Eagle in Peril: A 2004 Election Game (Gameplay)

[BGBC]

DSC01827 by Mike Huckabee, on Flickr

A Nation in Turmoil: The Exploratory Phrase

The 2004 Republican Primary is a wildly unprecedented one; a nation reeling from the terrorist attacks of 9/11, embroiled in two separate wars in response to it, and now President Bush, the once uncontested candidate for this year's nomination, has been made everything short of a national martyr in his death. Governor Huckabee believes that the Republican Party needs an inspiring, but unwavering, conservative to take up the mantle of leading the party in Bush's absence and run and win in November. The Arkansas Governor has been floated in some religious right circles as a potential successor to George Bush, on account of both his ability to win in a Democratic state and uncompromising cultural conservatism (two traits generally seen at odds with each other), and this election, he will seek just that.

In the early days of Summer 2003, with the nation and Huckabee himself in shock with the news of the President's death, he will lay the groundwork for his campaign and enter the national stage by announcing an exploratory committee, just as the media is in a frenzy to figure out what Republicans will be running for President to replace the late Bush. With the nation as a whole in a state of unrest, Governor Huckabee's message in interviews with national media will center around the need for inspiring leadership to lead the nation against Hussein and terrorism, but he will envelop it in a fundamentally conservative tone: strong, monogamous marriages between one man and one woman, American exceptionalism and a strong military, a new cultural movement against flag desecration and attacks on military servicemembers, etc. In doing so, he will attempt to separate himself from his more liberal opponents, like Powell and Giuliani, and connect foreign policy issues with cultural ones.

This theme of reviving hope, certainty and optimism in the nation's future and it's victory against international terror will be a massive part of his messaging to voters, as opposed to the old, simple hot-button cultural issues that surrounded Huckabee's real 2008 campaign (which worked fairly well, to be fair), though they will certainly still be apart of the broader message. The (unofficial) Huckabee campaign believes that Republican voters feel a much deeper sense of purpose in this election; many believe that there is a moral, social fabric in the United States that is fading for a variety of reasons, both internationally and at home. Governor Huckabee will attempt to capture this feeling in the heart of voters, with almost no distinction brought between his social and foreign policy aims to alleviate America's woes.

As a former pastor born and raised in the poor, small town of Hope, Arkansas, Governor Huckabee has an exceptional story to tell growing up in poverty and miraculously becoming elected in Bill Clinton's Arkansas, as well as profound credentials to back up both his values and core beliefs. In doing so, he will try to build a reputation as the ever-present underdog, not aligning with the interests of "country-club Republicans" so to speak, and seek out rural, less wealthy, religious right Republicans as a core piece of his voter base. Mike Huckabee has said before that, "I'm a conservative, but I'm not mad at anyone," and this folksy, but friendly, attitude towards major social issues will be apart of his broader appeal to simpler-minded voters who don't want to hear politicians yell at them.

[BGBC]

DSC_1731.JPG by Chris Gales, on Flickr

Mike's Summer Schedule:

Month of June
June 1 - 6 (Arkansas)
Meet with close aides & advisers discussing exploring a Presidential run & viability
Court early endorsements & supporters, enter the national stage with a few media interviews
Visit memorial for President Bush, move the flags to half-staff and other conventions
Call with Arkansas GOP leaders to discuss the upcoming Presidential race & a successor figure
Other miscellaneous Governor duties

June 7 (Washington D.C)
Attend the funeral for President Bush
Deliver statement to the press commending the life of President Bush

June 8 - 12 (Nationwide)
Make the rounds with national media as pundits scatter to find potential Republican candidates
Visit major evangelical, religious figures to court endorsements, notably James Dobson
Hold strategy meetings with close aides & family, determine whether Governor Huckabee will run
Fly to early primary states to conduct initial staff hirings & ground-game work
Emphasize: Governor Huckabee's conservative credentials, religious upbringing

June 13 (Texas)
Photo-op at an oil & gas refinery, meet with natural gas workers
Briefly meet with Texas GOP leaders, discuss the upcoming Presidential race
Emphasize: energy independence and the need for self-sufficiency in the modern age

June 14 - 17 (Iowa)
Meet with Iowa's right-to-life chapter, courting their endorsement
Tour small-town church services, meeting & greeting with local church leadership & laymen
Travel to local diners, businesses, strip malls discussing broadly the state of the nation
Generally distinguish Governor Huckabee as an exceptionally conservative potential candidate
Lay down the groundwork for campaign infrastructure in Iowa
Emphasize: conservative cultural and religious values, as well as the state of the war

