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Huckabee: Rs more interested in defeating Obama than in rebuilding USA (audio)

January 3, 2012 By

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, victor in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses, called into the Radio Iowa newsroom this morning for a chat.  I’ll be posted snippets over the next few hours.  Here’s the first question and response to get things started:

Henderson: “What are your thoughts on the 2012 race that you decided not to enter? And you live in Florida, where this race ultimately may be decided. Are you going to remain a celebrity observer, I guess I’ll use that phrase, or will you wind up endorsing somebody before the Florida primary?”

Huckabee: “I don’t intend to endorse anyone before the Florida primary and perhaps not even after, until we settle on a nominee because I want to maintain a level of objectivity. Quite frankly, Kay if I walked in the booth today I’m not sure who I’d pull the lever for. Nobody has so persuaded me that I’m ready to get a yard sign and put out in my yard, so I’m watching and waiting to see, you know, which of these candidates come forth with what I would consider a broad and balanced message  and that shows the capacity to lead and not just campaign.

“One of the reasons that I was so frustrated and decided not to get in the race was because it appears to me, and it still does to a large degree, that many of the Republicans are more interested in just defeating Barack Obama than they are in rebuilding America. Well, defeating somebody without a plan to really resolve problems, to me, is a worthless endeavor.  You know, I want to see us really focus on how to get the country back to work. We’ve got 15, 16 million people that don’t have jobs that would like to have them. Let’s talk about that, not: ’Let’s spend our time talking about what’s wrong with one of the candidates we’re trying to defeat,’ and that’s unfortunately been the focus of this primary.” 

AUDIO of exchange above.

Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics Tagged With:

Iowa GOP to count votes for Cain, “other” as well as “no preference”

January 2, 2012 By

A couple of interesting bullet points to ponder from a “Caucus Procedure” memo from the Iowa GOP:

• We will be reporting the votes for Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, “No Preference,” and “Other.”
•“No Preference” votes include those who vote “present,” “no preference, “uncommitted,” or “none of the above.” 

In that “other” category would be lumped folks like Sarah Palin and Paul Ryan, both of whom have groups pushing a write-in campaign.

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Two primary questions about Caucus campaign developments

January 2, 2012 By

Ponder these thoughts on Caucus Eve:

  1. If Romney wins: How crucial was Romney’s decision not to participate in the 2011 Ames Straw Poll?  Consider that two of Romney’s lieutenants worked on the 1996 Iowa campaign of Lamar Alexander.  The 1995 Straw Poll saw eventual-1996-Iowa-Caucus-winner Bob Dole and Phil Gramm tie.  When Caucus time rolled around, Alexander was the “surge” candidate of the cycle, so it’s like Romney’s insiders have a good bit of the “oppo research” on the surge candidate in their personal memory bank.  In addition, these guys were around for Lamar 2000, which lasted until right after the Straw Poll, where Alexander failed to meet expectations — leading to his exit from the race.
  2. If Santorum wins: How key was Santorum’s decision to come to Iowa and campaign on the “Judge Bus” tour in 2010?  Santorum is the only GOP presidential candidate of this cycle who came to Iowa in the fall of 2010 to lend his voice to the campaign that led successfully got Iowans to vote three Iowa Supreme Court justices off the bench.  The architect of that campaign was one Chuck Laudner, who now is the architect of Santorum’s late surge here.  The groundwork for that Santorum/Laudner association was laid on that 2010 tour.

(A previous post incorrectly mentioned the 2007 Straw Poll rather than the 2011 Straw Poll. You knew what I meant.)

Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics

Bachmann sticks to her guns, says Paul lured Sorenson with cash (audio)

December 29, 2011 By

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann just held a news conference in Des Moines (in the parking lot of WHO Radio).  She is sticking with her story that state Senator Kent Sorenson was offered money by Ron Paul’s campaign to leave his role as chairman for Bachmann’s Iowa campaign and to join his effort quite publicly last night with an endorsement at a rally in Des Moines.

AUDIO of Bachmann’s news conference.  (The questions about the flap start at 8 minute mark.)

Bachmann said she had a conversation by phone with Sorenson on Tuesday. Here’s what Bachmann told reporters this morning:

“I had a conversation with Kent Sorenson and in the direct conversation that I had with him he told me that he was offered money. He was offered a lot of money by the Ron Paul campaign to go and associate with the Ron Paul campaign. No one else knows about that conversation other than Kent Sorenson and myself and I know what he said to me about that.

“…Clearly what that reflected was the nervousness on the part of the Ron Paul campaign that they were losing steam in Iowa, they were losing momentum in Iowa because Iowans’ eyes were opening up. They understood not only was Ron Paul dangerous when it came to foreign policy, but they’re understanding now that Ron Paul would be willing to legalize drugs in the United States, including heroin and cocaine. Iowans don’t want that. 

