query: what instrument does mike huckabee play?

title: Mike Huckabee

text: not to renew the contract. In a December 2013 interview, Huckabee stated that he would be launching a news organization in partnership with Christian Media Corp. International. Huckabee launched a show on Trinity Broadcasting Network in 2017. Huckabee plays the electric bass guitar in his classic-rock cover band, Capitol Offense. The group has played for political events and parties, including entertaining at unofficial inaugural balls in Washington, D.C., in January 2001. When elected governor of Arkansas, Huckabee was obese. In 2003, physicians diagnosed him with type 2 diabetes, and informed him that he would not live more than 10 years

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: Governorship of Mike Huckabee Mike Huckabee served as the third Republican governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction from 1996 to 2007. In 1996, incumbent Democratic governor Jim Guy Tucker was convicted of fraud. The Arkansas Constitution, like nearly all state constitutions in the United States, does not allow convicted felons to hold office, so Tucker was forced to resign. However, Tucker, insisting he had a strong case for appeal, rescinded his resignation as Huckabee was preparing to be sworn in on July 15. Within a few hours, Tucker reinstated his resignation after Huckabee threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against Tucker. Huckabee

title: Mike Huckabee

text: Mike Huckabee Michael Dale Huckabee (born August 24, 1955) is an American politician, Christian minister, author, and commentator who served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the United States Republican presidential primaries in both 2008 and 2016. Beginning in 2008, Huckabee hosted the Fox News Channel talk show "Huckabee", ending the show in January 2015 in order to explore a potential bid for the presidency. From April 2012 through December 2013, he hosted a daily radio program, "The Mike Huckabee Show", on weekday afternoons for Cumulus Media Networks. Huckabee is the

title: Mike Huckabee 2008 presidential campaign

text: Mike Huckabee 2008 presidential campaign The Mike Huckabee presidential campaign of 2008 began on January 28, 2007, when former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States for the 2008 election. Huckabee ultimately ended his bid for the nomination after losing the Texas Republican primary on March 4, 2008. Huckabee's campaign began with a first-quarter fundraising total lower than many of the front-running Republican candidates, raising $544,880. Huckabee said that he found it difficult to move forward in a race "ruled by candidates with the biggest names". Nonetheless, Huckabee placed

title: Mike Huckabee

text: all state constitutions in the United States, does not allow convicted felons to hold office. Tucker thus promised to resign by July 15. Huckabee then announced he would quit the Senate race and instead fill the unexpired term of Tucker. However, Tucker, insisting he had a strong case for appeal, rescinded his resignation as Huckabee was preparing to be sworn in on July 15. Within a few hours, Tucker reinstated his resignation after Huckabee and the legislature threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against Tucker. Huckabee was then duly sworn in as governor. In November 1998, Huckabee was elected to a

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: nearly $850 million. In January 2008, Huckabee repeated this assertion, while also pointing out that at the beginning of his term Arkansas had a $200 million deficit. However, during his tenure, the state's general obligation debt increased by almost $1 billion. At the end of his final term, Governor Huckabee pardoned Rolling Stone Keith Richards of a traffic offense in Arkansas 32 years prior. Governorship of Mike Huckabee Mike Huckabee served as the third Republican governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction from 1996 to 2007. In 1996, incumbent Democratic governor Jim Guy Tucker was convicted of fraud. The Arkansas Constitution, like

text: support Republicans. He was the only Republican endorsed by a major labor union (having the support of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) and has been endorsed by 50 African-American political and religious leaders. He also had the support of one of Texas's largest newspapers, "The Dallas Morning News". Mike Huckabee 2008 presidential campaign The Mike Huckabee presidential campaign of 2008 began on January 28, 2007, when former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States for the 2008 election. Huckabee ultimately ended his bid for the nomination

title: Mike Huckabee

text: fourth of his weight due to a foot condition that prevented him from running. Huckabee has written or co-authored several books including "Do The Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America" (released on November 18, 2008) which became a "New York Times" Best Seller, "Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork" and "God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy". Mike Huckabee Michael Dale Huckabee (born August 24, 1955) is an American politician, Christian minister, author, and commentator who served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the

title: Mike Huckabee 2016 presidential campaign

text: caucuses, Huckabee finished in ninth place with 3,345 votes, or 1.8% of the votes cast. He subsequently withdrew from the campaign. Mike Huckabee 2016 presidential campaign The 2016 presidential campaign of Mike Huckabee, the 44th Governor of Arkansas, began on May 5, 2015 at an event in his hometown of Hope, Arkansas. Huckabee's candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2016 Presidential election is his second, after having previously run in 2008. Following a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses, Huckabee ended his run on February 1, 2016. Huckabee was a candidate for the Republican nomination for the Presidency in

text: Mike Huckabee 2016 presidential campaign The 2016 presidential campaign of Mike Huckabee, the 44th Governor of Arkansas, began on May 5, 2015 at an event in his hometown of Hope, Arkansas. Huckabee's candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2016 Presidential election is his second, after having previously run in 2008. Following a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses, Huckabee ended his run on February 1, 2016. Huckabee was a candidate for the Republican nomination for the Presidency in 2008. In the number of states won and popular vote, Huckabee came in third behind former Massachusetts governor (and future 2012

title: Public image of Mike Huckabee

text: to buy a home and keep their home." The Christian Science Monitor called Huckabee a "conservative with a social gospel." Bill O'Reilly's first question to Huckabee in an interview was "Is Mike Huckabee ‘Too Religious’ to be elected president?" In a 1998 gubernatorial exit poll, Huckabee earned 48 percent of the African-American vote, a feat seldom accomplished by Republican candidates since the 1930s. On January 21, 2008, Mike Huckabee received the endorsement of 50 African-American leaders in Atlanta, Georgia. The endorsers cited Huckabee's record on life, education, minorities, the economy, the prison system, and immigration as Arkansas governor. Due to