June 18 - 24 (Arkansas)
Court the endorsement of Fmr. Senator Tim Hutchinson
File for a campaign exploratory committee, appear on MTP in response
Miscellaneous Governor duties

June 25 - 28 (South Carolina)
Conduct interviews with some local newspaper chains
Meet with Senator Jim DeMint to solicit an endorsement, emphasizing shared social values
Oversee early staff hirings for the campaign in South Carolina, work on ground-game
Appear at a local shooting range for a photo-op, emphasizing upbringing with guns

June 29 (Michigan)
Round-table discussion with local factory workers, emphasizing domestic self-sufficiency
Declare support for both rounds of Bush tax cuts to make American industry viable
Meet with the state's local right-to-life chapter, speak on the need for the Republicans to be pro-life
Emphasize: Governor Huckabee's economic record, beliefs on life & marriage

June 30 - 31 (Iowa)
Join an Iowa GOP fundraising event, talk to party leaders
Round-table discussion with a local agriculture interest group, emphasize the need for govt to "get out the way"
Meet with Senator Chuck Grassley and speak on how the Republican Party can nominate a authentic conservative

Month of July
July 1 (Arkansas)
Officially launch the campaign in Hope, AR
Meet with Arkansas GOP figures to confirm support
Conduct major staff hirings of nationwide campaign

July 2-3 (Nationwide)
Attend an assortment of national media interviews, confirming Presidential run
Emphasize the message built in the announcement speech as "core campaign philosophy"
Again, court the endorsements of major national televangelists in campaign calls, especially James Dobson
Establish the campaign as a sort of underdog or dark horse, appealing to particularly disaffected voters

July 4 (Arkansas)
Attend 4th of July celebrations at home, host campaign BBQ
Miscellaneous Governor duties

July 5 - 10 (Iowa)
Announce the 'Faith, Family, Freedom' qna town hall tour, emphasizing the values the nation was built on
Travel across the state to introduce Governor Huckabee to voters as an exceptional conservative
Round-table discussion with national security officials to determine the campaign's policies to keep Americans safe
Pursue the endorsement of Senator Chuck Grassley
Launch the campaign's Iowa headquarters
Emphasize: counterterrorism, the sanctity of life & marriage, protecting the military

Excerpt
"As someone who entered politics thanks to my church ministry, this issue is less about giving lip-service to social issues & family values as many politicians do. It's about personal faith and conviction. We know that when America's moral fabric is strong, people are built into strong families with the opportunity to achieve their God-given right to the pursuit of happiness. Moral societies are stronger alleviators of poverty than any government program could ever hope to achieve. As conservatives, if we are to truly earn the vote of blue-collar America, we must unwaveringly defend these values of faith, family and freedom."

July 11 (New York)
Deliver policy speech to the Rockefeller Centre on counter-terrorism

Excerpt
For millions of Americans, the most stressful 4 hours of their life were those on 9/11. Three thousand innocent Americans were killed brutally by terrorists and radicals attempting to subvert our nation and our democracy. We need a leader who will revive hope, certainty and optimism in the war against international terror; this is my plan.
1.) 10 year extension, and renewal of the Patriot Act's key provisions on roving wiretaps, searches of business records and individual surveillance.
2.) Aggressive targeting of Al-Qaeda leadership including a renewed focus to capture, or kill Osama Bin Laden.
3.) Increased support and funding for the AFT and FBI to carry out border security operations.
4.) Reform of Transport Security Administration, and funding for millimeter wave scanning.
5.) A renewed focus on the threat of WMD falling into the hands of terrorist organizations.

July 12 - 15 (South Carolina)
Continue the 'Faith, Family, Freedom' qna town hall tour across South Carolina
Tour small-town church services, meeting & greeting with local church leadership & laymen
Visit a local military base to meet active service-members and officers to discuss national security
Hold 'Veterans of Foreign Wars' town hall to discuss supporting past and current military service-members
Launch the campaign's South Carolina headquarters
Emphasize: flag desecration amendment, patriotism as a virtue, support for vets

July 16 - 25 (Arkansas)
Court the endorsement of Fmr. Senator Tim Hutchinson
Attend an interview with FOX's Sean Hannity
Miscellaneous Governor duties

July 26 - 31 (New Hampshire)
Continue the 'Faith, Family, Freedom' qna town hall tour across New Hampshire
Oversee early staff hirings for the campaign in New Hampshire, work on ground-game
Appear at a local shooting range for a photo-op, emphasizing upbringing with guns
Conduct a number of interviews with local newspaper chains
Launch the campaign's New Hampshire headquarters
Emphasize: 2nd amendment, family values, tough on terrorism

