NPR: HuckaSpeech

HuckaSpeech

Former Presidential candidate and Cinderella Iowa Caucus winner Mike Huckabee opened his remarks to the RNC with a scathing critique of the "elite media"'s coverage of Sarah Palin over the past several days. He called it "tackier than a costume change at a Madonna concert."

Media digs out of the way, Huckabee went on to acknowledge the groundbreaking nature of Barack Obama's nomination, but added that symbolism is not a reason to elect a President.

I say with sincerity that I have great respect for Senator Obama's historic achievement to become his party's nominee -- not because of his color, but with indifference to it. Party or politics aside, we celebrate this milestone because it elevates our country. But the Presidency is not a symbolic job, and I don't believe his preparation or his plans will lift America up.

Huckabee, who famously grew up poor in the town of Hope, Arkansas (much like another politician you may have heard of), bit back at the DNC talking-points about Republicans being out of touch with the financial needs of regular working Americans.

I really tire of hearing how the Democrats care about the working guy as if all Republicans grew up with silk stockings and silver spoons.

(snip)

I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich, but because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me.

He went on to paint Obama as naive on foreign policy, keeping up the McCain camp's line that the Democratic nominee is "not ready to lead."

Maybe the most dangerous threat of an Obama presidency is that he would continue to give madmen the benefit of the doubt. If he's wrong just once, we will pay a heavy price.

John McCain will follow the fanatics to their caves in Pakistan or to the gates of hell.

What Obama wants to do is give them a place setting at the table.

Huckabee's speech closed with the lesson that America's freedoms are carried on the shoulders of those who serve in our military, as John McCain did during his harrowing ordeal in Vietnam.

I wish we all would remember that being American is not just about the freedom we have. It's about those who gave it to us.

McCain's service, Huckabee said, had "earned" him a seat in the Oval Office.

-- Evie Stone

9:39 PM ET | 09- 3-2008 | permalink

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One of our freedoms is to question the narrative of powerful interests like the repub party. Go media!! Ask questions and demand answers. Resist the commiefascistnazilike attempts to quiet you.

Sent by Mike Fleissner | 10:31 PM ET | 09-03-2008

I find it strange that the republican party is firstly compared to Communist, who are the far left, Nazi's, since the Republican Party has yet to kill millions or destroy all opposing politcal parties, or Fascist, which it seems Mike Fleissner has no clue what it truly mean. The fact is that the Press is trying their hardest to find only the negative aspects of Palin and refuse to look at the accomplisments of the person. Few places I have seen want to report a nonbias article like NPR is doing over Palin. Yes, Press, continue your right to pry into other peoples privacy, but by all means, it is Your right to question them. Go Republican Party, maybe you can help bring back so Morales to this land.

Sent by Joshua Collins | 11:15 PM ET | 09-03-2008

Don't lift up the poor.

Tear down the rich.

Sent by Jody Sol | 11:27 PM ET | 09-03-2008

The positives of McCain- Palin (or Obama-Biden) are put forth with massive pr. It is the job of the press to ask questions that might bring out the negatives. That is all I am asking and it should go both ways. It has for the dems and it should for the repubs. Attacking those who ask the questions is the first tactic of totalitarian societies; communist, fascist, nazi, mugabe, chinese, et al.(that means all the others, Joshua). Oh and please tell us about this magic person Morales that you want the repubs to bring back.

Sent by Mike Fleissner | 11:49 PM ET | 09-03-2008

You said it the media should be unbias and not be the DEMOCRATS puppet. it goes both ways

Sent by Julie | 11:06 AM ET | 09-04-2008

The Republican Party is not attempting to silence or control the media as you are saying, they are trying to show them there is more than negative aspects of Palins life. Much of the media lately has been so concerned with showing the negative side of Palin since she became the VP nominee. Please tell me you have not noticed their obsession with reporting almost always things about Obama and not McCain. They are influencing the media. What I believe the GOP wants is for the Media to give equal, unbias, news reports about the candidates. That means report all the negative AND positive things about the Obama and McCain campaigns. Also they attack those who ask the negative questions because that seems to be all they want to talk about. They are attempting to show Palin's positive side, not bring attention to questionable things that seem to be the spotlight of attention, and this is exactly what the Democratic Party would try to do if it was in the same spot as the GOP.

Sent by Joshua Collins | 2:12 PM ET | 09-04-2008

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