Video: Huckabee defends “bunker mentality” line; Update: Huck hints that he’ll pardon Ramos and Compean
posted at 5:12 pm on December 22, 2007 by Allahpundit
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None of this hurts him, however much righty blog readers may wish it were so. He’s running on domestic policy in the primary, which makes his task on foreign policy simple: Sound hawkish enough not to spook the religious conservatives you’re counting on to get you the nomination and dovish enough to impress the independents you’ll need to win in the general. Hence his criticism of Bush offset by warnings about the evil of the Iranian regime.
Still no word on whether he did in fact write the “bunker mentality” line himself, but he supports it strongly enough to defend it here to CNN — after admitting he’s not sure he’d write it the same way if he had it to do over again. Your exit question: Where does he find the stones to lecture us about taking unpopular stands when he reversed himself on Gitmo precisely because it’s unpopular with the vaunted international community? Click the image to watch.
Update: Anyone who didn’t know this was coming had only to look at his immigration plan, which, as I noted at the time, went suspiciously out of its way to make “support” for immigration law enforcement a core plank of his policy. That was his way of pandering to the base by suggesting that he’d pardon Ramos and Compean, an easy way for a guy whose record on this issue is spotty to buy immigration cred. In case you didn’t get the message, here it is again, loud and clear:
At the Iowa event, Huckabee began by saying, “It’s interesting you bring up that case.
“You may be aware that I’ve been criticized rather roundly on commutations,” he continued, according to Lin.
“Some people running for president bragged they would never give one. Well, let me tell you, you look at people like these border agents who are doing their job, protecting their border, they get in prison for it? They’re going to be spending Christmas Day in prison for that?
“It’s absurd. And of course I would review their case, and from what I can tell … by Christmas of 2009, they wouldn’t be there — in fact, hopefully by Valentine’s 2009, if not sooner, they would be back home with their families.”
Update (Bryan): Huck said the same thing regarding Ramos and Compean when he appeared on the Laura Ingraham Show back on Dec 13, so it’s not a new line. During that same interview he ducked Laura’s direct questions about matricula consular cards.
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It’s easy for a guy convinced of his own piety.
P. James Moriarty on December 22, 2007 at 5:17 PM
“He’s running on domestic policy in the primary…”
Because he has no other option. He’s a Democrat.
Connie on December 22, 2007 at 5:21 PM
By the end of the tape I thought we were listening to Silky…Poverty, health care, the environment. I noticed to that he offered a direct response to Mitt’s critisim but to Fred’s. Just an acknowledgment that Iran was bad.
All in all rating…….zzzzzzzzzzz
Limerick on December 22, 2007 at 5:24 PM
-ooops- but ‘not’ to-
Limerick on December 22, 2007 at 5:25 PM
He bailed on the SCHIP veto also because it was unpopular. Sans stones I say.
Spirit of 1776 on December 22, 2007 at 5:27 PM
so he says he didn’t write it in order to avoid criticism from having it in the article, and then he defends it.
i’m startin to have my doubts about the brain power of the people of arkansas to elect this guy for 10.5 years and Clinton, too.
its vintage duh on December 22, 2007 at 5:31 PM
If he ran on his knowledge and stance foreign policy, he’d be laughed out of the room. But even his domestic policy stinks.
amerpundit on December 22, 2007 at 5:39 PM
I like FT’s what you see is what you get, take it or leave it mentality. When is Huck taking his ball (christian conservatives) and going home already?
sonnyspats1 on December 22, 2007 at 5:50 PM
I’m not a Huckabee supporter and he’ll never win the nomination. But I don’t understand what this means. Because I disagree with his political stance has nothing to do with whether or not he’s a Christian.
I assume you are suggesting that unless a priest TELLS YOU that you are a Christian, you aren’t really? Are you saying that, you can’t possibly be convinced that you are a Christian based on what you believe and what the Bible says unless you have ’stones’?
The whole Blair converts to Catholicism story speaks volumes. What did he convert to/from? He ‘converted’ to Christianity from Christianity? If a Methodist began going to a Baptist church, it wouldn’t be characterized as ‘converting’ because they were already Christian.
All you Catholic apologists, please explain whether or not the Catholic Church considers non-Catholics to be Christians again? Or do we all need to be ‘converted’?
ThackerAgency on December 22, 2007 at 5:59 PM
I do not want to see this man as our candidate!!!!! He is my least favorite next to Ron Paul. Yikes!!!!!