Excerpt
"Few public policy debates have been as dominated by emotion and misinformation as the one on gun control. Perhaps this debate is so highly charged because it involves such fundamental issues. The calls for more gun restrictions or for bans on some or all guns are calls for significant change in our social and constitutional systems. Gun control is based on the faulty notion that ordinary American citizens are too clumsy and ill-tempered to be trusted with weapons. Only through the blatant abrogation of explicit constitutional rights is gun control even possible. It must be enforced with such violations of individual rights as intrusive search and seizure."

Month of August
August 1 - 5 (Michigan)
Continue the 'Faith, Family, Freedom' qna town hall tour across Michigan
Join a Michigan GOP fundraising event, talk to party leaders
Round-table discussion with small town folks over policy to revive middle America
Hold a campaign meeting with the leadership of Gun Owners of America, soliciting an endorsement
Emphasize: standing up for little America, the sanctity of life & marriage

August 6 - 11 (Missouri)
Tour small-town church services, meeting & greeting with local church leadership & laymen
Travel to local diners, businesses, strip malls discussing broadly the state of the nation
Deliver a speech to a group of social conservatives on the sanctity of marriage and it's importance
Meet with the state's local right-to-life chapter to solicit an endorsement

Excerpt
"Not only is the sanctity of marriage a basic fundamental of society, it is rooted in the principles of faith that we founded our nation upon in 1776 that our rights are endowed by God, not government, and ultimately, it is faith, all faiths, that declares marriage as one man and one woman. This is not about discrimination. It's about one of the most fundamental building blocks of American society. It's about ensuring every child is born into a loving family with a mother and father. It's about reversing the moral decay our society has witnessed over the past few decades. History has taught us that the commitment of a husband and a wife to love and to serve one another promotes the general welfare of children and the stability of society. Marriage cannot be cut off from it's cultural, religious and natural roots without weakening this good influence on society. Defining marriage as it's natural definition serves the interest of every American citizen, regardless of race, class, sex or nationality."

August 12 - 17 (South Carolina)
Continue the 'Faith, Family, Freedom' qna town hall tour across South Carolina
Pledge to nominate a strong, conservative Justice in place of William Rehnquist or any other vacancies
Meet with Senator Jim DeMint and discuss collaboration to introduce a Defense of Marriage Amendment
Travel to local diners, businesses, strip malls discussing broadly the state of the nation
Emphasize: sanctity of marriage, activist court and originalism

August 17 - 25 (Nationwide)
Defend the proposed Marriage Defense Amendment on MTP
Seek the endorsement of major televangelicals in campaign meetings

Excerpt
"American citizens seem to understand instinctively what's at stake here. Marriage has meant one man and one woman in every successful nation on Earth since the beginning of mankind. Marriage is about propagating not just the human race, but also the values of a society, the difference between right and wrong. By promoting social order, it creates a safety zone for the man and woman involved as well as for their children. A raft of social science research shows that children who grow up in households where the mother and father are married have the best chance at a good life. They earn more, learn more, get in trouble less and have fewer problems with drugs, alcohol or abuse."

August 26 - 31 (Arkansas)
Court the endorsement of Fmr. Senator Tim Hutchinson
Miscellaneous Governor duties

[BGBC]

Mike Huckabee '04
Hope, in America.

DJW_0029 by drue wolfe, on Flickr

Mike Huckabee launches Presidential campaign: "We must reclaim our destiny."

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee formally launched his campaign in his hometown of Hope, AR surrounded by family & friends to a crowd of a couple hundred after previously expressing interest and filing an exploratory committee. This speech encapsulates the broader message being pushed by the campaign: that America has lost it's way and a new movement of conservative Americans deeply committed to the nation's moral fabric must make the United States the shining hill on the city once more.

"I am so honored, and humbled, to make this announcement in my hometown of Hope, Arkansas. It's a long way from a little brick rent house on 2nd street in Hope, AR to the White House. But here in this small town called Hope, I was raised to believe that where a person started didn't mean that's where he had to stop. It was here in Hope that I learned how to swim, how to ride a bike, how to read, how to work, and how to play fair. I learned the difference between right and wrong. I learned that God loves me as much as He loves anyone, but that He doesn't love some more than others.

