When Jesus said 'love your enemies' I'm pretty sure he meant 'don't kill them." Personally, I would love to hear more about the liberal Christian candidates--I hope the media asks away!

Sent by Jill | 8:21 AM ET | 12-18-2007

Here's a good example of what is really wrong with Americans today...these issues you discuss show attitudes still stuck in the herd mentality of the last 2 elections (look where that got us!) I am saddened that anyone (especially a preacher)would be proud of carrying out the death penalty 16 times. We need to get at the root of our problems, not throw feces at it and say "look what I did". Are all of you so incapable of critical thinking that you just jump in any rhetorical band wagon that is thrown in your path? Can this be the outcome of government running our educational system? It appears that there is "no mind left to use". Shame on you who respond to the pandering coming out of both sides. You are the problem! You want to elect just a talking head and not one who can intellectually see past his/her own ego and take responsibility for the decisions made...are you all just willing to sit there and let this pool of idiots become your best choices...then you deserve the idiots you get...Look for a different way of thinking and then maybe you will get a different type of leader...or maybe you're happy with what you have.

Sent by Joyce Carr | 9:19 AM ET | 12-18-2007

Huckabee seeks to publicize his Christian credentials because of the significance of the religious right and evangelicals in the GOP in general and the primaries in particular. However, after claiming that the reason his campaign is going well is the same as the miracle performed by Jesus in supposedly feeding the 5000 with a little fish and bread he whines about the attention his religion then receives. The problem is that he cannot have it both ways: express his religiosity as a reason for voting for him and then insulate his religious belief from any criticism.

A few years ago I heard a discussion of capital punishment in which a professor at the flagship university for training Baptist ministers responded to the ???what would Jesus do??? question with ???Jesus would throw the switch." I suppose that remaining the only religious country in the West is part of the reason that we also remain the only country in the West which engages in state execution.

Perhaps the religious beliefs of Republican candidates deserve more scrutiny and a lot more criticism.

Sent by David | 1:03 PM ET | 12-18-2007

How sick is it to claim that your tough on crime by stating that you've KILLED 16 people. Seriously people, we should be ashamed of what we've let politics become.

Institutionalized murder. I guess we know why Jesus wept.

Sent by Jody Sol | 1:03 PM ET | 12-18-2007

The attacks on Huckabee's record are not the only poison to be found. There seems to be lots of "poison" in Huckabee's record and comments.
I, personally, do NOT feel comfortable with someone like Huckabee.

I would like to second the comments of Joyce Carr (only after the "look what I did" part).

Sent by Harold | 1:13 PM ET | 12-18-2007

Nothing says conservative more loudly than capital punishment. A Texan governor did well by dispatching over one hundred despised and poorly represented inmates so he could use the most powerful armed forces to do the same to evil doers around the globe.

Sent by One from the ancient traditions | 1:33 PM ET | 12-18-2007

RE: "He said nothing in defense of letting 1033 people out of prison that were convicted by a jury of peers."
He has spoken about this and the answer is this.
First- 1033 people were not let out of prison, some murders had their sentences reduced to 180 years to fullfill Arkansas law.
Second- due to post 911 changes in hiring regulations many people with old convictions on their records were finding that they could not get a job that they were qualified for, so their records were expunged.
Thirdly- The overall ratio of commutations to prisoners did not rise, the number of prisoners rose in proportion to the number of commutations.
And one more thing, the fact that Romney chose not to commute anyone is disgraceful, and shows him to be a politically cold man bent on the white house instead of his duty.

Sent by Eric Worthington | 6:32 PM ET | 12-18-2007

RE: "Institutionalized murder. I guess we know why Jesus wept."
The law of Moses institutionalized the death penalty and Jesus lived by those laws.
When the thief on the cross, being crucified next to Jesus, proclaimed his belief in the Lord, Jesus said he was to be beside him in Heaven ... after the death penalty was carried out, Jesus never asked for the man to be released from being crucified. Jesus clearly stood by the laws of Moses and of Ceasar.

Sent by Eric Worthington | 6:42 PM ET | 12-18-2007

It's interesting to see the astronomical level of cognitive dissonance going on here... and also quite sad. Why in the world is a christian, an ordained minster no less, touting his having put to death 16 people as if it's a good thing?

Sent by angsty | 11:49 PM ET | 12-18-2007

Eric, if Jesus really thought it was ok to execute a theif, as opposed to a few years in prison, then that's just one more reason to NOT be a Christian. Of course, I think your evidence and reasoning are faulty, so I'm not saying that people shouldn't ask what Jesus would do.

Sent by John R. Otten | 3:21 PM ET | 12-30-2007

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