Huckabee makes play for McCain ticket

[EV_Ares]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Sunday he would like to be John McCain's running mate.
"There's no one I would rather be on a ticket with than John McCain," said Huckabee, who was a stronger than expected challenger against McCain for the Republican presidential nomination. "All during the campaign when I was his rival, not a running mate, there was no one who was more complimentary of him publicly and privately. ... I still wanted to win, but if I couldn't, John McCain was always the guy I would have supported and have now supported.

"But whether or not I do the best for him, that's something that only he can decide," Huckabee said on NBC's Meet the Press.

Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister who had strong support from religious conservatives, won the leadoff Iowa caucuses and contests in seven other states. He left the race in March after Arizona Sen. McCain clinched the nomination following a series of big victories.

Huckabee also apologized again for remarks he made Friday to the National Rifle Association. Responding to an offstage noise during a speech, Huckabee said it was Democrat Barack Obama diving to the floor after someone had aimed a gun at him. Huckabee issued an apology Friday evening.

Link to USA Today Article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-05-18-huckabee-ticket_N.htm

[anonymous171]

1. lol I hope he gets it. What better way to turn off right-leaning indies.

[ray of light]

2. He brings the religious conservative 'base' to McBush. And they hate McBush.

It's a 'good' ticket for them, actually.

[anonymous171]

3. Yeah. But a large part of the GOP doesn't want the religious right around anymore.

[lsusteel]

5. That's a ridiculous statement

Without the religious right, the Republican party would not be a major party.

[anonymous171]

9. Have you ever spoken to a moderate conservative or right leaning indie?

They aren't fond of the religious right.

[lsusteel]

11. Well...

An "indie" isn't part of the GOP, by definition.

And while moderate Republicans might not like the religious right, they need the religious right.

[anonymous171]

12. The party as a whole. But it will turn off some voters that Obama can grab.

And if he fails, they'll just vote for Bob Barr anyway.

[dubeskin]

6. Ture. I know quite a few

Republicans who would jump to see Huck anywhere near the Casa Blana.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. oh goody!

The loose Huckabee cannon will be firing off all over the place!

[supernova]

7. I predicted it!!

Looky at me from January:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4319502&mesg_id=4319502

[Ian David]

8. A new era of prosperity- a squirrel in every popcorn popper! n/t

[Cha]

10. Yeah, too bad he fucked up with his stupid big loud

mouth when he told an assassination joke about Obama and the NRA. YOu can't make this shit up.

LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 16 (UPI) -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee Friday apologized for telling an audience of gun rights supporters an offstage noise was Barack Obama ducking a gunman.

Huckabee, formerly a challenger for this year's Republican presidential nomination, was speaking at the National Rifle Organization convention in Louisville, Ky., when he made the joke about the Democratic presidential hopeful. As Huckabee was delivering his remarks, there was a thumping sound offstage.

"That was Barack Obama, he just tripped off a chair, he's getting ready to speak," Huckabee joked. "Somebody aimed a gun at him and he dove for the floor."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3299976

[Douglas Carpenter]

13. we can only hope so

Many independents and even a number of Democrats "like" John McCain because they actually quite incorrectly think he is a moderate or even a "liberal" Republican.

This would completely blow out of the water that fantasy.

Also, it may be hard for many secular minded people to believe, but most church going Americans - even many Evangelicals would tend to see Huckabee as too religiously extreme.

And I don't think he will be able to help himself in controlling his mouth. I have no doubt he will let drop some real crazy stuff that will make the headlines.

[blue sky at night]

14. bring it on Mike....

you are as good as anyone else they might come up with, bunch of sorry losers. I want to be like John, I want to be like John....oh my.

[mamalone]

15. OK... looks like I am the only one...

who thinks this would be a good thing for McCain. Christian conservatives do not like McCain and they love Huckabee. I think having Huck on the ticket would bring them back on board- they're looking for any excuse to vote repub at this point. Moderates wouldn't like it, but since he isn't on the top they'd be basically OK with it. Actually, I find it very hard to dislike Huck. I love his self-deprecating sense of humor and I was very impressed at how he stepped up to the plate and vigorously supported both Obama and Rev Wright during that whole dust-up.

Personally, I think this combo would be bad news for us. With McCain as his opponent Obama could siphon off a huge number of Christian voters who have voted unrelentingly for repubs in the past several cycles. Putting Huck on there would make that less likely.

[ladjf]

16. Huckabee is about to be "deep sixed" politically.

The Obama remark was his Waterloo.