I learned about America. In Miss Mary's Kindergarten and Brookwood Elementary School, I learned the pledge of allegiance, the Lord's Prayer, and Preamble to the Constitution. We prayed at the start of each day and before lunch. I learned how to handle a firearm and a fishing pole and spent many hours with both. I ran trotlines all night at Bois D' Arc Lake with my Dad and Grandfather to catch catfish that we'd freeze and live off of for weeks. It was here I was baptized in the Garrett Memorial Baptist Church after accepting Jesus in a Vacation Bible School when I was ten years old. I got my first BB gun at age five, a Daisy model 25 that I still have and that's in mint condition. I learned the basic rules of gun safety and all the other virtues of freedom that we celebrate in the United States of America.

Like a lot of Americans, I grew up in a small town far removed from the power, the money, and the influence that runs the country. There, people worked hard, lifted heavy things and sweated through their clothes grinding out a living, but today a lot of folks can't seem to get ahead or in some cases, even stay even. My Dad wasn't an "educated" man, but he was a smart man. He and my mother didn't have much materially, but they did have honesty, gumption and humility to their very bones, and they taught me the basic lesson of life that I was to do unto others as I would have others do unto me. These lessons, these fundamental values that distinguish right from wrong, are worth more to me than all the world's money.

I know I'm not the only person who feels this way when I say that, we've lost that, haven't we? We've lost those principles that built this nation, from a rebellious colony to the world's sole superpower: strong family values, a sense of community with one another, the plain virtues of patriotism, self-giving and faith, respect for our elders and military service-members, and self-realization, not through consumption of material goods, but with hard work, honesty and devotion to one another. An epidemic of despair and loneliness has swept across our nation and struck at the heart of our citizens, and so we cannot be surprised at the triumph of international terrorism; we have lost our way. Time and time again, at our hour of reckoning, Americans of all walks of life have risen up to the challenges that face us, to restore the principles this country was founded upon and to defeat tyrants, despots and radicals that have so often attempted to subvert our morals and strike fear into the heart of our people. We cannot - we will not - let them win.

It's a long way from a little brick house on the 2nd Street in Hope, Arkansas to the White House, but that's just part of the promise of America, isn't it? Any person, poor or rich, white or black, young or old, can become the President of the United States. But what's even greater than any person can, is that every person has the inalienable civic right to reclaim the destiny of our people and set the course for our nation. We need not be pessimistic about the future when we know in 1776 that the Founding Fathers gave us every tool for crises such as this, and we have an obligation to our fellow man & woman to use it; we must reclaim our destiny. As President Reagan remarked, in these enduring words, "freedom is never more than one generation from extinction," we must make certain the promises of hope and liberty that inspired a colony three centuries ago and preserved by our forefathers ever since.

I ask you to join me in that cause, to restore the nation's moral fabric, revive hope & certainty in the promise of our nation and defeat international terror. I'm Mike Huckabee, and I'm running for President of the United States.

I will be blunt: our nation is faced with some tremendous challenges. We need Washington to balance it's budget. We need to get tough on terrorism and win the war in Iraq. We need to restore the sanctity of America's most cherished values: marriage, life from conception, our flag and the military service-members that represent it. We need to break the stranglehold that big, coastal special interests have on Washington. We need to restore faith in our national security capabilities to protect innocent citizens from the vile attacks committed by radicals. God Bless President Bush for everything he's done to that end. We have an obligation as Americans to continue his fight against international Islamic terror, and that is what we shall do.

My credentials are evident: I won in and governed a state that had the most lopsided partisan makeup in the country, and certainly not for the Republicans. I challenged the deeply entrenched political machine that ran this state. It was tough sledding, but I learned a lesson about governance and leadership, and in that environment, we passed the first broad-based tax cut in the state's history, rebuilt our road system, saw dramatic increases in our student test scores, and fought the corruption of the good ol' boy system so working class people would be given a fair shake. In Washington, I'll take on the taxers and the spenders, the good ol' boy system, and the attacks on our military and service-members as they fight selflessly against terror.

My beliefs are consistent: anyone who knows me or worked with me throughout my tenure as Governor or career as a Pastor will tell you that my convictions are authentic. My faith is my life; it defines me. It gives me humility and wisdom, not to the faults of others, but to my own. It gives me strength in the face of injustice, to the unborn and to our fellow neighbor. I am a Christian and a conservative, and I will not waver on those fundamentals, but I am not mad at anybody. I believe that our nation was birthed in the spirit of faith, not a prescriptive one dictating how to believe or even that we have to, but a faith that holds there is indeed a Providence that pervades our world. These values I believe, not because of political expediency like so many other politicians do, but because of how I was raised in the church and my deep commitment to my faith. Too many politicians give lip service to these issues and never follow through, because they don’t truly care, but for me, it’s personal.

