Politico.com Focus Group: Huckabee Overwhelmingly Won Debate!

More on the debate from CNN’s Schneider

Here’s more collected comments from CNN’s Bill Schneider on Huckabee’s performance during the debate last night:

Huckabee scores in debates - 08:22 PM ET

Huckabee speaks in a manner using a language that connects with ordinary voters.

McCain and Romney sound like politicians. His appeal is that he doesn’t.

He won the Iowa caucuses because of his performance in the debates. It was the debates that put him out in front in Iowa – in a debate like this, he could make some gains.

Huckabee’s common-sense response – 08:33 PM ET

Huckabee’s answer on climate change sounds like a common sense defense of federalism– right or wrong, Californians should be able to make the decision for themselves. And he brings up “unfunded mandates” – major negative buzzwords for GOP primary voters…..

Read more over at I Love Huckabee.

Missed the debate?

First, catch Mike’s OUTSTANDING answer to “Would Ronald Reagan endorse you?”, asked of all the candidates. He was the very last one to speak last night:

Watch the entire debate on YouTube (I love the Internet!):

Part 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=W1uZBiOnWt0

Part 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fPOpQizUHDk

Part 3: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uUhIdxMlK1w

Part 4: http://youtube.com/watch?v=SxafwRjuTMA

Part 5: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ji2nW3tLNHA

Part 6: http://youtube.com/watch?v=eH7J5abp0sw

Part 7: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rHLfhOr55_U

Part 8: http://youtube.com/watch?v=F01I3rYSFkE

Part 9: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rVN0Cvt_5Mc

CNN: Huckabee Big Winner of Reagan Library Debate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2008

CONTACT
Lucas Roebuck
Public Affairs, HucksArmy.com
971.832.0247
hucksarmypress@gmail.com
http://press.hucksarmy.com

CNN: Huckabee Big Winner of Reagan Library Debate
Huckabee electrifies supporters after sharp debate performance
Bennett: Huckabee performed well

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — CNN political analyst Bill Schneider said it best: “Tonight’s big winner: Huckabee.” Live Bloggers from ABC News also lauded the performance of Gov. Huckabee. More importantly, Huckabee energized his critical grassroots supporters with probably his best debate performance since the Nov. 28 CNN/YouTube debate. The debate provides a critical boost in advance of Super Tuesday.

Huckabee currently leads the following Super Tuesday states in the most recent polling data*: Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee and Oklahoma and Alabama (tied).

FROM THE PUNDITS
Conservative Bill Bennett on CNN: “I think Huckabee performed well.”

Writes CNN’s Schneider: Huckabee, I think, stood out in this debate as the one who made sense, talked as ordinary people do, and rose above politics. … He connected. And that’s a problem for Romney, who would like to become the alternative to John McCain among conservatives who oppose the Arizona senator. But he has very tough competition from Huckabee, who’s forcing people to re-think his run at a time when he was supposed to be out of the game.

When the candidates were asked why the late President Reagan would endorse them, Huckabee’s answer impressed ABC’s Karen Travers. She wrote on the ABC Live Blog, “Huck crushes the Reagan question. Not using it as a chance to squabble with a rival — totally stays above that.”

Rick Klein from ABC’s The Note writes: Huckabee sounds like a candidate for president — not vice president — for tonight at least. He hasn’t played the McCain protector I assumed he would, or would have to. Mostly, probably, because of the docile tone, but for people tuning in late — hey, this Huckabee guy can be really good.

FROM THE GRASSROOTS
Some interesting comments from the official Huckabee website, mikehuckabee.com:

A.S. writes, “Until today I had always considered you a solid candidate, but not necessarily one I would vote for. You refusing to be treated as a 3rd class candidate while also respecting the other candidates impressed me. I came to this site for more information as I rethink who I’m going to support on the 5th. I vote for character and I think you showed a lot of that tonight. Well done!”

M.S writes, “I was yelling at the TV at how much time was given to McCain and Romney to act like children! The blessing was that they both hurt themselves tonight. I could see the expressions on Nancy Reagan and Gov. Schwarzenegger’s faces, and it was embarrassing. McCain and Romney should both be ashamed of their personal bickering instead of addressing issues. It really showed their colors, and also Mike’s true character and grace.”