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: bed-tax on private nursing home patients in 2001. In 2002, Huckabee ran for governor and his wife Janet ran for Arkansas Secretary of State. The "New York Times" reported this set off an "avalanche of criticism." A Republican State Representative, Jake Files of Fort Smith, commented, "'That's just a lot of power in one family's hands" Mike Huckabee later stated that his wife tried to recruit other Republican candidates willing to run for Secretary of State. But no one else was willing, so she ran herself. Mike Huckabee won his race with 53 percent of the vote, while his wife

text: African-American voters, features several highlights of Huckabee's speeches and policies that tend to the needs of the black community. List of individuals endorsing Mike Huckabee List of newspapers endorsing Mike Huckabee Governor Huckabee's notable endorsements included five current United States congressmen (including former presidential candidate Duncan Hunter), conservative leaders such as Focus on the Family chairman James Dobson, Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist, Liberty University chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., and Libertarian talk-radio host Neal Boortz. Huckabee was endorsed by professional wrestler "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair and boxer Roy Jones Jr. Some Huckabee endorsements came from groups who don't typically

text: will catch on with Republican primary voters, and called him most likely "dark horse" candidate to win. Huckabee came in second place in the Family Research Council Value Voters Summit straw poll with 27.15%, behind former Massachusetts Governor Romney, but won among onsite voters with 51.26 percent of onsite votes at the Washington, DC meeting. On October 22, actor Chuck Norris announced his endorsement of Huckabee in a release on Huckabee's website. Norris said that "I believe the only one who has all of the characteristics to lead America forward into the future is ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Mike Huckabee

title: Public image of Mike Huckabee

text: presidential contender Mike Huckabee, until he would secure the nomination. One Democrat said "He'll easily be their McGovern, an easy kill." Public image of Mike Huckabee The public image of former Governor and Republican presidential nominee Mike Huckabee is very mixed; he has been criticized by many conservative icons such as Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. He did, however, receive significant support when running for president in 2008; he received the endorsements from five Representatives of the U.S. House as well as three former governors and seven newspapers. Huckabee's personality has been described in positive terms as "gentle and warm",

title: Mike Huckabee

text: took second place with 2,587 votes, roughly 18 percent, splitting the conservative Republican party votes amongst other candidates. Huckabee spent $57.98 per vote in the Straw Poll, which is the lowest among the top three finishers. Huckabee drew attention with an unconventional ad featuring Chuck Norris. In a later ad Huckabee wished voters a merry Christmas, and said that "what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ." In November 2007, Huckabee drew endorsements from a large number of religious activists, including Billy McCormack, a pastor in Shreveport, Louisiana, and a director and vice president of the Christian

title: Mike Huckabee

text: 1998. Huckabee commented that Morris was a "personal friend". A newspaper article reported on Huckabee's 1993 win: "Morris said the mistake Republicans always make is that they are too much of a country club set. What we wanted to do was run a progressive campaign that would appeal to all Arkansans.'" Morris elaborated, "So we opened the campaign with ads that characterized Mike as more of a moderate whose values were the same as those of other Arkansans." Consequently, he abandoned his earlier support for the Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC) when in April 1994 following an adverse media campaign

text: weapon in a prohibited place after a Glock pistol was found in his briefcase while going through a security checkpoint at the Little Rock National Airport. David Huckabee, who pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge, said that he forgot to take the gun out of his bag before going to the airport. After the events took place, Mike Huckabee, a strong right to bear arms candidate said "I love my son but what he did was irresponsible, but not intentional. The right to carry a firearm has to be balanced with an equal responsibility to not make foolish errors like

title: Political positions of Mike Huckabee

text: is major cause of swamp," as a reference to one of President Donald Trump's slogans "Drain the swamp". Political positions of Mike Huckabee Mike Huckabee is the former Governor of Arkansas (1996–2007) and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 presidential election. He was running for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 presidential election but suspended his campaign on February 1, 2016 Huckabee opposes any public funding for abortion, and believes that abortion should be legal only when the life of the

title: Political positions of Mike Huckabee

text: Political positions of Mike Huckabee Mike Huckabee is the former Governor of Arkansas (1996–2007) and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 presidential election. He was running for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 presidential election but suspended his campaign on February 1, 2016 Huckabee opposes any public funding for abortion, and believes that abortion should be legal only when the life of the mother is at risk. He believes that it would "most certainly" be a good day for America if

title: Mike Huckabee

text: contest. In a Rasmussen poll taken January 11–14, 2011, Huckabee was even with Obama at 43% each. Huckabee took stances opposed to the nature of the incumbent president, Barack Obama. In comments made March 1, 2011, on "The Steve Malzberg Show", Huckabee said of Obama, "I would love to know more. What I know is troubling enough. And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, is very different than the average American." (This is a reference to the Mau Mau Uprising against the colonial rule of the

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: Later, Huckabee endorsed George W. Bush. The Washington Post reported in February 2000, "This is a guy who gets things done," said Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. "The more people get to know George Bush, the more than are going to get to like him." On April 1, 1999, Huckabee signed into law a three cent increase in tax on gasoline and a four cent increase on diesel. Attached to the bill was a bond issue to pay for highway construction. The Commercial Appeal reported: "All the diesel money will be earmarked to pay off the bonds or, if the bond

title: Public image of Mike Huckabee

text: Cathy family's support for "traditional marriage,". Politician Mike Huckabee created the counter-protest for August 1 called "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Huckabee is often, at times, an outspoken critic of Islam. In February 2011, Huckabee excoriated a small number of Protestant churches for allowing Muslims to pray in them , remarking that Islam "is the antithesis of the Gospel of Jesus Christ". Also in August 2013, Huckabee, on his radio talk show, criticized the decision of the United States government to close down its embassies in predominantly Muslim countries in celebration of Eid al Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan;

text: Iowa, former Governor of South Carolina and Huckabee supporter David Beasley said that Huckabee is filling the void created by the lack of a social conservative in the race. He said that "I really believe now that the conservative voters will begin to coalesce behind Mike Huckabee...and it's going to be infectious in New Hampshire and South Carolina" In the week following the Straw Poll, Huckabee scheduled a trip to New Hampshire, seen as the next battleground state. He is scheduled to spend August 17 to the 20th in that state attending picnics and spaghetti dinners, and meeting with local

title: Mike Huckabee

text: about his support on religious freedom grounds of Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis to radio host Michael Medved, Huckabee said, "Michael, "Dred Scott" decision of 1857 still remains to this day the law of the land which says that black people aren't fully human. Does anybody still follow the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision?" (The decision in "Dred Scott v. Sandford" had been superseded by the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and nullified by the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.) In June 2016, Huckabee, along with actor Pat Boone and executive producer Troy Duhon, all of whom

title: Mike Huckabee

text: without the help of the government." Huckabee has voiced his support of intelligent design and he has stated that he does not accept the validity of Darwin's theory of evolution. He was quoted in July 2004 on "Arkansans Ask", his regular show on the Arkansas Educational Television Network: "I think that students also should be given exposure to the theories not only of evolution but to the basis of those who believe in creationism." In April 2011, Huckabee said, "I almost wish that there would be a simultaneous telecast and all Americans would be forced, at gunpoint, to listen to