I will be clear: my story is not remarkable. I am just one of millions in this country who grew up in a small, simple town to, by all accounts, an ordinary family. I don't come from a wealthy household, but a working one; I grew up blue-collar and not blue-blood. I got my first job at KXAR Radio at age 14, and I met my wife of 29 years here in my hometown in my elementary school and started dating her in high school. But as ordinary as it all is, it does tell something remarkable about our country: people from all walks of life can take part in civil government and serve their fellow man and woman, whether it be as small as casting a single vote or as big as running for President. Unlike in other countries and the one we broke off from, the Framers believed that the common person, not royal aristocrats with a supposed "divine right to rule," should have the say in their government.

My friends, I ask you to join me in voicing that say. Join this fight for our country and it's destiny as we meet folks from all walks of life who believe in this creed too. It is a long road from here to the White House, but we will do the impossible as our great country so often has in it’s history. Thank you, Hope, and God bless!

[BGBC]

DSCF0005 by contento, on Flickr

Governor Huckabee kicks off 'Faith, Family, Freedom' tour in Iowa

With the recent news of Mike Huckabee's Presidential bid, the campaign understands that his early struggle will be in establishing name recognition and fundraising. That's why the Arkansas Governor is taking off his gloves, meeting with individual voters and building a ground-game in the early states to distinguish himself and his campaign message from the other candidates as being authentically conservative. Governor Huckabee wants to introduce himself personally to give voters the right idea of what he's about. Here's what he had to say in his kickoff QnA in Dubuque, IA:

"Listen, folks, in elections as big as these, money counts. If you don't want to talk to real people, real voters, you just call up a couple of big party donors and Wall Street friends, and they'll do all the talking for you in commercials and newspaper ads. I don't want to make it seem like I've tried and failed in the political business, I just don't have those connections (laughter)... but it's really a shame how entrenched the political machine in this country, that they've bought their way out of one-on-one conversations with their constituents. Politicians oughta be accountable to their voters' direct concerns. This election is really important for a number of reasons, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way. The Framers gave us a Republic, if we can keep it, and part of that framework was a civic responsibility for people like you and me to pass down the torch of liberty that has been preserved for three centuries. So often, our nation has been stared in the face, by despots, by dictators, by radicals, and our forefathers stood up to the challenge and defeated those enemies. This election is no different.

That's why this election is so important, to me and to you, and we need a President who can say it to our faces. For the next six days, I'm going to keep this simple. I'm going to be picking up a microphone, packing a bag and meeting with the folks of Iowa, from all walks of life. I'm going to diners, schools, gyms, union halls, civic centers and everywhere in between to tell it like it is. Politicians oughta do just that, because we deserve the basic decency to be told it to our face. We've lost our way; we've abandoned the values that turned this nation from a rebellious colony to the world's sole superpower. Washington is a mess, and there are so many voters who are really frightened, who have lost hope in our nation's future. I call this the 'Faith, Family, Freedom' tour because those are the values that really unite our people and represent what our nation has lost in it's soul: a sense of community and family with one another. But rest assured, when Americans come together to restore the promise of this country, there is no enemy we cannot defeat. We will defeat international terror."

Jim DeMint by Gage Skidmore, on Flickr
Huckabee NECN interview by Andrew Cline, on Flickr

Huckabee, DeMint to push Marriage Defense Amendment

With reports of private meetings between Governor Huckabee and Senator DeMint going back months, the media has speculated over what exactly the two have been deliberating over. Of course, the Presidential campaign has been posited the most, but now aides are confirming that DeMint is intending to propose a Marriage Defense Amendment to the Senate upon the Arkansas' Governor lobbying for it. Governor Huckabee has been a stern advocate of a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as one man and one woman along the campaign trail, here's what he had to say:

"Marriage is fundamentally between a man and a woman. That's how it's been defined since marriage was created; it's the most fundamental institution of civilization. Yet it's being redefined by out-of-touch politicians and activist judges. We've got to bring it to a stop, and one of the ways we can do that is putting it to a democratic vote. Thanks to the efforts of Senator DeMint and, soon, surely others, people can get the facts about where their elected representatives stand with the Marriage Defense Amendment. Let me give the viewers a little background: in 1993, a liberal state court in Hawaii threw out that state's laws for traditional marriage. Voters across the nation were appalled and lawmakers passed the Defense of Marriage Act, along with every other state in the union. Now we're hearing of a similar case in Massachusetts, where a liberal Supreme Court is likely to thwart the will of the people and throw out another traditional marriage law. If the Senate passes this Amendment, then we can once and for all find where our people stand on the issue and put it to rest. If they don't, then the people will know how their representatives truly feel about one of the cherished cornerstones of our society."

