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Huck Just Made His First Play for Veep

By Quin Hillyer on 5.14.11 @ 9:06PM

Mike Huckabee is clearly running for vice president. His announcement of non-candidacy for president spent so much time touting his own popularity (and his supposedly wonderful motivations and principles) that it seems clear to me he wants to position himself for veep. This way he gets to keep earning huge amounts of money, gets to stay above the fray and burnish his (false) good-guy image, gets to avoid the exhaustion of the primary season -- and still could end up on the ticket. Very clever.

One can only hope it doesn't work.

View all comments (29) | Leave a comment

PCC| 5.14.11 @ 9:16PM

Huckabee has a dark side. He's Nixon with a banjo.

Quin| 5.14.11 @ 9:28PM

I was thinking as I watched him shake his jowls that he even is starting to look a little like Nixon without the widow's peak.

Bob Grant| 5.14.11 @ 9:39PM

Quinn, how does this change the prospects for Sarah?

Bob Grant| 5.15.11 @ 1:35PM

Kinda like that Deliverance inbreed?

Bob Grant| 5.14.11 @ 9:18PM

If only Sarah Palin could follow suit.

somnolence| 5.14.11 @ 10:01PM

The only thing Huckabee is running for, Mr. Hillyer, is $5.5 million a year from Fox. Guaranteed.

somnolence| 5.14.11 @ 10:04PM

Palin won't make an announcement either positive or negative until January. Proves she may very well be the shrewdest of the whole bunch. And even though she's not as rich as Trump, she has plenty already to fund a race. I know a lot of neocons don't like to hear that but too bad.

Bob Grant| 5.14.11 @ 10:07PM

She will divide the party, no question about it.

Nothing good will come of that!!!!

LC Jackboot| 5.15.11 @ 12:07AM

This message has been brought to you courtesy of the Republican National Committee.

somnolence| 5.14.11 @ 10:20PM

Grant, I don't care if she does, and decided to run third party. If it has a chance to destroy neocon position and lobbying, and if it is apparent she can get 25-30 percent as a third party candidate, which I believe is possible since she isn't as paranoid flaky as Perot was in 1992, I'd say it would be worth it.

Bob Grant| 5.14.11 @ 10:23PM

Oh really!! ...So you're good to go with a second Obama term just to make some point with the republican party?

You'll have to live with that!!

LC Jackboot| 5.15.11 @ 12:23AM

Let's toss Trump out of the picture to set this up. It's impossible to discount Trump's popularity for other than what it IS, in-your-face and a down and dirty, full-on response to the left. The Donald doesn't mince words and is unafraid to say what he thinks. Who out there on our side of the fence even remotely resembles his style? Palin. I'm sick of hearing "oh we can't run her, because of her negatives", etc, etc. That's what the left tells us, she's crazy and so on. Since when was it good politics (or war making) to let the other side pick your candidate? The establishment republicans don't like her because she refuses to toe the line with their milquetoast approach by speaking about issues fearlessly. The fact that McLame was so incredibly nasty to her in 2008 pretty much proves that the establishment can't stand her. But guess what? Her approval ratings would sky rocket should she decide to run. Sarah is no podunk, backwoods political type by any means. She can be as shrewd, savage and just plain vicious as is needed to accomplish her task. Don't count her out of anything at this point. With Huck out of it, strengthening Romney's lead puts us in an almost desperate need of a candidate that can stand up to what WILL be a mean, vicious and merciless play by Team Ogabe for his second term. We need Palin about now otherwise the socialist weasel occupying 1600 Pennsy just might be there for a long while.

Margie| 5.15.11 @ 7:47PM

somnolence doesn't care. He or she hates the Republicans more than he hates Obama and the Left. He wants Obama to win again just to "punish" our side.
These people who call us "Neo-cons" are to me, part of the Left.

Occam's Tool| 5.15.11 @ 2:28PM

What exactly is a "neocon," please? I get confused.

Margie| 5.15.11 @ 7:48PM

O.T.,
It's anybody who doesn't march lock step with the anti-war crowd.

Interested Conservative| 5.14.11 @ 10:45PM

Quin's initial comment nails this - it's the unregulated campaign for Veep. Other current sitting governors are much more appealing, so I don't worry that this ploy will work.

somnolence| 5.14.11 @ 11:05PM

I lived through two Clinton terms, I guess I can survive Obama again. I just know I won't have any pangs of conscience by not voting for a RINO. I'm more than tired of Palin being bad-mouthed without validation.

Bob K.| 5.14.11 @ 11:47PM

She won't carry the RINO vote under any circumstances and I guess it is ok for them not to back republican candidates they don't like. But don't let any other republicans try that if a RINO wins the nomination and we lose to Obama. They will be blamed for losing the election and even now are being accused of wanting to lose the election. Even by republicans who aren't RINOs!

