Outgoing Ark Gov Mike Huckabee is thinking of a run

[AuH2O]

Santorum is a mainline Republican. Mostly, his opponents take a few select quotes out of context and then whine endlessly about how "extreme" he is.

If you look at his interest organization ratings, they aren't "far right."

[Joe Biden 2020]

Santorum isn't as far to the right as Bunning, Coburn, or Inhofe, but he is pretty damn far to the right, fairly close to Demint

Bunning isn't rightwing. He's merely mad as a hatter.

Jim Inhofe isn't far right, either.  He's just conservative.  He's been an EXCELLENT senator for one of the best states in the union.
Tom Coburn is far right.  He really hasn't made any noise, yet, in the Senate in the past 4 months, so I can't really judge whether he will be good for Oklahoma or not.  Maybe by Labor Day or Halloween I will be able to tell a little better.

[ian]

He's a populist, generally.  He's pretty conservative socially, but he's progressive on education and has done a lot of work on health care.

Arkansas, last I saw, scored 49th in the USA in education.  He's been in office for six years now (right?).  He promised teachers a pay raise and never pulled through for them.  So, exactly, how is he progressive on education.  And also, as far as health care goes.  Someone told me that ARKidsFirst was a Clinton plan that finally got passed under Huck.  That guy is a major pain in my rear.

[ian]

Phil,

I wasn't dogging Rick Santorum by calling him far-right.  I think that can be a good thing.  I really like the guy, and I think he's a good Senator for PA and a good Senator for the nation.  We could use his leadership in the Senate like we could use rain in a drought.  He's conservative and conservative is good.

Just had to tell you,

Jeff

Whether you think it's a good thing or not, he's not far right. People buy into that line because the Dems are constantly saying it. In reality, he's your standard conservative.

I can not understand why people keep becoming offended by the term "far right".  We can admit that Hillary and the like are far left.  Why can't you guys just admit that Santorum is far right?  If you can show me that Hil is further left than Santorum is far right, I will give in to you guys and admit that Santorum is not far right, but under my definition of far right, someone who votes almost always with the party is far right.

[WalterMitty]

is winthrop rockefeller for or against the death penalty?

[Notre Dame rules!]

I read somewhere he wants to give in-state tuition to illegal immigrants for state universities and colleges.  If that's true he will be totally unacceptable to me and to many other Republican primary voters.  I may *gulp* even consider voting Hillary if he is that wrong on the most important issue of this day.

As for Huckabee, he's a toadie of Tyson Foods, and his immigration policy reflects it.

So did I hear that correctly about the instate tuition?

Yes, but the state legislature keeps overturning him on the issue.  Huckabee, thugh refuses to give up on the idea.  It makes you wonder then, why he doesn't think legal citizens from the other 49 states should be entitled to the same tuition rates that he favors for illegal aliens. 

[TomC]

Huckabee would get some notice but be lagging in theLOW double digits in Jan 05; then, 2 weeks before Iowa, he'd go on the Oprah show, not mention a lick of politics, and talk about his successful weight loss and health "renaissance." Oprah will cry, the audience will get free ukeleles found under their seats, and Mike! will surge in the polls, cruising to the nomination with the "Oprah vote."

[ATFFL]

Huckabee would get some notice but be lagging in theLOW double digits in Jan 05; then, 2 weeks before Iowa, he'd go on the Oprah show, not mention a lick of politics, and talk about his successful weight loss and health "renaissance." Oprah will cry, the audience will get free ukeleles found under their seats, and Mike! will surge in the polls, cruising to the nomination with the "Oprah vote."

The scariest thing is that would take him all the way to the White House.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I hope the talk shows don't decide the outcome of the election.  That makes those of us who hate talk "trash" shows of none effect.

[TomC]

Am I correct in remembering that Santorum teamed up with a Dem to support an increase in the minimum wage? I mean, where does he stand up for mainstream Penn and against the conservative agenda?? Or Vice versa. Where's the beef to all these claims? Stop throwing labels around without backing it up- EVERYBODY!

[No more McShame]

I read somewhere he wants to give in-state tuition to illegal immigrants for state universities and colleges.  If that's true he will be totally unacceptable to me and to many other Republican primary voters.  I may *gulp* even consider voting Hillary if he is that wrong on the most important issue of this day.

As for Huckabee, he's a toadie of Tyson Foods, and his immigration policy reflects it.

So did I hear that correctly about the instate tuition?

Yes, but the state legislature keeps overturning him on the issue.  Huckabee, thugh refuses to give up on the idea.  It makes you wonder then, why he doesn't think legal citizens from the other 49 states should be entitled to the same tuition rates that he favors for illegal aliens. 

At least the state legislature makes a little sense.  If Huckaidiot got his way, I'd sue Univ of Ark for instate rates.  Oh yeah, he just passed Bob Riley for my least favorite Rep Gov.

[Bob Dole '96]

www.politics1.com reported today that outgoing Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is telling friends that he will seek the GOP's nomination in 2008.

This really is somebody that not very many people have thought of for 2008.

He might have a pretty good chance, however, I think just as much as Americans dont want another Bush or Clinton in the White House, they may not want another Arkansan or Texan in there, either.

Let me know what you think about Mikey's chances?

Not a bad thought, actually.