“…Yesterday I was with Kent Sorenson. He talked to a number of people on our campaign. He told a number of people on our campaign — there’s a list an arm long of people that he spoke to who said he apologized to me for considering leaving. He said that he would be staying. He was with me at our campaign stop in Indianola. He told all of our campaign that he was definitely on board and then he got in his car and he went and announced that he was going with the Ron Paul campaign, but he had told me specifically that he was offered money, a great deal of money by the Ron Paul campaign, and that’s why he was leaving.”

Several reporters asked, “How much money?” and Bachmann said: “I direct you to go to the Ron Paul campaign and talk to them.”

It’s unclear whether Wes Enos, Bachmann’s political director, is still with the campaign. Enos issued a statement last night, under Ron Paul campaign letterhead, saying Sorenson was not leaving for money. I asked Bachmann’s new Iowa campaign chair, state Senator Brad Zaun, as he got on the Bachmann bus is Enos was still on board the Bachmann campaign. “I don’t have a statement for the media,” Zaun said.

Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics Tagged With: ,

Gingrich gets polygamy question (AUDIO)

December 28, 2011 By

Newt Gingrich held one of those tele-town halls this evening, and a participant asked Gingrich if he would legalize polygamy if he’s elected.  Here’s the AUDIO of the brief exchange, which lasted less than a minute and a half.

The man started by saying he had been “happy to meet” Gingrich in person at the Iowa State Fair in August. Then the man – who described himself as a “Bible believing Christian” – launched into his question.

“Jesus very specifically states in the Bible that divorced people are really still married, which I think technically means now that you’re a polygamist and I’m wondering what you’ll do to legalize polygamy in U.S. if you were to be elected president,” he said.

Gingrich called it a “fairly unusual question” and then offered the following response: “Having a gone through annulment under the procedures of the Catholic Church, I don’t meet the standards you just described, but I appreciate the question. It’s certainly an unusual one and I can assure you that I believe marriage is between a man and a woman and that I would oppose any effort to legalize polygamy. But that’s certainly a creative question on your part and I look forward to the next question.”

Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics Tagged With:

Holy cow! Bachmann’s Iowa chair now supporting Ron Paul! (AUDIO)

December 28, 2011 By

The biggest news of the political day in Iowa just happened. State Senator Kent Sorenson, a Republican from Indianola, has served as Michele Bachmann’s Iowa campaign chair for nearly a year.  He is no longer serving in that role.  Sorenson just announced he is backing Ron Paul now.  (I’ll be back with the audio in a moment. Here’s the AUDIO of Sorenson’s brief remarks.) “When the Republican establishment is going to be coming after Ron Paul, I thought it is my duty to come to his aid,” Sorenson said, mentioning that Paul had campaigned on his (Sorenson’s) behalf for his state senate campaign.

Sorenson, as you may recall, is the person involved in the backstoryof Bob Vander Plaats’ endorsement of Rick Santorum.  Sorenson was said to have threatened to burn BVP in effigy for failing to endorse Bachmann.  The account came from Chuck Hurley, leader of The Iowa Family Policy Center:

“…I do regret that one erstwhile friend and culture warrior has threatened to, ‘Burn Bob’s body, drag it through the streets and hang it from a bridge,’ if Bob doesn’t endorse who that person wants him to endorse,” Hurley said. “Unfortunately, this individual claims to follow the ‘good book’ which says things like, ‘Let all anger, bitterness and malice be put away from you.’”

Hurley, as you may know, endorsed Santorum, too.

Soon after Ron Paul took the stage tonight, a couple of “Occupy Wall Street” protesters started yelling in the hall.

“Freedom of speech! Ain’t it wonderful,” Paul said.  “…We’re all upset and we want a change in Washington. As a matter of fact, that’s what our purpose is.”   The protesters were escorted out.

Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics Tagged With: ,

Time/CNN numbers out: Romney 25, Paul 22, Santorum 16

December 28, 2011 By

The latest polling data for Iowa is out this afternoon.  Read the numbers here (top three reflected in headline above).  It’s based on sampling BEFORE Christmas Eve in Iowa.

Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics Tagged With: , ,

Romney: we’re not going to kill Big Bird, but PBS will run on advertising $$

December 28, 2011 By

Mitt Romney used a question from someone in Clinton, Iowa, early this afternoon — a question about Iran’s threat to block the Strait of Hormuz, the major route out for Persian Gulf oil – to pivot and send a subtle message about Ron Paul’s views about a nuclear-armed Iran.