Ranger writes, “Gov. Mike Huckabee, you did great tonight! You stood out as the truly authentic conservative Republican, in the mold of Ronald Reagan. I expect another huckaboom forthcoming from your performance tonight.”

And from the Troops at HucksArmy.com:
Thall writes, “His answer to the last question about Reagan was wonderful. I grew up watching Reagan and had the honor to vote for him in the ‘84 election. Mike brought back memories of Reagan’s speeches and how he lifted the spirits of the nation. What an image for Mike to leave with the audience. The McRomneys looked like scabbling school children.”

ColoradoMom4Huckabee writes, “WOW WOW WOW!! I couldn’t have asked for Mike to end on a stronger note!! He hit several home runs tonight, and his last words were a great way to seal the image of him as a statesman, who sees beyond the issues, to the heart of America…like Reagan!”

About HucksArmy.com
With core values of faith, family and freedom, HucksArmy.com is an online grassroots movement not owned or operated by any candidate or political campaign. With more than 16,000 recruits, HucksArmy.com is dedicated to mobilize support for candidates who honor God and country.

*Source: RealClearPolitics.com and PoliticsAndChristianity.com

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A Critical Debate

The CNN debate this evening is critical for the Huckabee campaign. The audience has the potential to be the largest of any debate yet. With Super Tuesday looming, people from all across the country will be tuning in to help them make a final decision about who to vote for.

Huckabee comes into this debate in much the same way he came into the first debates, with his candidacy dismissed. The media has written off his campaign and the conservative talking heads have turned their firepower against McCain because they no longer perceive Huckabee to be a threat. Huckabee has the potential to come out of this debate looking very good because expectation are so low.

The debate this evening could possibly be the largest audience that Huckabee has ever reached at any one time. There will be people watching this debate who have never heard any more from Huckabee than the soundbites in the media. A strong debate performance tonight (if CNN gives him enough air time) will allow him to get the word out about his radical tax reform plan (Fair Tax), strong anti-illegal immigration stance, and innovative economic ideas.

Huckabee supporters all across the country are holding their breath as each hour brings us closer to the debate, and what could be one of the defining moments of the Huckabee candidacy.

HucksArmy.com ready for home court Super Tuesday advantage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2008

CONTACT
Lucas Roebuck
Public Affairs, HucksArmy.com
971.832.0247
hucksarmypress@gmail.com

HUCKSARMY.COM READY FOR HOME COURT SUPER TUESDAY ADVANTAGE
Grassroots organization plan massive voter contact campaign

JOPLIN, Mo. — With the 2008 Florida primary now in the history books, the troops at HucksArmy.com plan on launching their largest grassroots voter turnout effort so far this campaign in anticipation of Super Tuesday next week. While Gov. Mike Huckabee is already leading in many Super Tuesday states, HucksArmy.com will be working around the clock to help Team Huckabee win decisive victories.

Gov. Huckabee is either tied or ahead in the following Super Tuesday states: Alabama (48 delegates), Arkansas (34), Georgia (72), Missouri (58), Montana (25) Tennessee (55), and Oklahoma (41). States with no polling data that Huckabee should do well in include Alaska, North Dakota and West Virginia. Huckabee also leads in Texas (140) which holds its primary on March 4.*

“We intend to reach voters directly with phone calls, e-mails, meet ups and door-to-door visits before Super Tuesday, building a coalition of pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-Second Amendment, pro-American business, and pro-military voters to give Huckabee clear victories, from Alaska to Georgia,” said HucksArmy.com National Grassroots Campaign Manager David Schmidt.

“The voters in many of these Southern states have known Huckabee for years and they know his conservative record,” said Lucas Roebuck, HucksArmy.com public affairs officer. “The half-truth negative campaigning against Huckabee will have little effect here.”

HUCKABEE EARNS ARKANSAS RTL ENDORSEMENT
Mike Huckabee this week also earned the Arkansas Right to Life endorsement. Arkansas RTL joins Tennessee, Arizona, Alaska, Missouri, Georgia, Montana and Missouri RTL organizations in endorsing Huckabee.

Additionally the National Right to Life made this statement:
“National Right to Life is grateful for the strong pro-life record established by Mike Huckabee as governor of Arkansas, and recognizes that Governor Huckabee has taken the strongest pro-life position on all of the life issues of any of the remaining candidates for president.”