(approved by kaiserdave)

[BGBC]

DSC00233 by Mike Huckabee, on Flickr

Huckabee slams 'militant' opposition to 'traditional marriage'

At a town hall along his Faith, Family, Freedom tour in South Carolina, Governor Huckabee responded to calls from Democratic candidates to legalize same-sex marriage or civil unions, stating that it "truly demonstrates" the need for a "national conversation on a constitutional amendment for traditional Marriage." In it, he called on the Republican Party to unite around the proposed Marriage Amendment that he and Senator DeMint have been pushing in the Senate. An excerpt:

"I think Americans, and certainly I do as well, understand instinctively what's at stake here. In essentially every society for the past two millennia, marriage has been ordained as the sacred union between one man and one woman until a concerted effort from an out-of-touch special interest told us otherwise. We have a right to preserve the institutions we hold as sacred, without unelected judicial activists, celebrities and federal bureaucrats lecturing us about how wrong we are to hold the convictions that we do. Marriage is between a man and a woman, ordained by our Creator to propagate not only the human race, but the values of our society, the difference between right and wrong, and we will not waver on that. Government has the role of preserving, not fabricating, the rights endowed to us by our Creator, as it was written in our founding documents. And this isn't just one of those trivial issues we always hear politicians blowing out of proportion during election season: this is marriage for pete's sake, this is family, these are the building blocks of our society.

As I have traveled across Iowa, South Carolina and other states, I've heard a lot of Republicans, in fact Americans of all political affiliations, express that same perspective, which is why I am sorely disappointed in the response of some of my Republican competitors who just want to label this issue as culture war hocus pocus. They're wrong, and it's insulting to us who care about the genuine effort being made to redefine marriage. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've heard any of those candidates speak out against Democratic politicians calling for a federal redefining of marriage as much as they've talked about my supposed antics, and that is really telling. The push here is truly quite scary for a lot of American families and espousing Christians who believe very strongly in marriage's sanctity, and I want people to know that I won't waver on this issue like a lot of you won't. I am strongly in favor of this marriage amendment to put this issue into the hands of us, the people, and out of the courtroom of a zealous judicial activist who want to make a Constitutional right for just about everything the framers didn't intend."

IMG_4806 by Michael Bates, on Flickr

Governor Huckabee backs Iraq surge: "Defeat is not an option."

Mike Huckabee spoke to the press briefly after the President announced his intentions to put more focus and funding into the Iraq War to express his support for the move. An excerpt:

"When we commit to something as a nation, we can't just back out of it the next second. We cannot walk away from the present danger in Iraq, not just for the honor of our nation but for the honor of our military. I don't think defeat is an option here; we've set clear goals when we went into Iraq, and they must be met. The calls to place more pressure on this operation and provide more funding to the men and women who are serving our nation are well-guided, and I support it whole-heartedly. This whole attitude some candidates in the Democratic field have of, well, we've made some mistakes here and there, so let's just put the whole situation at the bottom of our priorities, is extremely misguided. Look, we can all have our own opinions about how the war in Iraq has been conducted, and believe me I sure do, but at the end of the day, we are one nation; we cannot turn our back on the servicemembers that are putting their life on the line fighting the terrorist insurgency and who toppled the brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, which is what ignoring their needs would do. This is the United States of America for what it's worth; why are we even considering conceding to terrorist insurgents and demoralizing the military for a generation? To win this war, and to win it with the respect and honor that our military deserves, we must give them the resources necessary to complete our goals. President Cheney's plan accomplishes that, I'm happy to see it."

[BGBC]

Mike Huckabee '04
Hope, in America.