title: Public image of Mike Huckabee

text: Public image of Mike Huckabee The public image of former Governor and Republican presidential nominee Mike Huckabee is very mixed; he has been criticized by many conservative icons such as Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. He did, however, receive significant support when running for president in 2008; he received the endorsements from five Representatives of the U.S. House as well as three former governors and seven newspapers. Huckabee's personality has been described in positive terms as "gentle and warm", "charming", "friendly, teddy-bear", and "engaging, warm, relaxed, and persuasive". Huckabee's personality has been described in negative terms as "petty, thin-skinned, self-righteous",

title: Mike Huckabee

text: to do so would carry a 10-year ban from entering the US. Huckabee has voiced his support for self-defense and the Castle Doctrine, and has generally taken an anti-gun control stance. He believes that the concealed carrying of weapons should be allowed. He has said that whenever he hears people start talking about hunting when referring to the Second Amendment, he realizes they do not know what they are talking about, because the Second Amendment was to allow an armed citizenry the opportunity to protect themselves in case a tyrannical government ever came into power. As governor of Arkansas, Huckabee

title: Mike Huckabee

text: to make preparations for his run for the Presidential ticket in 2016. On May 5, 2015, Huckabee announced a campaign to seek the Republican nomination for president of the United States in the 2016 election. In his speech, which was delivered in the hometown that he shares with Bill Clinton, Huckabee attacked trade deals that he said drive down U.S. wages, opposed raising the age for Social Security benefits, criticized President Obama for what he said was putting more pressure on Israel than Iran, and made an unusual plea for donations of $15 or $25 a month, saying: "I will

title: Public image of Mike Huckabee

text: Canada's decision to preserve its national igloo. Unaware to the fact that Canada has no national igloo, Mike Huckabee congratulated Canada for preserving it. In subsequent interview Rick Mercer explained that Huckabee had asked if it was a controversial igloo but that he wasn't aware that it was a fake news story. In December 2007, Huckabee was criticized for his comments subsequent to the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He said that Pakistan has more illegal immigrants to the United States than any country but Mexico. However, INS data indicates that Pakistan is nowhere near the top

text: his welcome" if he did not win the nomination. In a debate, Huckabee claimed to have gained 48 percent of the black vote, a feat seldom reached by Republican candidates since the 1930s. However, this figure was based on a very small sample of blacks polled at exit polls; the actual number has been estimated at 20%. On January 21, 2008, Mike Huckabee received the endorsement of 50 African-American leaders in Atlanta, Georgia. The endorsers cited Huckabee's record on life, education, minorities, the economy, the prison system, and immigration as Arkansas governor. Hip-Hop 4 Huckabee, a blog targeted to young

text: Stewart", "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" and "The Colbert Report". Mike Huckabee generated a considerable following of young voters, primarily because of his support of the Fair Tax as well as his concerns about global warming, education, and several other issues typically not referred to by Republicans. Most notable is the following Huckabee gathered among the younger crowd via the internet. Huck's Army, an online grassroots coalition and volunteer think tank, is largely composed of younger, more technologically savvy adherents. So productive was this group, that it received national media attention and was credited by Huckabee as "the

text: would "push hard for Lincoln-Douglas style debates once [they] get into the General Election, when there are only two candidates running." In late January 2008, after finishing 2nd in the January 19 South Carolina primary, the Huckabee campaign faced significant financial setbacks, due to a decrease in cash flow expectations after not meeting the expectation of winning the first in the south primary. This caused Huckabee to ask some senior staff members to work without pay, and put uncertainty on the future of his campaign and how long Huckabee would be able to compete financially. Mike Huckabee's campaign has used

text: a grassroots movement in Iowa, and stumped throughout the state during July. In a July 9, 2007, interview, Huckabee said that his solution for ending the ongoing violence in Iraq would include a troop increase and seeking additional support from other nations in the Middle East. He was a guest on Fox News' 'The Neal Cavuto Show' on Friday, July 20, and then returned to Iowa for numerous "Meet Mike Huckabee" events. He traveled to Amarillo, Texas on July 22 to give a sermon at The Church at Quail Creek. Huckabee continued to keep a busy schedule in Iowa in

title: Mike Huckabee

text: American presidential election coverage, in their New York election headquarters. Huckabee filled in for Paul Harvey in July 2008. A few months later, he signed a deal with ABC Radio Networks (now Cumulus Media Networks) to carry a daily commentary, "The Huckabee Report", beginning in January 2009. After Harvey's death his show replaced Harvey's broadcasts. On April 15, 2015, Huckabee announced that "The Huckabee Report" would be ending May 1, but subscribers could hear similar content that they would pay for. Huckabee hosted a weekend show, "Huckabee", on Fox News Channel, which premiered Saturday, September 27, 2008, at 8 PM

title: Mike Huckabee

text: "Vice President Huckabee" several times when he appeared on "Meet The Press" on May 18, 2008. Huckabee was eventually passed over for Sarah Palin. Former president Bill Clinton has praised Huckabee and stated that he is a rising star in the Republican Party. Clinton and Huckabee have collaborated on initiatives such as the fight against childhood obesity. Former Tennessee Republican Party chairman and Huckabee's former campaign manager Chip Saltsman has called Governor Huckabee, "The most successful failed presidential candidate in the history of our country". In a November 19, 2008, article by the Associated Press, Huckabee addressed the possibility of

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: Health Care Association President Jim Cooper stated the private nursing home tax was necessary in order to avert future huge tax increases as a result of years of mismanagement. On December 26, 2007 the conservative organization Judicial Watch announced that Mike Huckabee was named to its list of Washington's "Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians" for 2007. They state that Huckabee, as governor, was the subject of "14 ethics complaints and a volley of questions about his integrity, ranging from his management of campaign cash to his use of a nonprofit organization to subsidize his income to his destruction of state