Winebabe on December 22, 2007 at 6:02 PM
Geez dude, relax. What I’m saying is that this guy seems to think that because he’s accepted Christ that he can do anything in the cause, his personal cause, with no harm to his conscience or soul. I’m not saying that everyone thinks or feels the same way about their faith, making comment about religion in general or anything else. To be perfectly blunt about it, I’m bashing Huck and Huck alone by insinuating that he thinks himself incapable of commiting sin or justified in commiting sin because he thinks himself pure.
P. James Moriarty on December 22, 2007 at 6:09 PM
Ref Ramos and Compean:
There it is again… ‘Sure I’ll pardon them’ and while I, like many others hope they are released, this sure seems like a quick and pandering call. I liked Fred’s answer to the exact same question yesterday. He stated that as a lawyer he is aware of the allegations of wrongdoings in the prosecution but would have to review it with the justice department before he could make any kind of decision. Then added…’if stomping (the prosecutor) is required then that is what I will do’. Straight up….I’m not going to jump to conclusions and just say something that is popular, I want it all looked into carefully, then I’ll act appropriately.
Audio Fred in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Limerick on December 22, 2007 at 6:15 PM
He still has ink left in his pardon pen?
PirateParrot on December 22, 2007 at 6:50 PM
Re: Ramos and Compean
The pardon is overdue - what say you, GWB?
USCitizen on December 22, 2007 at 7:01 PM
Huh? We Christian conservatives are not ABOUT to go home any time soon, friend. We (myself included) provide sons and daughters to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan at a rate that is likely above the national average.
Don’t even suggest that it’s okay for my son to dodge bullets for you but then I should “go home” when it is time to pick a new presidential nominee.
And, by the way, I am NOT a Mike Huckabee supporter. I would prefer Duncan, McCain, or Thompson. There are MANY Christian conservatives who are not backing Huckabee.
Come on, man!
sanantonian on December 22, 2007 at 7:22 PM
That quote alone should garner Fred a LOT of votes.
sanantonian on December 22, 2007 at 7:24 PM
Good post. President Bush IS showing a “bunker mentality” on this issue, in my view!
He keeps hiding behind the “there is a ‘process’ we follow for pardons” line (through his spokesmen, that is), but, guess what? That process was never followed for Scooter Libby.
sanantonian on December 22, 2007 at 7:29 PM
My understanding is that there is a commission that issues clemencies and the Governor of Arkansas approves the recommendations or not. That the Governor of Arkansas can’t in and of himself pardon anyone.
bnelson44 on December 22, 2007 at 7:38 PM
Doesn’t mean he has to sign off on the majority of them.
P. James Moriarty on December 22, 2007 at 7:43 PM
Did he?
How many is majority of them?
How many people apply and are turned down?
bnelson44 on December 22, 2007 at 7:49 PM
There is one real good question to ask.
How come the other side doesn’t have Republicans running as faux liberals?
Where’s the Democrat advocating smaller government, lower taxes and immigration enforcement? To pander to the base maybe they could have a vid of where they kick over a naivety scene or maybe they get a Hugo endorsement.
Maybe they just need to take a stand and denounce abortion.
How come we’re the only ones that have to play whackamo? Why should we have all the fun?
We shouldn’t have to be the only gamers in town to be embarrassed by their own playas.
Speakup on December 22, 2007 at 7:54 PM
I think the guy is dumber tnan a box of rocks. A Rick Warren puppetbot.
Griz on December 22, 2007 at 8:04 PM
bnelson44 on December 22, 2007 at 7:49 PM
Pardon me for being too short in my answer, it is way too condusive to misunderstanding. By “them” I mean the pardons he put his name to. If you want to go by raw numbers, they were posted on HA here. Yes by raw numbers is was not a “majority”, but it is still, as the articles have stated, more than the neiboring six states combined. Way too many for a candidate who toutes himself as conservative.
P. James Moriarty on December 22, 2007 at 8:09 PM
Thanks for the link. It would be interesting to know what the commission’s recommendations were on these. And on the commutations what those actually were. If someone has a sentance commuted from 350 years to 150 years it isn’t much more than a paperwork commutation.
And being a conservative doesn’t mean you throw your compassion out the window.
bnelson44 on December 22, 2007 at 8:15 PM
We’ve had seven years of “compasionate conservatism” on a national level and what’s it gotten us? Going to war with our hands tied behind our backs? Fiscal restraint? Strong border enforcement and an end to contempt for our immigration laws? I think I’ll pass on “compasionate conservatism” this time around.
P. James Moriarty on December 22, 2007 at 8:26 PM
Fred WILL pardon Ramos and Compean
We report—you decide
Bicyea on December 23, 2007 at 7:22 AM
Actually Fred isn’t sure if he would or not. He did say he believes they need their sentences commuted at least.
Gianni on December 23, 2007 at 1:26 PM