Fall Schedule
September 1-7: Faith, Family, Freedom tour, Iowa
September 8-10: Travel to North and South Carolina, aid in Hurricane relief efforts
September 11: Cease campaigning for 9/11 observance.
September 12: Deliver counter-terrorism speech in New Hamsphire
September 13-16: Hold 5 town hall events in Faith, Family, Freedom tour, New Hampshire
September 17-18: 'Meet and Greet' events with evangelicals across Iowa
September 19: Rally with James Dobson in Cedar Rapids, IA
September 20-22: Consult Iowa's right-to-life and agriculture advocacy groups for endorsements
September 23: Round-table discussion with local Christian leaders on Marriage Amendment
September 24-27: Appear on major news outlets for national interviews on Marriage Amendment, Iraq surge
September 28-31: Hold QnA events in South Carolina on abortion, faith credentials

October 1-2: Solicit endorsements from Senator Jim DeMint and South Carolina's right-to-life chapter
October 3: Campaign rally in Charleston over foreign policy, flag desecration, national reverence
October 4-7: Meet with national strategists to discuss the campaign's newfound momentum
October 8-12: Five town halls with Janet Huckabee over marriage, Iowa
October 13: Photo-op and meet-and-greet with local farmer groups
October 14-16: Hold meetings with Senator Chuck Grassley to solicit an endorsement
October 17-19: Travel to New Hampshire to host 4 QnA Foreign Policy town-halls over Iraq surge
October 20: Rally with televangelists endorsees in Des Moines, defend abortion, marriage stances
October 21-24: Conduct interviews with local Iowa newspapers over the proposed Marriage Amendment
October 25: Hold campaign rally in Greenville over fiscal responsibility
October 26-31: Continue Faith, Family, Freedom tour, South Carolina

Gov. Mike Huckabee by AmericanSolutions, on Flickr

The Hucka-Surge Strategy

With recent news of Governor Huckabee's campaign picking up among conservatives and gaining the attention of national press, he will attempt to move his campaign into a new phase designed to capitalize on that momentum and win over a strong base of the Republican Party that leans more conservative socially. In particular, the Marriage Amendment has allowed Huckabee's campaign to distinguish his name from a field of candidates that lean more liberal on an issue that the Republican rank-and-file is overwhelmingly for. Governor Huckabee intends to emphasize not only their opposition, but the call from the Democratic Party at-large to legalize same-sex marriage, which the Republican base is overwhelmingly in opposition towards. In doing this, campaign will attempt to capture the feeling of a conservative electorate ignored by the political class of their party. Much of his campaign's schedule emulates this focus towards getting out that message broadly, so while he is in the national spotlight, he will attempt to speak on the issues that a large portion of the Republican electorate care more deeply about (abortion, national reverence, 2nd amendment, local education) than the typical "moderate issues," so to speak.

Though a national support base is critical, to be sure, the Huckabee campaign understands that the real work is on the ground-game. The Faith, Family, Freedom tour emphasizes this; the campaign is attempting to win over voters at the base level with their candidate's charisma and charm. The goal is, as well, to present Mike Huckabee as sort-of an underdog dark horse candidate that people can feel a sense of solidarity with. Demographics to be especially targeted are rural, socially conservative, religious or lower-income Republican voters. As for foreign policy, Mike has aimed since day one of his campaign to connect the Iraq war to the broader social issues involving reverence to the military and to the nation. Governor Huckabee does not mince words in his support for the Iraq surge; the strategy is, as he relays it to the voter base, to accomplish our goals 'overwhelmingly' and do it with as much support as is both possible and to the extent it aids those endeavors. This ties into the broader message of conservative patriotism that the campaign is trying to distinguish itself with.

[BGBC]

13668_2214.JPG by Saint Anselm College, on Flickr

Mike's Debate Answers

Opening Statement:
"Thank you so much, Joe, you know it really is an honor to be up here tonight. Never in a million years would I have imagined going from growing up in that poor, small town of Hope, Arkansas to debating in such a prestigious library and running for President of the United States, but that really is the beauty of our nation, isn't it? I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way when I say we've lost some of that, we've lost some of what makes the United States so unique and exceptional. President Reagan once said that "freedom is never one generation from extinction," and the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Our Republic is structured so that people from all walks of life can have a part in preserving the principles, the traditions, the heritage and the faith of our nation. I'm running for President because I believe so many Americans feel that our social fabric has been unwinded, and it is my civic duty, as any good American, to help rebuild that sense of community, patriotism and devotion to our fellow countrymen in this great nation. God bless."

"Gentlemen. It has been a scary three years for most Americans. Terrorists attacked us on 9/11, shocking the nation and leading us into a global war on terrorism. Only a few months ago, the President of the United States suddenly died. Americans want to know more than anything, how will you keep them safe, and what makes you the candidate best prepared to do so?"