“I’m not going to tell you precisely what military actions are going to be taken under each circumstance because obviously there are a lot of factors at play, but I can tell you this…it’s unacceptable in my view for Iran to have a nuclear weapon and for those that say, ‘Well, but the Soviet Union had a nuclear weapon.’ The difference is we had mutually assured destruction and the Soviets were not suicidal. The Mullahs and the Ayatollahs are suicidal and they talk about wiping out other people on the planet.  There’s no question in my mind of the risk that fissile material would find its way into the hands of Hamas or Hezbollah or other terrorists would be enhanced enormously if Iran has a nuclear weapon and so I will pursue understanding the options we could take to prevent Iran from becoming nuclear…diplomatic options, economic options as well as military options.

“…I know there are some that think we should shrink our military and who think it’s just too big. The world isn’t safer. The world has not become safer in the past few years. It’s a more dangerous world and I want to maintain a strong military that is so superior that no one else in the world wants to test it.”

The crowd applauded. Romney spoke to a huge crowd at Homer’s Deli in Clinton. A man who identified himself as a “moderate Republican” asked Romney about cutting federal spending.

Romney’s reply stressed the message that’s being broadcast in one of his campaign ads, about the immorality of deficit spending. “I will not just slow down the rate of growth,” Romney said. “I will reduce federal spending. I’ll cut $500 billion a year by the fourth year and I’ve laid out how to do it…Stop certain programs. Stop them. Close them. Turn ‘em off, even some you like…My test is: is a program so critical that it’s worth borrowing money from China to pay for it?

“…I like PBS. We subsidize PBS. Look, I’m going to stop that. I’m going to say, ‘PBS is going to have to have advertisement.’ We’re not going to kill Big Bird, but Big Bird is going to have to have advertisements, all right?”

Some in the crowd laughed and a few applauded, but there was a much larger burst of applause when Romney vowed to get rid of “ObamaCare” on “day one” of a Romney presidency.

A few moments later, a man in the crowd praised Romney for signing legislation when he was governor of Massachusetts to raise the benefits for soldiers in the Massachusetts National Guard.  “I wish he’d been given a microphone so he could describe all that,” Romney said, laughing.  

“As a former recruiter, that’s a big deal. Thank you, governor,” the man said.

Romney closed after speaking & answering questions for about 24 minutes. “I thought when I was coming to a place called Clinton I might have some difficulty. At least you’re not called Obama,” Romney said, getting laughter from the crowd. 

Romney spent a good deal of time after his remarks shaking hands, signing autographs. One man told Romney: “You’ve got Gingrich on the ropes. I hate that guy. He’s a jerk.”  Romney didn’t respond and moved on to the next (potential) voter.

Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics Tagged With:

Former GOP candidate for governor Steve Sukup endorses Santorum

December 28, 2011 By

Steve Sukup (pronounced SOOK-up) and his brother, Charles, run a family business in north central Iowa that makes grain handling equipment, notably grain bins.  Steve Sukup served in the Iowa legislature and ran for governor in 2002, losing a tight primary race to nominee Doug Gross.  (Trivia: Tim Albrecht, Governor Branstad’s press secretary, was the communications guru for the Sukup campaign in 2002.)  In 2006, Sukup endorsed Bob Vander Plaats, another contestant in that 2002 primary race, before Vander Plaats dropped out and ran as Jim Nussle’s 2006 lieutenant governor running mate.

I saw Sukup in Waterloo (a long way from his home in Clear Lake) in August, as he was in the audience to hear Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann.  Sukup said at the time he thought the pair would make a good 2012 ticket for Republicans. Sukup is now thinking of another name for the top of the ticket, as you see in the news release below from Rick Santorum’s campaign.

Urbandale, IA – Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign has received the endorsement of influential Iowa businessman, conservative activist, and former legislator Steve Sukup.
 
Steve Sukup said: “My family has been in the manufacturing sector for decades and there is one candidate who understands the needs of businesses like my family’s.  Rick Santorum understands what it will take to rebuild the manufacturing sector, bring jobs back to areas like northern Iowa, and revitalize our economy.  I am proud to endorse Rick Santorum for President and I am excited to caucus for him this coming Tuesday.”
 
[Read more...]

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Perry no longer favors abortion ban exceptions for rape, incest (AUDIO)

December 27, 2011 By

Texas Governor Rick Perry was the first of four GOP candidates to speak tonight in a forum organized by PersonhoodUSA and moderated by Steve Deace, an Iowa-based, nationally-syndicated radio host.  Perry revealed he recently had a “fairly lengthy & heartfelt” conversation with a woman who was conceived in a rape.  

“She made a statement to me that was really profound and pierced my heart…All I can tell you was God was working on my heart,” Perry said of the conversation and his conversion.

Listen to the AUDIO of his remarks on this subject during tonight’s telephone town hall meeting.

Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics Tagged With:
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