Huckabee rocks Leno, praises Obama and McCain
GOP prez contender Mike Huckabee appeared just after 11:30 p.m. on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno, cracking a few jokes that earned a few legitimate crowd laughs and playing a little bass with the band.
All of it helps highlight why he's outplaying his chief Iowa rival, Mitt Romney, whose tightly run and serious campaign has been somewhat Huckabee-obsessed.
Romney's campaign has blasted everything from Huckabee's apparently soft immigration stances to his pardoning of convicted murderers as Arkansas Gov. to his sense of humor, saying in emails that Huckabee's policy positions are "no laughing matter." Earlier in the day, Romney seemed to criticize Huckabee for appearing on the Leno show and being "more concerned about the caucus in Los Angeles."
Want some ice with that Hater-ade?
Turns out, there's plenty ice on the ground in Iowa. There are televisions, too. And the more of the former means that Iowans probably watch more of the latter (especially after the Fiesta Bowl shootout seemed well decided). So score one for Huckabee in Iowa's caucus bowl.
Huckabee earned a laugh early when Leno asked the Republican if he could play with the band. "No, but I'd like to," Huckabee said.
He went out of his way to praise Democratic prez candidate Barack Obama for his middle-ground style and GOP contender John McCain as a "hero." He didn't say much about Romney, but noted how the former Mass. Gov. has spent considerable time "hammering" him.
He also noted that Romney has outspent him "20 to 1" in Iowa, then later estimated Romney's spending at $8 or $9 million to his $400,000.
But while the multi-millionaire Romney has spent some of his own fortune on the campaign without even putting it on his credit card, there are somethings money can't buy -- a real sense of humor and real laughs on the Late Show.
That can be priceless in a campaign.
Don't forget that Huckabee crossed the WGA picket line to make that Leno appearance.
Posted by: Mike | January 03, 2008 at 09:46 AM
Huckabee - he is no Ronald Reagan! Read this article for the facts.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZDIzMTM5MDExNDJjYzY2NDY5YzhmNDY2MTJkN2Q2OGU=
Posted by: Proud Floridian | January 03, 2008 at 10:36 AM