Bob Grant| 5.15.11 @ 5:29AM

Look it. You guys continue to project on to Sarah traits, beliefs, and qualities that may or may not be accurate. First, she's not quite the conservative many "project" her as being. Just look at her record in Alaska. It's quite moderate.

But my main problem with her is not her policy positions as I agree with most of them. It's her personal shortcomings: Her judgement, temperament, and ability to lead. Her intellectual curiosity is questionable. Let me ask you, have you ever witnessed her give an original thought? Sure, she seems to have boned up on some of the required reading for conservatives. Sometimes it sounds like she's quoting "Liberty and Tyranny" verbatim, but I'm looking for more in a candidate. Don't get me wrong, I like her. Not just as my nominee.

LC Jackboot| 5.15.11 @ 12:49PM

I'll concede your point to an extent. Regardless of her potential shortcomings, Sarah nonetheless can capture the public's attention. She does very well at selling herself. While all of the pack has some very good traits and moreover intelligence, they just can't grab the public's attention like she can. We're dealing with a short-attention span voting public and a candidate needs to grab that attention and get the message across before they go back to watching Real Housewives. We can't deny that right now she can be a candidate or King-Maker. Another factor for her as a candidate is that the left hates her to an extent that perhaps only Nixon did. I'm subversive by nature and can appreciate the tactical advantage that eliciting outrage from the other side could be.

Oldefarte| 5.15.11 @ 10:22AM

I've never been enthusiatic about Huckabee, as his most important asset appears to be his ministerial-relious background [if this country needed this most of all, no doubt Billy Graham etc would be the best candidate]. Quin's knowledgable info is just another nail in Huckabee's political coffin as far as I'm concerned. I do want Daniels to jump in, along with Palin, Bachmann, etc; but it's early yet. I'll vote for Daffy Duck befor I'd enven considering voting for the current office holder, so any/all Republican candidates represent a plus for me [and the country]. I still find it amazing that Romney is clinging to his Romneycare, which will be his kryptonite around his neck. I'm impatient though in watching the political clock too-slowly tic-toc towards November of next year!!!!!!!!

Bob Grant| 5.15.11 @ 1:08PM

Ancient flatulence (ok, I stole that from another poster but too good not to copy),

I'm in agreement. Like a good soldier when the general comes around, I will fall in line and vote for whomever the Republican candidate may be. Even if it is (Gulp) SP.

Oldefarte| 5.15.11 @ 3:02PM

BG: Absolutely correct! The important thing IMO for all of us is to focus long term on that thought. and to concentrate mainly in talking up/encouraging our own personal/particular friends, co-workers, extended family, church members etc the critically important aspect of that thought also. We simply cannot allow a repeat of November of 2008 to occur, or there will be no more USA thereafter!!!!!!!!!

somnolence| 5.15.11 @ 11:27AM

I'm more than patient to wait until even March if that is when some want to announce. A lot of things can happen between now and then. Buddy Roemer just may be a sleeper, who knows. I just know it won't be Daniels or Christie or Gingrich for starters, wait and see.

Lisa| 5.15.11 @ 8:50PM

"Mike Huckabee is clearly running for vice president... One can only hope it doesn't work."

The more I read this guy, the more I'm convinced that he's a Daily Kos plant.

Bob Grant| 5.15.11 @ 10:13PM

Makes perfect sense. Don't run for president so you can continue to make millions of dollars as a pundit AND retain your political viability for a future run. DO RUN, however, for vice president and forfeit said benefits for the chance to play second fiddle to Mitch Daniels with the distinct possibility of losing.

I see he properly gamed out this theory.

He could indeed be a Daily Kos plant.

Casey Abell| 5.15.11 @ 10:51PM

Swear on Huck's bible...when I first saw this entry's title, I thought it would be a flipping joke, a sarcastic putdown of Huckabee's lack of ambition.

Then I saw Hillyer's name on the entry. God help him, the mighty Quin believes this lunacy.

jan| 5.15.11 @ 10:49PM

hahahahaha!!! These freaks think they are still in the game hahahahaha!!! It's not about you Huck, it's about "We the People" and we have had it with all of you!!! Look what you all have done! You have destroyed the country and your time is up, over, GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE WE THROUGH YOU ALL IN JAIL!! They are so arrogant they think we're so ignorant that they can con us into thinking they matter, well you don't. You let a guy out of jail and he KILLED A COP!! Huck has blood all over his hands and he really thinks he can be VP? That SOB better go tell his buddies and Obama we are coming after them and we will throw your ass out on the curb! There's going to be one person that will be in that big house on that hill and she deserves everything we are going to give to her because she has earned/proved she is worthy of our trust. Gov Palin we respect you and I know you will do a fantastic job. So if you think anyone else is going to win, screw you, out with the freaks in with honorable and lets kick some Jihad butt too! Oh yeah, Newt can go back to his latest wife, he's disgusting. GAME ON!! :) grrrrr