Huckabee: “It’s a good time for us.”

"A lot of people are wringing their hands and acting like it's the end of the world. I see things quite differently. I think there's a lot of excitement. People are reminded that when we stand for something, we win. It's when we get mushy and squishy — that's when we lose and people are beginning to realize that." — Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in June 10, 2009 interview with Radio Iowa.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee just called into the Radio Iowa newsroom and talked with me for a few moments.  Huckabee, as you likely know, was the Republican victor in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses and he's making two appearances in northwest Iowa this afternoon.  The first, a keynote address to the Iowa Association of Business and Industry convention in Okoboji; the second, an appearance at a fundraiser for likely 2010 gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats.

About framing the debate among Republicans: "One of the things that I want to do is make sure that there is a clarity of conservative principles. I was just stunned when I saw many people who pretended to be conservative who went out there and supported everything from the TARP bill to the bailouts. There's nothing conservative about that.  It's absurd to think that the government should get involved in picking the winners and losers in the marketplace and micromanage major companies.  I think it's a time for there to be some real clarity developed in what it means to be a conservative and what it means to be a Republican…I think it's a good time for us. A lot of people are wringing their hands and acting like it's the end of the world. I see things quite differently. I think there's a lot of excitement. People are reminded that when we stand for something, we win. It's when we get mushy and squishy — that's when we lose and people are beginning to realize that."

Obama's caucus organization remains largely intact.  What is the status of Huckabee's caucus organization in Iowa? "We really don't have any formal organization at this point, but anything I can do to help Bob Vander Plaats in his race for governor I'm going to do and I think we'll certainly see many of the people who helped us get back into the fray for him, and I'm certainly hoping for that." 

Huckabee cites his website, which is a "community for us" and allows him to remain in contact with '08 supporters.  "Our HuckPAC organization is primarily designed to create a grassroots organization from the precinct level up. We've got coordinators in all 50 states and the primary goal there is to help people in this next election cycle who are running for governor, for congress, for the U.S. senate (and), of course, we're involved in New Jersey and Virginia this year with those elections going on."