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: reservations in favor of evacuees. Pharmacists were given emergency authority to dispense prescriptions and provide access to dialysis machines. Shelters opened up in nearly every portion of the state, and Huckabee requested that the entire state be declared a disaster area. It was not. Many of these shelters, either closed or set to close, were reopened or kept open to process a "second wave" of Katrina evacuees moved from Texas in the wake of arriving Hurricane Rita. (See also Hurricane Katrina disaster relief). In 2005, Huckabee, supported by then-Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe, opposed efforts by Oklahoma Attorney General Drew

title: Mike Huckabee

text: and local governments. Huckabee has completed several marathons: the 2005 Marine Corps Marathon, the 2005 and 2006 Little Rock Marathon, and the 2006 New York City Marathon. The 2005 Little Rock Marathon featured an impromptu challenge between Huckabee and Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. Huckabee completed the marathon in 4:38:31, defeating Vilsack by 50 minutes. He wrote a book chronicling his weight-loss experience, "Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork". Huckabee was one of 10 recipients of a 2006 AARP Impact Award acknowledging his work as a "health crusader". In 2009, Huckabee acknowledged that he had gained back a

title: Mike Huckabee

text: Huckabee Sanders is White House press secretary to President Donald Trump since July 2017. In January 2018, Huckabee praised Doha, Qatar as being "surprisingly beautiful, modern, and hospitable" after a trip there, but did not reveal that a foreign agent for Qatar had paid $50,000 to a corporation run by Huckabee as a "honorarium for visit". Huckabee opposes any public funding for abortion, and believes that abortion should be legal only when the life of the mother is at risk. He believes that it would "most certainly" be a good day for America if "Roe v. Wade" were reversed. Huckabee

text: votes, roughly 18 percent. Huckabee spent $57.98 per vote in the Straw Poll, which is the lowest among the top three finishers. Since Romney was expected by the vast majority to take first in the poll, many declared Huckabee the big winner. The National Review said that "When it was all over, there was no doubt that the winner of the day was Huckabee." Huckabee told reports that "It is beyond huge. Tonight, for all practical purposes, we won the Iowa straw poll. No one was even saying we would come in second. You gotta admit, for what we had

title: Political positions of Mike Huckabee

text: Jesus is our only hope." Huckabee believes that the responsibility of defining marriage should be left up to the states to decide. Huckabee criticized the "Obergefell v. Hodges" Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, calling the ruling "an out of control act of judicial tyranny", saying "I will not acquiesce to an imperial court". Huckabee has voiced his support of intelligent design and he has stated that he does not accept the validity of Darwin's theory of evolution. He was quoted in July 2004 on "Arkansans Ask", his regular show on the Arkansas Educational Television Network: "I think that

title: Mike Huckabee

text: if he did not lose weight. Huckabee acknowledges that he has weighed as much as 300 pounds (135 kg). Coupled with the death of former Governor Frank D. White (whose obesity contributed to a fatal heart attack) his diagnosis prompted Huckabee to begin eating a healthier diet and exercising. He subsequently lost over 110 pounds (50 kg). "The New York Times" called the weight loss so rapid that "it was as if he simply unzipped a fat suit and stepped out." Although Huckabee has stated that he never smoked nor drank, he declared himself a "recovering foodaholic". Huckabee has publicly

title: Mike Huckabee

text: of "Governing" magazine's Public Officials of the Year, and given the American Public Health Association's Distinguished Public Health Legislator of the Year Award. In 2006, he was presented with AARP's Impact Award. In 2007, Huckabee was given the Music for Life Award by the National Association of Music Merchants for his music education advocacy. In December 2008, Huckabee became an Honorary Member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. In July 2010, Huckabee became a fundraiser on behalf of for-profit Victory College in Memphis, Tennessee, and was designated Chancellor of the Victory University Foundation. Huckabee was made the chair of the Southern

title: Mike Huckabee

text: large sums of money into a race he might be better positioned to stay in the race. Huckabee has in addition earned personal wealth since 2008 on the lecture circuit and his TV and radio shows. He ended his daily radio show in December 2013, which strengthened speculations about a presidential bid. Huckabee indicated in September 2014 that he would make the decision on whether to run early in 2015. In January 2015, Huckabee ended his show on FNC to prepare for his possible run in the 2016 presidential election. On March 30, 2015, Huckabee supporters launched a Super PAC

title: Mike Huckabee

text: or somebody else I may decide will be a better standard bearer, that remains to be seen." A June 2009 CNN/Opinion Research Corporation national poll showed Huckabee as the 2012 presidential co-favorite of the Republican electorate along with Palin and Romney. An October 2009 poll of Republicans by Rasmussen Reports put Huckabee in the lead with 29%, followed by Romney on 24% and Palin on 18%. In a November 2009 Gallup poll, Huckabee was shown as the leading Republican contender for 2012. In November 2010 CNN projected in a poll that Huckabee would defeat Barack Obama in a hypothetical 2012

title: Mike Huckabee

text: the state's pledged delegates. On March 4, 2008, Huckabee withdrew from seeking the candidacy as it became apparent he would lose in Texas, where he had hoped to win, and that John McCain would get the 1,191 delegates required to win the Republican nomination. Huckabee finished the race with 240 pledged delegates. Even though Huckabee had signed a television contract and a book deal with a pressing deadline, he was mentioned by most to be on then-presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain's short list for his vice presidential running mate. The late pundit Tim Russert even referred to Huckabee as

title: Mike Huckabee

text: compared with 689 for Republican party front-runner John McCain. On February 9, 2008, Huckabee won the first election following Super Tuesday, by winning 60% of the vote in the Kansas Republican Caucuses. This was also the first contest to be held without Mitt Romney, who was said to be splitting the conservative vote with Huckabee. Huckabee also won the Louisiana Republican Primary with 44% of the vote to John McCain's 43% in second. Although Huckabee won the primary he was not awarded any delegates, because of state party rules that stated a candidate must pass the 50% threshold to receive

title: Mike Huckabee

text: in the general election of fellow Republican U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson. Huckabee received widespread praise for his state's rapid response to Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, "Time" named him one of the five best governors in the U.S., writing "Huckabee has approached his state's troubles with energy and innovation" and referred to him as "a mature, consensus-building conservative who earns praise from fellow Evangelicals and, occasionally, liberal Democrats." "Governing" magazine likewise honored Huckabee as one of its 2005 Public Officials of the Year. By the end of his term, Huckabee held the third-longest tenure of any Arkansas governor. Only Democrats Orval

title: Mike Huckabee

text: currently serves as President Trump's White House Press Secretary. Huckabee was born on August 24, 1955, in Hope, Arkansas, the son of Dorsey Wiles Huckabee and his wife Mae (Elder) Huckabee, conservative Southern Democrats. Huckabee is of English, German, and Scots-Irish ancestry, with roots in America dating to the Colonial Era. He has cited his working-class upbringing as the reason for his political views; his father worked as a fireman and mechanic, and his mother worked as a clerk at a gas company. His first job, when he was 14, was at a radio station, where he read the news

title: Mike Huckabee

text: author of several best-selling books, an ordained Southern Baptist minister noted for his evangelical views, a musician, and a public speaker. He is also a political commentator on "The Huckabee Report." In the 2008 Republican presidential primaries, Huckabee won the 2008 Iowa Republican caucuses and finished second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won, behind John McCain and Mitt Romney. Huckabee ran again for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election, suspending his campaign on February 1, 2016 and becoming one of Donald Trump's most ardent supporters. His daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders,

title: Who Made Huckabee?

