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With the news today that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in the three-way congressional race in upstate New York's 23rd District, now the pressure is on former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to follow suit. . . .You can read my latest at The American Spectator, and let me call your attention to the real juicy stuff:
Huckabee finds himself in an awkward position . . . Huckabee is due to speak Tuesday night in Syracuse at a New York Conservative Party awards dinner but, as he told [Neil] Cavuto, he won't be giving "an endorsement speech."You see the difficulty here for both Huckabee and Hoffman. Huckabee's now a Fox News superstar, and endorsing Hoffman might be a bit too much at a time when the network is fighting the Obama administration's charges that Fox lacks journalistic credibility.
Huckabee's speech was scheduled before the NY23 election became the focus of a national political maelstrom. Most New York media expect Hoffman also to attend Tuesday's dinner, although the congressional candidate has not yet publicly announced whether he will attend.
Some Hoffman campaign officials are concerned that, if Hoffman shows up at the Syracuse dinner, it might be viewed as distracting from Huckabee's spotlight. Conservative Party officials don't want to put pressure on their Republican guest of honor. Huckabee won't endorse Scozzafava, and he certainly wouldn't support the little-known Democratic candidate Bill Owens. Therefore, Huckabee's status as a "friendly neutral" in the three-way election may be the best the Hoffman campaign can hope for. . . .
Erick plays rough by including Huckabee together with Mitt Romney in his ultimatum to 2012 hopefuls. Although I've often criticized Huckabee for his political deviations, he seems like a nice guy who means well and, if the Hoffman people don't want to put him on the spot, I'm inclined to go easy.
BTW, my sources don't expect Romney to endorse Hoffman. Ain't gonna happen, I'm told. Still, to recall a famous phrase, do you believe in miracles? UPDATE: Remind me to chew my sources a new one for not giving me the heads-up on this: (Hat-tip: Hot Air.) So much for the Huckabee-can't-endorse-because-of-his-Fox-contract theory, I suppose . . . HOFFMANIA: CATCH IT!
Our complete coverage of the NY23 special election
The answer is plain and simple. If you believe in Conservatism, you will support it and you will support those running under the Conservative banner. If you haven't actively supported it at this stage or are dragging your feet, we Conservatives will not vote for you no matter how many Right Wing blogs or former House Speakers come out in support.
ReplyDeleteCheck out the powerline guys. I love them, but they cannot bring themselves to even mention Sarah Palin's endorsement of Hoffman, but instead write only of Pawlenty's endorsement. Guess she's too common for those guys.
ReplyDeleteStacy, you are being far too kind to Huckabee. He has no excuses to not endorse a candidate here. This FOX contract stuff is nonsense. It hasn't prevented him from endorsing Rubio and a number of other Republican primary candidates for Congress in 2010 - including donating to them from his PAC.
ReplyDeleteAlso, his refusal to endorse because he is receiving a speaking fee from the Conservative Party, and his endorsement might look like a "political quid pro quo", is nonsense as well. He could return the fee and speak for free, or donate the money to Hoffman's campaign. However, Huckabee likes his money and would never return the fee.
No, there are no excuses for Huckabee. In this case a non endorsement for Hoffman is the same as an endorsement for Scozzafava. Huckabee is trying to emulate the politics of that other slick politician from Arkansas by saying he supports Hoffman's positions over Scozzafava's but can't endorse him.
He is simply trying to curry favor with both the Conservative grassroots and the RNC establishment at the same time to maximize his 2012 viability. As Ronald Reagan (and Sarah Palin) said - this is a time for choosing, and Huckabee lacks the courage to choose!
God, Hoffman's got the personality of a 2x4...
ReplyDeleteHuckabee is toast--even as the supposed front runner.
ReplyDeleteHe's doing the Dole/McCain schwaffle on most every issue. Even Mitt Mass Medicine knows enough to keep quiet.
All of these linguine spined MEN! Take a stand NOT in the middle of the road and grow a pair!
ReplyDeleteAs for Huckabee, I thought it had to to with the Club for Growth endorsement and the sour taste in his mouth from them and the 08 primary.He really is a small man despite what his brain tells him...
Huckabee endorses. He endorsed Phillips in Alabama.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/local.ssf?/base/news/1249118145298000.xml&coll=1
Alas, only 400 came to the fundraiser for Phillips headlined by Huckabee, and it lost about $36,000 after paying Huckabee $33,990 to attend, and paying about $20,000 for the room, food, and equipment.
HuckPAC is broke. http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=116148.54928.128290&view=all
Hoffman, being an accountant, might not want to ask Huckabee for help.
Let us not forget that Mitt is the wimp di tutti wimpy.
ReplyDeleteQuoted from and Linked to at:
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