Mike Huckabee: 'Every Republican' Should Support 9/11 First Responders Bill

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee appeared on "The Daily Show" Thursday and discussed the Senate's stalling of a bill that would provide additional funding to bolster health care coverage of 9/11 first responders. Huckabee agreed that the legislation, known as the Zadroga bill, should be supported by Republicans, who have blocked the bill over concerns of how it would be paid for.

"Every Republican should vote for this bill," Huckabee announced, after Stewart explained that the bill was a standalone measure not attached to any other spending.

"I wish that the Republicans would say, 'we'll fight the battle,'" Huckabee said. "If it needs two [GOP senators to pass], there ought to be 25, 35, 45 Republicans voting for it."

The Zadroga bill, which is structured to provide $7.4 billion in order to "improve health services and provide financial compensation for 9/11 first responders who were exposed to dangerous toxins and are now sick as a result," received a vital new backer in Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) Thursday. The moderate Maine senator said that the legislation would probably be passed if they could find a way to additionally offset some of its costs.

Huckabee also gave a de facto defense of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's idea that the legislative calendar could be extended through Christmas and up until the next congress, an idea that he'd been religiously rebuked for by Senators Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).

"It does not bother me if the Senate and the House were to work a little extra," Huckabee said. "It'd make up for all the times they're not working, which is the rest of the year."

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Comments

[as promised]

02:22 AM on 12/27/2010

Can I ask a question here? At one time, many of those reporting illnesses were those on the clean-up crews. Remember... they were saying even the dogs were sick. What's happened to them?
Why is this only about the first-responders or am I misinformed?

[Coyote1177]

01:28 PM on 12/25/2010

Anyone watching Fox news should stop watching it for awhile, and the world will seem a different place.

[as promised]

02:20 AM on 12/27/2010

I consider it my 'entertainment' :)

[ShoreSage]

09:02 AM on 12/25/2010

the worst part of partisanship is not giving credit where it is due. huckabee and giuliani are on the right side of this...give them credit for it....it's the 31 who voted against the bill that need a whuppin' And we should post their names and remind everyone of their votes next time they run for office.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

07:03 PM on 12/22/2010

see what happens when you go on the Daily show with Jon stewert?
the grinches heart that was way too small
grew in size and burst its walls!

[MauricioC]

04:02 PM on 12/22/2010

Wow, Huck You're everywhere today. First, you support the FLOTUS over Sarah Palin, and now this. But it doesn't change anything. You're STILL going to hell.

[dhinds]

10:50 PM on 12/22/2010

He's a Pastor, Mauricio (who carries a gun). Within his own milieu, he's got it covered.

He's not going anywhere (and certainly, not to the Presidency). In fact, NONE of the Republican made any sense (except Ron Paul, but only once in a while).

[vegipasta]

02:31 PM on 12/22/2010

The minute these darn politicians get elected, they get the best health insurance that tax payers money can buy. We then go work out butts off so they can get their yearly check-ups and stay healthy to screw us every way they can, especially to make sure we cannot afford health care. Life is a b**ch isn't it. Look at the length they will go to to stop these hard working people from getting help.

[BPGuy55]

09:03 PM on 12/23/2010

Wait, I thought they received the same health insurance options that all other Federal employees have. If so, its not close to Cadillac coverage.

[admiralsonasongbird]

02:11 PM on 12/22/2010

At least Mike is out there calling on the repubs to pass the bill.
 
But where is the president in all of this? Obama was out there bullying the the democrats and even conceded his presidency for an hour to clinton to call on democrats to give tax cuts to the rich. Now it is the first responders, where is the president?
 
This is situation that is presented to the president to speak like "average americans. because the average guy/gal feels that the first repsonders should be helped and taken care of. But the president is hidden probably playing golf somewhere.
 
Why isn't obama using his bullying pulpit like he did for the tax cuts?

[johnb123]

01:01 PM on 12/22/2010

Where is Obama on this? Why isn't he on the news hammering away at the republicans? Or is this like Ragan said, "You don't attack your own party".

[shivabeach]

01:24 PM on 12/22/2010

Ah he has been. Why would he attack the Dems when its Republicans holding up the bill?

[johnb123]

01:28 PM on 12/22/2010

Because he's a republican, disguised as a democrat. :)

[trubador1]

12:58 PM on 12/22/2010

Sure, Huckabee's for it now. But as the Stewart interview shows, his original position as of two days ago was against. Seems there was a problem with the bill's not being "separated out" from other unwanted expenses. So Stewart explains that the bill had been separated and Huckabee suddenly looks very uncomfortable. Well, in that case then sure, we need to vote for it.

Who do these Republicans think they're kidding? It's just like Coburn saying he can't vote for it because it hadn't come through a committee, when IT CAME THROUGH A COMMITTEE HE WAS A MEMBER OF AND DIDN"T SHOW UP FOR BACK IN JULY!!!!!!

Even Fox News is turning against these duplicitous creeps. Funny how truth has a way of catching up with even the most artful liars.

[BBROWN69]

12:18 PM on 12/22/2010

What a novalty, a Republican who speaks the TRUTH, and not the PARTY LINE!

[towny]

01:45 PM on 12/22/2010

yes but he was against it before he was for it....

[aofh]

02:37 PM on 12/22/2010

Doesn't matter so long as he is for it now and stays for it. One of the big problems with Republicans is that they don't allow you to change your mind. That's wrong. Life isn't fixed: circumstances change, your perspective changes and what once looked good doesn't anymore. Holding on to a bad idea is not a principled stance.

[bohite]

02:05 AM on 12/22/2010

Giuliani telling Coburn that the 9/11 bill is a matter of morality is talking to the wind. Morality is not one of Coburns virtues as decency is not one of his attributes.

[Art Hawley]

01:56 AM on 12/22/2010

God forbid they don't take care of these heroes, and the Senate gets bombed.

Imagine first responders standing around saying "I'd like to go in there and help you folks, but if I get hurt I can't count on you to help me back."

It wouldn't happen that way of course, because those people are heroes, and not politicians.

[eddiefi]

11:21 AM on 12/20/2010

I was amazed when I watched this interview about how little Huckabee knew about the bill. He 1st said that it should be a stand alone bill and did not know that it was a stand alone bill. He thought it was part of the big budget bill. Stewart also had to correct him when he tried to blame the democrats about their blame in trying to stop this bell from being passed. They think this guy is presidential material? He is almost as clueless as Palin is.

[dhinds]

10:38 PM on 12/22/2010

Almost but not quite.

[mongus]

11:07 AM on 12/20/2010

What happened to my post?

[quedog]

05:42 AM on 12/22/2010

its huffingtons post now boy

[mongus]

11:04 AM on 12/20/2010

Save your breath, Huck.

Your repub buddies don't care what is best for America.

All they care about is taking down Obama.