Mike Huckabee On Sarah Palin: Katie Couric Was "Extraordinarily Gentle" With Her

Unlike John McCain's daughter Meghan, former GOP Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee doesn't have a policy against talking about Sarah Palin. In an interview with A.J. Jacobs from Esquire released Tuesday, Huckabee refused to join Palin's cabal against Katie Couric, saying the anchor was "extraordinarily gentle, even helpful" to the candidate. Read the excerpt on Palin below from the article.

I ask him if she was treated fairly by the media. "There were a lot of unfair things. Sexist things that would never have been asked of a male candidate." He pauses. "Now I must say I did not think that either the Charlie Gibson interview or the Katie Couric interviews were unfair. In fact, if anything, Katie Couric was extraordinarily gentle, even helpful. [Palin] just...I don't know what happened. I can't explain it. It was not a good interview. I'm being charitable."

He pauses. "I think it was overpreparation. She'd been hammered by McCain's aides, 'Say this, don't say that.' "

Huckabee has met Palin a few times and talked to her backstage at the Republican National Convention.

"Did you give her any advice?"

"I didn't figure that she was shopping for my advice."

"But she sure was shopping."

"Yeah," chuckles Huckabee. Then stays quiet. I set him up for an easy spike, but he holds his tongue.

Comments

[PeterVanKan]

Am I then the only one that understands that Palin will not run in 2012 ? By the time the primaries start, she'll have understood that she doesn't have much chance and will have decided to spare herself the humiliation. Mark my words.

[Lavafalls]

you seem to think Palin has an IQ above that of a shark. If this woman has any following at all, she will run, and Huckabee needs those wakovotes that are her base.

[wingsabre]

If a shark was leaking amiotic fluid, it would have given birth. She on the other hand, chose to fly from Dallas, to Seattle, to Anchorage, and then drive 45 minutes to her local hospital.

[SugarMan]

Official Song of the
State of Alaska

"Alaska's Flag"
Written by Marie Drake
Composed by Elinor Dusenbury

Eight stars of gold on a field of blue -
Alaska's flag. May it mean to you
The blue of the sea, the evening sky,
The mountain lakes, and the flow'rs nearby;
The gold of the early sourdough's dreams,
The precious gold of the hills and streams;
The brilliant stars in the northern sky,
The "Bear" - the "Dipper" - and, shining high,
The great North Star with its steady light,
Over land and sea a beacon bright.
Alaska's flag - to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of a last frontier.

[MNmommy]

Make no mistake, the Hucksterbee is only making these statements to diminish Palin for the 2012 primaries, which he intends to participate in.

[Lavafalls]

Could not agree more. This man still wants to put his religion in our government and schools. He will put science back on the shelf where Bush had it hidden. Huck is more dangerous than Sarah because he is more intelligent.

[NWRICK]

"Huck is more dangerous"
You are so right.

[FR]

I agree that he could be more dangerous because he does "folksy" better than she does. But I cannot ascribe intelligence to someone who doesn't beleive in evolution and yet thinks he is qualified to run this country in the 21st century.

[readmewell22]

Exactly, and as time passes she will get dished on by them all... she won't stand a menopausal, grandmother's chance in 2012.

[CitizenKane16]

But it doesn't mean they're not true.

[LolaP]

quite right.

[Helzapoppin]

Face it, Palin, no one had to go out of their way to make a fool of you. You accomplished that just fine on your own.

Also. Dontchaknow.

[marymansour]

Sometimes Huckabee can be very astute. This is one of those moments.

[Roxanna]

Huckabee just went up a notch in my book! Good for him.

[SurferKit]

Mine too. It's nice to see him speaking out about Palin's poor performance in those interviews.

[Citizen4Justice]

Ditto. I always appreciate someone speaking the truth when there is pressure not to do so.

[Formeralaskangal]

For this...I could almost "heart" Huckabee.

[longislandlol]

Huckabee is an admirable guy-- this said (by a Democrat)--- he should fashion his career all by himself- stop commenting on a person that he knows full well will appeal only to the repub base-- he will stand a better chance with indies with a dissassociation from her because he has a carry over appeal that she will never have--

[mari2JJ]

When Republicans start grinding up each other like Huckabee did to Palin, nothing good can come out of the party, that is for sure. I doubt the party will recover from the GW years for years and years to come Add to that the Palin fiasco and who knows how long it will take for Republoicans to gain their footing again.

[CitizenKane16]

"who knows how long it will take for Republoicans to gain their footing again"
Is that a bad thing??

[PersonaNonGrated]

I really wish Mike Huckabee wasn't so frighteningly puritanical. I could really grow to like the guy.

[MsLiz]

He has cultivated the likeable pastor role.

[nyc girl]

I completely agree!! He is not a mindless ideologue! I can listen, COMPLETELY DISAGREE, but understand the foundation of his point of view & respect him - I can agreeably disagree with him!! On the other hand, from the moment Mitt Romney opens his mouth, I get tense.

[DaisyDooks]

Boy, the media sure is working hard to keep this woman relevant.

[swo68]

The perception of someone who the average HuffPo reader wouldn't give the time of day. Atleast it keeps the Palin hate going.

[Culturemaven]

Oops, the song was for ljcwi... not ljci. So many letters, eek.

[Culturemaven]

For ljci: I wrote this back in November, but the Palins just won't go away!

The Ballad of Sarah Palin (to the tune of The Beverly Hillbillies)

Come and listen to a story 'bout a gov'nor named Palin
Moose-huntin' mama whose parenting is failin'
Then one day she was picked by McCain
And into the gutter went the GOP campaign
You betcha. Drill, baby, drill
Well, the first thing you know Miss Wasilla is a star
The GOP said, "Sarah, you're gonna go real far"
Said, "Washington is the place you ought to be"
So she loaded up on designer clothes thanks to RNC
Valentino, that is. Louis Vuitton
Well, now it's time to say goodbye to Sarah and her clan
The oddly-named five children and the snow mobile man
They're not invited back again to the lower forty-eight
To wreak a heap of havoc on the poor electorate
Hillbillies you are. Set a spell, take your Uggs off. Don't come back now, ya hear?

[Leahk]

I wish I were as creative as you. I tried to sing, but I could not stop laughing.

[Culturemaven]

Thank you for saying nice things! I don't know if it takes much talent to use someone else's tune; I liken it to a parlor trick, but it's fun to do anyway.

[MsLiz]

Copyright this, it is worthy of jibjab.com!

[walkaway]

This is a riot. I made my entire dinner party sing it.

[slipthalo]

Great one! Now I'll have that tune running through my hear all night - Valentino, that is, Louis Vuitton.
LOL

[ericmiami]

Does Alaska have a State Song?