text: the "Late Night" sketch, translated into support for Huckabee. Colbert later lashed out at O'Brien on his own show on January 16, 2008, claiming that "he" himself was responsible for Huckabee's success in the Iowa caucus thanks to his giving Huckabee "the Colbert bump," a rise in popularity following an appearance on "The Colbert Report". The exasperated Colbert ended his rant with this "threat" against O'Brien: So back off of Mike Huckabee, or I will kick your 'translucent white ass! You got that, Irish? During the January 17, 2008, episode of "Late Night", O'Brien, in what he later described as

title: Huckabee

text: "M and J Show" writer Bob Higgins on guitar, "Fox News Edge" PA Elizabeth Tucker on backup vocals, and final cut craft editor Dominic Salvatore on drums. In some instances, the final segment featured Huckabee answering questions from e-mails or from the live studio audience. Huckabee Huckabee, formerly on Fox News, is a TV political commentary program on TBN hosted by former Republican Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. It premiered on Fox News on September 27, 2008. The TBN incarnation premiered on October 7, 2017. It was announced on January 3, 2015 that Huckabee would step down from hosting "Huckabee" to

title: Huckabee

text: Huckabee Huckabee, formerly on Fox News, is a TV political commentary program on TBN hosted by former Republican Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. It premiered on Fox News on September 27, 2008. The TBN incarnation premiered on October 7, 2017. It was announced on January 3, 2015 that Huckabee would step down from hosting "Huckabee" to make a possible run in the 2016 presidential election; however, he said he would not make a decision until Spring 2015. Barring pre-emption, new episodes of "Huckabee" regularly aired on Saturdays at 8 PM ET. Repeats were shown on the following Sunday (the next day)

text: is the real deal." On The Sean Hannity Show on October 22, debate analyst Frank Luntz said "I think Mike Huckabee's coming in 2nd in Iowa." In late October, following the Republican Presidential Debate in Orlando, Florida, Huckabee's website traffic increased to more than that of all of the other Republican candidates except for Ron Paul. On October 25, a national Rasmussen poll gave Huckabee his highest polling number yet – 10%. Talk show host Bill O'Reilly, who was a skeptic of Huckabee's success, had previously made a bet with Dick Morris that Huckabee would never reach double digits. There

text: "when people engage in a completely false attack, it's usually an act of desperation. To me, it's a badge of honor because he sees that we are reaching the people we are trying to reach." Tancredo's campaign responded by saying that Huckabee supports amnesty for illegal immigrants, and that the ad was correct while Huckabee's campaign insisted that the ad "clearly distorts Mike Huckabee's conservative record on amnesty." In early August, after the collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Huckabee expressed his sympathy to the victims of the disaster and said that taxes do not need

title: What Kate Does

text: reviews"; however, this was down significantly from the previous episode's 89 and Bonnie Covel of About.com noted that " 'What Kate Does' brought us a bit of negativity. In general, fans just didn't like the episode". "What Kate Does" was largely considered to be a step down from the season premiere in pacing, revelations and writing; Mike Hale of "The New York Times" described the episode as "contemplative", "anticlimactic" and "subdued" and the flash sideways as "kind of boring and seemingly pointless." Chris Carabott of IGN, who gave the episode a score of 7.3 summed up that " 'What Kate

title: Mike Huckabee

text: Governors' Association in 1999 and served in capacity through 2000. He has chaired the Southern Growth Policies Board, the Southern Regional Education Board, the Southern Technology Council, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, and the Education Commission of the States. He is also a member of the Republican Governors Association and former chairman of the National Governors Association. Huckabee is presently the chairman of conservative PACs called the Vertical Politics Institute and Huck PAC. Huckabee co-hosted Troopathon 2013. On June 12, 2008, Fox News announced it was hiring Huckabee as a political commentator and regular contributor to their 2008

title: Mike Huckabee

text: received grades of B in 1998, C in 2000, C in 2002, D in 2004, and F in 2006 from the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, in their biennial Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors. Huckabee received two honorary doctoral degrees: a Doctor of Humane Letters, received from John Brown University in 1991, and a Doctor of Laws from Ouachita Baptist University in 1992. In 2001, Huckabee was named "Friend of a Taxpayer" by Americans for Tax Reform for his cut in statewide spending. In 2005, Huckabee was named one of "Time"s top 5 governors, honored as one

title: Mike Huckabee

text: often disputed due to the exit poll's small sample size. Huckabee says that it is important for Republicans such as himself to reach out to black voters, and in 2015 he has ramped up efforts to win those votes. In 2015, Huckabee stated on "Meet the Press" that the confederate flag issue was for South Carolinians to decide, "not an issue for a person running for president", and days later he congratulated Gov. Nikki Haley on her decision supporting removal of the flag from the state capitol. Huckabee gave a speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention that included this:

title: Mike Huckabee

text: leading a field of potential Republican gubernatorial candidates with 37%. Following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Huckabee met with president-elect of the United States Donald Trump, whom he had supported for the Republican nomination after ending his own campaign in February. It was reported by "The Daily Mail" and "The Jerusalem Post" that Trump offered Huckabee the position of United States Ambassador to Israel. Huckabee denied the reports. He told Fox News that a possible cabinet appointment for himself was discussed but that he turned the offer down, saying, "I'm not sure it was the right fit." His daughter Sarah

title: Mike Huckabee

text: Reports emerged in the summer of 2016 that Huckabee, who currently lives in Florida, was considering running for governor of Florida in 2018 to succeed term limited Republican incumbent Rick Scott. However, Huckabee later announced that he was declining to run in the 2018 Florida Gubernatorial election. Had he run and won, he would have become the first person to serve as governor of two separate states since Sam Houston, who served as governor of Tennessee and later as governor of Texas. Before his announcement not to run, an August 2016 poll of Florida Republicans conducted by StPetePolls.org showed Huckabee

title: Mike Huckabee

text: United Kingdom in 1952; Obama himself has never lived in Kenya.) On May 14, 2011, Huckabee announced on his FNC show that he would not be a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012. Despite his high national poll numbers and being seen by many as the front runner, Huckabee declined to run, saying, "All the factors say 'go,' but my heart says 'no.'" Political commentators speculated that Huckabee might be ready for another presidential run in 2016. He was limited by a lack of money in 2008 but with changes to federal election law allowing SuperPACs to pour