“These are states where the value voters are looking for leaders to advance the defense of the sanctity of life,” said Lucas Roebuck, HucksArmy.com public affairs officer. “Mike Huckabee has the best record of defending life of any candidate running for president, hands down. There’s no contest.”

About HucksArmy.com
With core values of faith, family and freedom, HucksArmy.com is an online grassroots movement not owned or operated by any candidate or political campaign. With more than 16,000 recruits, HucksArmy.com is dedicated to mobilize support for candidates who honor God and country. For more information visit www.hucksarmy.com.

*Source: RealClearPolitics.com and PoliticsAndChristianity.com

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Chuck Norris KO’s Sean Hannity

This is must-see-TV!

Huckabee on Fair Tax at FL Debate

Mike Huckabee Discusses FL Debate Performance

Live Blog of FL GOP Debate

This evening I will doing a live blog of the FL GOP debate. My commentary will mostly focus on Mike Huckabee, although I will comment on relevant statements made by other candidates.

Thanks for stopping by to read the live blog, I hope you will check back often for commentary on Huckabee, politics, and the news.

Live blog follows:

8:02- Wow, Brian Williams just said the campaigns decided to limit the debate to 90 minutes, I wonder why?

8:03- Romeny gets the first question and it is about the economy. Praises the President’s economic stimulus plan

8:05- McCain- will make Bush tax-cuts permanent, cut corporate income taxes, don’t add pork to tax cut bills, encourage savings (does not say how he will do this)

8:06- Rudy says Bush’s stimulus package does not go far enough. Will make Bush tax-cuts permanent. America needs to cut taxes and regulation to remain competitive in the world market.

8:08- McCain again, says he is very well versed in economics, drops names, says WSJ likes economic record

-so far the questions have all gone to the three FL frontrunners

8:10- Does Huckabee trust Romney as a Tax cutter? Says the question is do the voters trust Romney. Huckabee touts tax cutting record in Arkansas. Makes good point about Bush stimulus package and a lot of that money going back into foreign governments because we import so much. Suggests building a highway to increase productivity would be a long term stimulus package.

8:12- Romney gets another tax cut question and touts his own record, says he balanced budget without raising taxes and left a two billion dollar surplus. Says McCain voted against Bush tax cuts, but now supports them. Touts experience in business, private sector.

8:14- says Romney’s raising fees is equivalent of a tax increase, responds to his voting against Bush tax cuts the first time. Says spending needs to be cut to restore confidence in the party

8:16- Paul- says government responsibility is to lower taxes and reduce regulations, makes anti-war rant

8:17- Rudy- having a hard time following his answer, say he is in favor of free trade, be aggressive about global economy

8:20- McCain- Dems will be bad for economy because they will spend money and expand government. President signed a bunch of pork, McCain says he will veto big spending bill

personal note- this is a quiet crowd

8:22- Huckabee- Why should people vote for Republicans? Says you can’t blame all of economy on the President. Refers to Michigan debate when he was the only candidate who said economy is only doing great for the guys at the top and not for the every day American. Suggests there is a trickle-up impact when the economy begins to go sour. Says America needs a President who understands the entire country, not just the guys at the top.

8:25- Romney- Will run away from the record of Washington. Critisizes Washington’s failure to bring about change and deliver on promises. Says entitlements need to be reigned in. Touts change

8:27- Rudy- I’m the only one who has actually turned around an economy

8:27- Paul- Touts voting record, never voted for tax increases

Local questions-

8:28-McCain- Question about leaving troops in Iraq- Says effort in Iraq is sustainable and we are succeeding. He is proud that he said to abandon the Rumsfeld strategy for the new strategy, expresses pride in military.

8:30-Romney- Iraq question, Army to small and poorly resourced, how increases size of Army without draft? Add 100,000 troops to active military. Touts bill passed in MA, says benefits need to be updated (i.e. GI Bill). Critisizes Dems for Iraq stance.

-first applause goes to Romney

Was war worth it?

8:33- McCain- Yes, problem was mishandling of Iraq by Rumsfeld, war justified because of threat from Saddam

8:35- Rudy- Criticizes Hillary flip-flop on war, he supports the war

8:35- Paul- War bad idea (applause)

8:36- Huckabee- Supported President, says pres. deserves thanks for taking the initiative to protect us. It’s easy to second guess a president

8:37- Romney- Right decision to go into Iraq, still supports it. Supports current plan

Okay, Williams explains that audience has been asked not to applaud to give candidates more time.

