Huckabee Settles Scores With Fellow Republicans

Time magazine reports that in his new book, Do The Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America, Mike Huckabee settles some old scores.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is not the sort of politician who likes to bite his tongue. But that's just what he has found himself doing over eight months since he ended his surprising and colorful presidential campaign.

What does he think is wrong with the Republican Party? What does he think of his former primary rivals? What is the best direction for the conservative movement? To each question, he answered only in broad strokes, refusing to get too specific or pointed. He was writing a book, he would say. It will come out after the election. He will "name names." Just wait and see.

On Tuesday, that book will arrive on store shelves, and in terms of payback, it will not disappoint.

On Mitt Romney:

Huckabee writes that the former Massachusetts governor's record was "anything but conservative until he changed the light bulbs in his chandelier in time to run for president." He notes that Romney declined to make a phone call of congratulations after Huckabee beat the oddsmakers to win the Iowa caucuses, "which we took as a sign of total disrespect." He mocks Romney for suggesting, during one debate, more investment in high-yield stocks as a solution to economic woes. "Let them eat stocks!" Huckabee jokes.

Fred Thompson:

"Fred Thompson never did grasp the dynamics of the race or the country, and his amazingly lackluster campaign reflected just how disconnected he was with the people, despite the anticipation and expectation that greeted his candidacy," Huckabee writes.

Conservative Christian Leader Gary Bauer:

[Had] an "ever-changing reason to deny me his support." Of one private meeting with Bauer, Huckabee says, "it was like playing Whac-a-Mole at the arcade -- whatever issue I addressed, another one surfaced as a 'problem' that made my candidacy unacceptable." He accuses Bauer of putting issue of national security before bedrock social issues like the sanctity of life and traditional marriage.

John Hagee:

Huckabee speaks to Hagee by phone before the McCain endorsement, while the former Arkansas governor is preparing for a spot on Saturday Night Live. "I asked if he had prayed about this and believed this was what the Lord wanted him to do," Huckabee writes of his conversation with Hagee. "I didn't get a straight answer."

The Club For Growth:

"I don't take issue with what they believe, but the smugness with which they believe it," writes Huckabee, who raised some taxes as a governor and cut other deals with his state's Democratic legislature. "Faux-Cons aren't interested in spirited or thoughtful debate, because such an endeavor requires accountability for the logical conclusion of their argument."

UPDATE Mitt Romney has fired back:

Asked to respond, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Huckabee was acting small.

"This type of pettiness is beneath Mike Huckabee," Fehrnstrom. "If we're going to move the party forward, we need to offer more than personal recriminations. Unfortunately, in this book, Mike Huckabee is consumed with presumed slights, and he seems more interested in settling scores than in bringing people together."

Comments

[kgb999]

"I don't take issue with what they believe, but the smugness with which they believe it,"

That sums up how I feel about almost every political sub-group that exists for the purpose of achieving political dominance ... the DLC comes to mind also.

I don't want him as president, but there is something about Huckabee that I really like. He is someone with whom I have real viewpoint disagreements, but he's managed to hold on to his point of view without denigrating mine. That is almost unique in the conservative movement right now.

[Hawka]

Sure he's all nice and cordial about it upfront, but he scares me more then anyone else on the conservative side because of what he'd likely to do if he ever did get into office, praying he doesn't on my end anyway.

[pascaljim]

Yes Hawka, he is a male Palin.....scary to the extreme.....

[Rog49Thomas]

He didn't drink the Kool Aid of the economic conservative wing of the RP and when he looked like he was going somewhere in the primaries, they ganged up on him. Folks like George Will who found Pastor Mike's challenge to the sacred doctrine of the legal personality of the corporation a downright abomination.

[Hawka]

Is this guy serious? The only reason these 'social issues' are even brought up is because they keep bringing it up, and he wants to attack others for being disconnected to the people, focus on the issues that actually matter for once Huck and quit butting into other peoples lives when they didn't ask you too.

[negotiatethis]

I Like Huckabee. I like his instincts, his humor, his honesty. It's just that he's wrong an nearly all the issues.

[kellygrrrl]

he does have some charm -- but his joke about the shotgun and Obama crossed the line.

[GolfingDevil05]

Yeah, he really should have kept his mouth shut on that one, and to his credit, he did apologize.

I happen to think that McCain should have chosen Huckabee for his running mate. He would have brought the conservative base that Sarah Palin was asked to bring, but he's easily 100 times smarter than she is, and he's far more charming and likeable. He probably could have held his own in the VP debate, and would have done it without having to wink. I don't like his politics, but he's not the farce that Sarah Palin is.

I still think McCain would have lost, but Huckabee could have made a difference in places like Virginia and North Carolina.

[BonnieBeeMee]

He seems likeable. I read on another site hes a minister or something, which to me means things like humility, forgiveness, and turning the other cheek. If whats reported here is true, it looks more like a grudge.

[alicetilden]

He acts like he could have been the nominee if these people were on his side. I believe the country did not want a one-note religious right leader this time. Get over it Mike, you got your terrible Faux show. Consider yourself lucky. Maybe if you had better friends than a washed bad actor with nasty views, you would have had a chance.

[roald]

Does he identify any personal reasons for the outcome?

[sociocanuck]

I don't agree with him on most things, but the man never fails to entertain. :)

[kellygrrrl]

then he should be an entertainer -- not a lawmaker!
maybe he can start a Comedy Church

[billbee]

Agreed. We are charmed by Huckabee 'cause he's smooth, as slick as an Arkansas eel!
And he's pastoral with a disarming sense of humor. Just what did the put in the water around Hope, anyways? Slick Willie & Huckabee? Damn, they're two for two; one 'fer me an' one 'fer you.

Forever scared of this dude. Rev. Huck' should be aiming for Hagee's gig.
Let's see how the sweet communion on the holy spirit deal with that!

[PoliticoJonze]

"He accuses Bauer of putting issue of national security before bedrock social issues like the sanctity of life and traditional marriage."

So Huckabee wouldn't? Huck would name Sarah Palin as Secretary of Defense?

[stubbhead]

I think he is making the reference specifically with respect to Bauer, an alleged spiritual leader. For example, perhaps Bauer should be more concerned with people's spiritual welfare than whether he can help encourage the recency of the apocalypse.

[Rog49Thomas]

I hate to bring this up, but I think it's pretty clear the Rapture happened the day before Pan's inauguration in 2001.

If you think about it carefully, you'll see that this is one logical and scriptually based explanation for the events of the past eight years.

[dsgeorge]

Huckabee/Palin in 2012 -- then you will see massive sweeping democratic rule....
WE MUST SEPERATE CHURCH AND STATE!