title: Mike Huckabee

text: African American leaders at the Atlanta event was 36, and "most of them connected to conservative religious organizations". On February 5, 2008, Huckabee won the first contest of "Super Tuesday", the West Virginia GOP state convention, but only after the McCain campaign provided their delegates, thereby giving Huckabee 52% of the electorate to Mitt Romney's 47%. Backers of rival John McCain said they threw Huckabee their support to prevent Mitt Romney from capturing the winner-take-all GOP state convention vote. Consequently, he also registered victories in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Tennessee on Super Tuesday, bringing his delegate count up to 156,

title: Mike Huckabee

text: On January 19, 2008, Huckabee finished in second place in the South Carolina Republican primary, 2008, behind John McCain, who finished first and ahead of Fred Thompson, who finished third. On January 29, 2008, Huckabee finished in fourth place in the Florida primary, behind Rudy Giuliani in third, Mitt Romney in second, and John McCain in first place. On January 21, 2008, Huckabee received the endorsement of 50 African American leaders in Atlanta, Georgia. The endorsers cited Huckabee's record on life, education, minorities, the economy, the prison system, and immigration as Arkansas governor. Bu, NBC claimed that the endorsement of

title: Mike Huckabee

text: and received two delegates. On January 8, 2008, Huckabee finished in third place in the New Hampshire primary, behind John McCain in first place, and Mitt Romney who finished second, with Huckabee receiving one more delegate for a total of 18 delegates, gained via elections, and 21 total delegates, versus 30 total (24 via elections) for Romney, and 10 for McCain (all via elections). On January 15, 2008, Huckabee finished in third place in the Michigan Republican primary, 2008, behind John McCain in second place; Mitt Romney, who finished first; and ahead of Ron Paul, who finished in fourth place.

title: Mike Huckabee

text: and take this nation back for Christ." Huckabee told NBC that his comment was not politically incorrect and was "appropriate to be said to a gathering of Southern Baptists". Huckabee has credited God with some of his political success. On January 3, 2008, Huckabee won the Iowa Republican caucuses, receiving 34% of the electorate and 17 delegates, compared with the 25% of Mitt Romney, who finished second, receiving 12 delegates; Fred Thompson, who came in third place and received three delegates; John McCain, who came in fourth place and received three delegates; and Ron Paul, who came in fifth place

title: Mike Huckabee

text: objections of the local prosecutor and sheriff, the Arkansas Prosecuting Attorneys Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. A spokeswoman for Huckabee, Charmaine Yoest, said that Fields's political donations [to the Arkansas Republican Party] and connections played no role in his clemency. About two years after Fields's sentence was cut to 11 months, he was arrested again for driving while intoxicated as his truck crossed the center line directly into the path of an oncoming police car. Huckabee announced his run for the White House on "Meet the Press" on January 28, 2007. At the August 11 Iowa Straw Poll, Huckabee

title: Mike Huckabee

text: that Huckabee apparently failed to review Clemmons's prison file, which was "thick with acts of violence and absent indications of rehabilitation". Huckabee defended his actions, stating that the recommendation to reduce the sentence was unanimous and supported by the trial judge, that the decision to parole him was made by the parole board, not him, and that Clemmons had been re-arrested and the decision not to file charges then had nothing to do with him. In 2003, Eugene Fields received a six-year prison sentence after his fourth conviction of driving while intoxicated in five years. Huckabee granted clemency over the

title: Mike Huckabee

text: group, Action America. R. J. Reynolds was the group's largest contributor. In October 1995, David Pryor announced that he was retiring from the United States Senate. Huckabee then announced he was running for the open seat and moved ahead in the polls, but ultimately dropped out of the race to lead the state after incumbent governor Jim Guy Tucker resigned following his fraud and conspiracy convictions. During his campaign, Huckabee opposed in December then-governor Tucker's plan for a constitutional convention. The plan was defeated by voters, 80–20 percent, in a special election. In January 1996, Huckabee campaigned in televised ads

title: Mike Huckabee

text: against the CofCC, Huckabee withdrew from a speaking engagement before their national convention. He repeated the accusations made by various media and civil rights organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center recalling his past association with the CofCC saying, "I will not participate in any program that has racist overtones. I've spent a lifetime fighting [against] racism and anti-Semitism." In 1994 Huckabee was re-elected to a full term as lieutenant governor, beating Democratic candidate Charlie Cole Chaffin with nearly 59 percent of the vote. While lieutenant governor, Huckabee accepted $71,500 in speaking fees and traveling expenses from a nonprofit

title: Mike Huckabee

text: Bill Clinton was elected president, making lieutenant governor Jim Guy Tucker the new governor when Clinton resigned the governorship. In 1993, Republican state chairman Asa Hutchinson urged Huckabee to run in the special election for lieutenant governor held on July 27. Realizing his loss came among key conservative Democrats, Huckabee ran a decidedly conservative campaign. In the subsequent general election, he defeated Nate Coulter, who had been Bumpers's campaign manager the previous year, 51–49 percent. Huckabee became the second Republican since Reconstruction to serve as Arkansas lieutenant governor, the first having been Maurice Britt from 1967 to 1971. In his

title: Mike Huckabee

text: EST, and ended on January 3, 2015 so that Huckabee could consider the possibility of running for president. On April 2, 2012, Huckabee launched a long-form daily talk show on Cumulus Media Networks, who provide the call-in guests. The show, which is targeted at second-tier broadcast stations, features long-form interviews and discussions and airs in the noon to 3 p.m. time slot, directly opposite the market leader in talk radio, "The Rush Limbaugh Show". On November 27, 2013, Huckabee announced that the show will have its final broadcast on December 12, 2013, stating that he and Cumulus Media mutually decided

title: Mike Huckabee

text: Faubus, who served six consecutive two-year terms (1955–1967), and Bill Clinton, who served 11 years, 11 months (1979–1981; 1983–1992), had longer tenures. During his time as a governor Huckabee supported a net tax increase of $505 million. According to columnist Margaret Carlson, that money was used to improve roads, health care, and schools in the state. As governor, Huckabee commuted and accepted recommendations for pardon for twice as many sentences as his three predecessors combined; in total: 1,033 prisoners. Twelve had previously been convicted of murder. Though Huckabee pardoned more than his predecessors, the state prison size and number of

title: Sarah Huckabee Sanders

text: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee Sanders (born August 13, 1982) is an American campaign manager and political adviser who currently serves as the twenty-ninth White House Press Secretary under President Donald Trump. Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee was born on August 13, 1982, in Hope, Arkansas, the youngest child and only daughter of Mike Huckabee and Janet (née McCain) Huckabee. She has two brothers, John Mark Huckabee and David Huckabee. Following graduation from Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, Huckabee attended Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. There, she was elected student body president and was active in