Commercial break.

Thanks for reading, stay tuned!

Candidates will ask other candidates a question of their choice

8:42- Romney asks Rudy how do we level trade playing field?

8:43- Protection of intellectual properties, be careful with imports, what can we sell to China? They need to buy what we have. We should increase size of our military, criticizes Bill Clinton’s peace dividend.

8:46 McCain asks- Huckabee- How will Huckabee answer criticism that flat sales tax would work and hurt lower income people?

8:46- Huckabee- Says people would love to see IRS abolished, we should not be penalized for our productivity. Fair Tax should get bipartisan support. Says the poor come out best because of the prebate. Everybody get prebate up to the level of poverty so that necessities are not taxed. There will be no more underground economy (get a laugh), everyone will pay. Mentions imbedded tax.

8:49- Huckabee- Follow up- Americans are paying more than 15 percent tax rate because of imbedded tax. Americans pay an average of 33 percent in taxes and work until May just to pay their taxes.

-Wow, Huckabee got to give a great response to the FairTax questions.

8:50- Paul asks McCain-

8:50- McCain answers

8:52- Huckabee to Romney- Asks question about 2nd Amendment and his support of Assault Weapon band, and support of Brady bill (great question)?

8:52- Supports assault weapon ban, does not support new legislation banning assault weapons

8:54- Rudy asks Romney- Property insurance, national catastrophic fund?

8:55- Romney-Supports national catastrophic effort

8:57- McCain- says insurance reform needed, every American will get the insurance they need

8:58- Rudy- Why against cap on green house gases? He supports technologies that will clean up the environment. Nuclear power, hybrids, clean coal, biofuels (good answer). Says we should be energy independent. Caps would crush industry.

9:00- McCain- In favor of Cap and trade system to help reduce green house gases, go back to nuclear power. Climate change is real.

Commercial break

I’d like to see Huckabee get some more air time. Thank goodness he gave Huckabee the FairTax question, so far that has been Huckabee strongest answer of the night.

9:05-Rudy- Answers question about decline in the polls. Says he will come from behind and surprise everyone. Says he lulled everyone into a false sense of security (laugh from audience)

9:07- McCain- Says he is proud of his record on judges, will be able to unite the party because of his stance against Islamic extremism, says will keep Israel independent

9:09- Romney- How run against Hill/Bill- Not running against Bill, he will run against Hillary if she is the nominee. Critisizes Hillary insurance plan, says Clinton’s have been in D.C. too long, will strengthen country the Reagan way

9:11- Romney- How much of his own money has he spent? Will not answer

9:13- Romney- Not trying to buy election

8:14- Romney- Mormon question- says people will not choose candidate based on the church someone goes to

Romney has had six minutes of time straight

9:15- Paul-In favor of abolishing social security? Yes

9:17- Huckabee- How save Social Security? In trouble because less people are paying into the system. Supports FairTax because SS has a different and more stable funding system. Huckabee goes off on people continuing to say “we can’t”

9:20-Romney- Would he raise taxes like Reagan? No, worst idea is to raise taxes on the American people

9:22- Rudy- Why airing Spanish ad? says citizens should be fluent in English. Touts border security plan. Tamper proof ID card

9:24-Rudy- Why Cubans allowed to stay? Because the people are fleeing from communism, political persecution

9:25-Huckabee- Is McCain too old? He does not think McCain lacks the rigor to be President, says look at his mother!

9:27- Rudy- How defend against NYT attack? They attacked him because he was a conservative

9:29- Romney- Changes positions with the wind? He is proud of his record as gov., abortion, fought same-sex marriage, cut taxes, created surplus, strong 2nd Amendment record

9:31-McCain- Temper? Not an issue, if he had a terrible temper, why would so many support him? Praises Rudy for 9-11 leadership

9:33-Huckabee- Faith? Faith gives direction, respects all faiths, faith is important part of this country

9:34-Paul- Remain Republican? Has no attention of going to a third party

Thanks for reading my live blog. I will try to post my comments about the outcome tomorrow after I get out of class.

Good night everyone!