"As I've traveled across this great nation, I've met so many people that really do feel our nation is at a crossroads, and they fear for the future of this nation and it's ability to combat international terror. I know for many Americans the most stressful 4 hours of their life were those on 9/11. Three thousand innocent Americans were killed brutally by jihadist terrorists and radicals attempting to subvert our nation and our democracy. Growing up in a deeply religious background and being an ordained minister, my religious convictions teach me strongly about the intrinsic worth and the sanctity of human life; there is no-one who will treat these issues with deeper regard than me.

Counter-terrorism has been one of the major focuses of my campaign for that reason. As President, I would renew our focus on capturing, or killing, Al-Qaeda leadership and Osama bin Laden and tell jihadists that hell will freeze over before they obtain a weapon of mass destruction. At home, I'd increase support for millimeter wave screening with the TSA and expand support for the AFT and FBI in carrying out border security operations. I believe as long as we remember who we are, what our values stand for and the heritage we share, there is no tyrant nor jihadist that we cannot defeat as a nation. Our reverence for life is what makes the United States so special, and it is our commitment to it that makes us so resilient."

"We have around 150,000 soldiers stationed in Iraq. Combat with Ba'athist forces is ending, but an insurgency is developing, especially in the Sunni Triangle, where groups like Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna are thriving. What will you do to bring the situation in Iraq under control, and establish a functioning democracy? When can we expect our soldiers to return home if you are President?"

"I don't know of any American that I've met along the campaign trail that wants the Iraq War to last one more day than is necessary. But we must make sure that before we send the men and women in the military home, they're able to accomplish the mission that they're trained, ready, capable and willing to do. It's very dangerous to consider, just because some mistakes have been made along the way, that we've gotta pull out now, because war is about will and he who gives up loses. We wouldn't just lose everything we've built in Iraq, we would lose the morale of our military for a generation; the damage that would be done to our reputation, our ability to respond to future conflicts and the men and women who have made so much sacrifice is beyond calculation. It's utterly inconceivable to me the idea of withdrawing before we've achieved our goal in Iraq.

So, if we want to win, accomplish our goals and still get out when we can, we can't continue this whole one foot in, one foot out approach. We need all hands on deck. I am wholeheartedly in support of the Iraq surge because the men and women there need the resources to get the job done. I believe the next President needs to listen extensively to what our generals and commanders are saying about the needs and demands of our military in Iraq, because these are the people that actually have a life-or-death stake in it and are on the frontline really risking their lives for their fellow servicemembers."

"Do you believe in the theory of evolution?"

"To me, it's pretty simple: you either believe God really created the heavens and the earth deliberately or that it was an accident and it just happened all on it's own. Let me be clear, I believe in every word of Genesis, I believe God actively played a role in the creation process. Now I'm running to be President of the United States, not a Sunday School teacher, and you can take it as you will, but I will never waver on my fundamental beliefs in God's magnificent creation. So the answer is no."

"To Governor Huckabee: You've made a name for yourself as among the most pro-life candidates in the race. What is your thinking when it comes to the issue of abortion?"

"A lot of us spoke earlier about the intrinsic moral value of those men and women who have been killed in vicious jihadist attacks, in one way or another, and I think this issue is no different. Even though we can't place ourselves in those people's situations, we know instinctively that there is something wrong with the killing of other people. As I explained earlier I had a strong religious upbringing that really imprinted on me those values, and I think that's why the issue of life is so central to my politics as a whole. The God-given right to our own life precedes all others. I think we really need to have a Human Life Amendment like what I passed in Arkansas, Amendment 65; it says life begins at conception and that we ought to do everything in the world to protect it until it's natural conclusion. That belief of intrinsic human worth is entrenched in our founding documents, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that's why, as a party and as a nation, we need to be serious about restoring our nation's moral attitude towards all life."

[BGBC]

Ad #1: We believe.

DSC_1763.JPG by Chris Gales, on Flickr

- ad opens to various clips of Mike Huckabee talking to crowds of people in town hall formats -

"Faith doesn't just guide me, it really defines me."

Authentic Values, Principled Leader.

"We cannot ever sacrifice that for anyone's politics, not now, not ever."

Pro-Life. Pro-Family. Pro-Traditional Marriage.

"I believe that life begins at conception and that it has intrinsic God-given value."

Proven Conservative Governor.

"We believe in some things, we stand by those things, we live or die by those things. When we, as a nation, stand by our principles, there is no tyrant, despot nor terrorist that can overcome it."

Family. Life. Liberty.

Voiceover: "I'm Mike Huckabee, and I approve this message."

Aired in IA, SC, NH, WI