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: child a good education. In July 1999, Huckabee hosted a $500-a-plate fundraiser for Rudy Giuliani's campaign for US Senate in Little Rock. Rather than funnel 100 percent of the state's tobacco settlement revenues into the general fund, Huckabee campaigned to put it in the state's health care system. On March 7, 2001, Huckabee signed a tax on private nursing homes for $5.25 per day per non-Medicare patient. However, Huckabee was named "Friend of a Taxpayer" by Americans for Tax Reform for his cut in statewide spending. On April 11, 2001, Huckabee signed the "Covenant Marriage Act," a marriage contract option

title: Janet Huckabee

text: Janet Huckabee Janet McCain Huckabee (born July 16, 1955) is an American politician, the wife of former 2008 and 2016 Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee. She served as the first lady of Arkansas, from July 1996 until January 2007 and oversaw a total remodel of the Arkansas Governor's Mansion, including the addition of the Grand Hall ballroom. Huckabee was born in Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana, the fourth of five siblings. As an infant, she moved with her family to Hope, Arkansas. She is the daughter of Angus Bouie McCain and the former

text: out of the race, stating that "This is a man capable of leading our country at a dangerous hour." On September 7, Huckabee sent an open letter to Fred Thompson inviting him to participate in a Lincoln-Douglas style debate. "I share your view of the debates and agree that Newt's 'Nine Nineties in Nine' concept is a far better way to make sure America's next President has the character and capacity to lead our nation forward, and that's why I have already signed that pledge," Huckabee wrote in his letter. "I agree that what is needed is a real discussion

text: putting out Christmas ads and videos — allowing them to keep presenting their message but in a more appropriate setting — Huckabee chose one acknowledging that viewers were tired of political messages in the holiday season and that what "really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ," avoiding other candidates' "Happy holidays" formulation. The ad generated considerable media discussion about whether a white bookshelf in the background was a subliminal Christian cross; Huckabee mocked the suggestion and said it was just a bookshelf. When asked about the ad and the thought of it being a cross, Republican presidential

text: Straw Poll to "the Colbert bump" in reference to Huckabee's two prior appearances on the show while Maher remarked, "Rudy Giuliani scares the hell out of me so I hope you win, and the good news for you, on your birthday, is that this year a Republican dark horse could win." The coverage from Colbert instigated the Who Made Huckabee? mock feud. Huckabee starred in what pundits called the highlight of the New Hampshire Republican Debate on September 5, sparring with Congressman Ron Paul in a heated exchange over the war in Iraq and the United States' obligation to the

text: for their similar socially conservative views. Huckabee and Brownback have been said to be the top candidates among evangelicals and other Christians. Huckabee tried to separate himself from Brownback (and succeeded, as Brownback dropped from the campaign) whom he saw as his main rival at that point. When asked what separates him from Brownback, he said that "the key difference is I've actually been a Governor for ten and a half years and I've run a government." He also said that no senator has been elected since JFK, and "frankly there's a good reason for that." Several polls in the

text: performed well, asserting that he was the "most original" candidate, especially with his explanation of the pro-life platform; and that his articulation was "novel and intriguing." Huckabee was one of three candidates in the debate who said that they do not believe in human evolution. Huckabee generated even better reviews from his performance in the May 15, 2007 Republican Presidential Debates. He received what was characterized by "Esquire" as "gales of laughter" as well as approval from the political press for his statement that "[w]e've had a Congress that's spent money like John Edwards at a beauty shop," a reference

title: The Huckabee Report

text: The Huckabee Report The Huckabee Report was a radio program hosted by former Republican governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, that aired from January 2009 to May 1, 2015. The program was broadcast on Cumulus Media Networks (formerly Citadel Media and ABC Radio Networks), three times each day (Monday–Friday), and each commentary was approximately 4 minutes long. On March 23, 2009, "The Huckabee Report" replaced "News and Comment with Gil Gross" and "The Rest of the Story with Doug Limerick" on all network stations that still carried them. Both of the programs Huckabee replaced were originally hosted by Paul Harvey, who

text: by criticizing Huckabee on immigration and taxes. Mitt Romney criticized Huckabee on immigration by stating, "Giving a better deal to the children of illegal aliens than we give to US citizens from surrounding states is simply not fair and not right." Huckabee responded, "I guess Mitt Romney would rather keep people out of college so they can keep working on his lawn, since he had illegals there." Previously, Huckabee had criticized Romney for claiming to have been a hunter. The Club for Growth criticized Huckabee in November 2007 over inconsistencies in how Huckabee represents his tax record, specifically regarding the

text: state have placed Huckabee ahead of Brownback; a Mason-Dixon poll placed him at 7% with Brownback at 6. Huckabee acknowledged their similarities and said that "without a doubt, we're going after the same voters." Other sources have expressed concern that there is room for only one of them in the race, and that if Huckabee comes out on top, Brownback will struggle to raise money and vice versa. On July 26, Huckabee called upon Tom Tancredo to pull his campaign's campaign ad which attacked Huckabee on the subject of illegal immigration. Huckabee called the ad "blatantly dishonest" and said that

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: stories about Huckabee, including the allegations regarding personal use of the Governor's Mansion funds. In 2005, Time magazine named him one of the five best governors in the U.S., writing "Huckabee has approached his state's troubles with energy and innovation". The Club for Growth accuses Huckabee of being a liberal in disguise, saying Huckabee increased state spending 65.3 percent (1996–2004) and supported five tax increases. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration states during Huckabee's tenure, taxes were cut ninety times for a decrease of $378 million, while taxes were raised twenty-one times for an increase of $883 million. Arkansas

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: was also a suspect in the murder of a pregnant woman in Platte County, Missouri. DuMond died in prison in 2005. Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley has argued Huckabee granted too many clemencies. In 2005, The "Arkansas Times" reported on the role that Huckabee played in the parole board's decision. When questioned about the case during his presidential campaign in 2007, Huckabee denied pressuring any parole board members to release DuMond, despite three of the parole board members stating that they felt he did pressure them to do so. Huckabee's official website states: "Governor Huckabee either denied Wayne DuMond's

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: that any client can receive alternative placement if the client objects to a religious provider. In a February 1998 presidential straw poll of 65 Christian Coalition leaders, Huckabee came in second to John Ashcroft and ahead of Steve Forbes, J. C. Watts and George W. Bush. On May 22, 1998, the Arkansas Ethics Commission fined Huckabee US$1,000 for failing to report campaign payments made to himself and his wife. In October 1998 the "Arkansas Times" suggested Huckabee used a fund set up for the maintenance of the Governor's Mansion for his own personal use. The "Times" later reported Huckabee was

title: Mike Huckabee

text: recounted his previous burdens as an obese man: the steps of the Arkansas capitol from the entrance of the building up to the Governor's office were so long and steep that he would be out of breath and exhausted by the time he reached the top of the stairs. Huckabee has discussed his weight loss and used health care reform as a major focus of his governorship. At an August 2007 forum on cancer hosted by Lance Armstrong, Huckabee said he would support a federal smoking ban, but has stated that he believes the issue is best addressed by state

title: Mike Huckabee

text: every David Barton message," in praise of the Christian revisionist historian David Barton. Within hours of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Huckabee made headlines in the U.S. and abroad for stating on Fox News: "We ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed God from our schools," and further asked, "Should we be so surprised that schools would become a place of carnage?" In September 2014, Huckabee said, "Fire the ones who refuse to hear not only our hearts, but God's heart" (for which he was criticized by Richard Dawkins). In September 2015, speaking

title: Mike Huckabee

text: swearing." In comments made March 4, 2011, on the "Michael Medved Show", Huckabee spoke about pregnant, unwed actress Natalie Portman, saying "it's unfortunate we glorify and glamorize the idea of out of wedlock children." In January 2014, in a luncheon speech at the Republican National Committee's winter meeting, in response to a federal mandate on contraception, Huckabee stated that "Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each month for birth control, they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system

title: Mike Huckabee

text: opposed Obama's health care plan, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He stated that he wants to "give citizens more control over their own health care choices". In his book "From Hope to Higher Ground", Huckabee expressed support for free trade, but only if it is "fair trade." He identified excess litigation, excess taxation, and excess regulation as three factors contributing to the loss of American jobs, and has proposed economic sanctions on China. According to a CNN exit poll, Huckabee won 48% of African American votes in his successful 1998 gubernatorial race in Arkansas. The 48% figure is

title: Mike Huckabee

text: running for president in 2012. He said, "I'm not ruling anything out for the future, but I'm not making any specific plans." Amid speculation about a future run for the Presidency, a CNN poll in December 2008 found Huckabee at the top of the list of 2012 GOP contenders, along with former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, fellow 2008 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. On December 3, 2008, Cincinnati-based NBC affiliate WLWT asked Huckabee about the prospect of running, to which he said, "I'm pretty sure I'll be out there. Whether it's for myself

title: Mike Huckabee

text: full four-year term by defeating retired colonel Gene McVay in the primary and Jonesboro attorney Bill Bristow in the general election, becoming the state's third elected Republican governor since Reconstruction. According to a CNN exit poll, Huckabee received 48% of the African American vote in his 1998 election; but some experts have questioned whether those numbers are a representative sample on how he did on the whole in the election. In November 2002, Huckabee was reelected to his second four-year term by defeating State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher, garnering 53 percent of the vote. His reelection came despite the defeat

title: Mike Huckabee

text: autobiography "From Hope to Higher Ground", Huckabee recalled the chilly reception that he received from the Arkansas Democratic establishment on his election as lieutenant governor: "The doors to my office were spitefully nailed shut from the inside, office furniture and equipment were removed, and the budget spent down to almost nothing prior to our arriving. After fifty-nine days of public outcry, the doors were finally opened for me to occupy the actual office I had been elected to hold two months earlier." Dick Morris, who had previously worked for Bill Clinton, advised Huckabee on his races in 1993, 1994, and

title: Mike Huckabee

text: Pine Bluff and Texarkana, where he produced documentaries and hosted a program called "Positive Alternatives". He encouraged the all-white Immanuel Baptist Church to accept black members in the mid-1980s. Years later, he wrote about the insights he gained as a minister: In 1989, Huckabee ran against Ronnie Floyd of Springdale for the presidency of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. Huckabee won and served as president from 1989 to 1991. In Huckabee's first political race in 1992, he lost to incumbent Democratic senator Dale Bumpers, receiving 40 percent of the vote in the general election. In the same election, Arkansas governor

title: Mike Huckabee

text: Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He dropped out of the seminary after one year in order to take a job in Christian broadcasting. At age 21, Huckabee was a staffer for televangelist James Robison. Robison commented, "His convictions shape his character and his character will shape his policies. His whole life has been shaped by moral absolutes." Prior to his political career, he served as pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, from 1980 to 1986, and the Beech Street First Baptist Church in Texarkana, from 1986 to 1992. Huckabee started 24-hour television stations in both

title: Governorship of Mike Huckabee

text: Edmondson to reduce water pollution. Edmondson had sued Arkansas poultry companies alleging that chicken waste fouled Oklahoma rivers explaining, "You can't stand on the Arkansas side of the border, dump toxins into the river and wash your hands of the problem." Huckabee accused Edmondson of "political gamesmanship", later Edmondson, in 2006, called Huckabee "a poultry company apologist." Huckabee went to Oklahoma to campaign against Edmondson in the 2006 election. In early 2006, Huckabee– along with fellow governors Rick Perry (R-TX); Jim Doyle (D-WI); and Dave Freudenthal (D-WY)– went on a week-long visit to the Middle East and South Asia as

title: Public image of Mike Huckabee

text: change the Constitution to be in line with the Bible. And that's all I'm going to say." In 2009, Huckabee criticized American policy toward Israel in front of an Israeli audience. These comments drew accusations that Huckabee was "bashing America", which he denied. Huckabee instead claimed that President Obama's policies were "anti-Israel and promise breaking". In 2012, Huckabee provoked a controversy by claiming that the Newtown shooting was because "we systematically removed God from our schools." On November 29, 2010, Huckabee strongly criticized WikiLeaks and its sources in relation to the Cablegate scandal in which approximately 251,000 US Embassy cables

text: same day, Huckabee said that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is "creating a major distraction for the President and for the administration and for the Republican Party," and suggested that perhaps Gonzales should consider resigning due to the current controversy surrounding him. Huckabee participated in the May 3, 2007 Republican Presidential Debates along with the party's other nine declared candidates. Huckabee expressed support of a FairTax, a balanced budget with reduced spending, making the Bush administration's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent, combating climate change, and comprehensive immigration reform. Political analyst and former Clinton and Huckabee adviser Dick Morris said Huckabee