Dropping oppo, part 4

The campaign of former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., has been on a tear against former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee lately — and with good reason as the Huckaboom has gone national and Fred has fizzled.

Here are two anti-Huck pieces of literature the Thompson campaign is sending Iowa caucus-goers.

The first goes after Huck on taxes.

"Why is Mike Huckabee Attacking Fred Thompson?" it asks. "Mike Huckabee wants to hide the fact that he and Bill Clinton share a D lifetime rating for their tax policies…"

The lit then goes on to detail the taxes raised while Huckabee was governor. "Mike Huckabee talks like a Republican but taxes like a Democrat," it concludes.

The tax details appear fairly accurate — there was a net tax increase in Arkansas while Huckabee was governor.

But the idea that Huckabee is the one attacking Thompson is laughable — Thompson has been going after Huck ever since the Huckaboom started a few weeks ago. Huckabee has barely even responded, except for a few one-liners.

Thompson Lit #1 — Honesty Grade – B-

The other lit deals with the hot-button subject of illegal immigration.

"HUCKEBEE UNIVERSITY," read the marble above an academic-type door. "Illegals welcome. U.S. Citizens need not apply."

"Mike Huckabee talks like a Republican but governs like a Democrat," it says. "As governor Mike Huckabee championed an effort in Arkansas to give in-state tuition at state colleges and taxpayer-funded scholarships to illegal immigrants. Huckabee also opposed legislation to require proof of citizenship in order to obtain public benefits and to vote."

That’s preposterous. Huckabee supported allowing the children of illegal immigrants to be eligible for a merit scholarship program used by citizens. It would have required them, if merit-selected, to apply for U.S. citizenship. It didn’t become law. And the program certainly never excluded U.S. citizens.

The other stuff is fairly on target, though it should be said that the point of the legislation Huckabee opposed had nothing to do with voting — Huckabee at the time said any illegal immigrant who attempts to vote should be arrested — but rather with public benefits such as health care.

In the same AP article Thompson cites, Huckabee said he thought the point of the legislation was to inflame passions against Latinos because it isn’t true that any of them receive welfare, food stamps and other public services. The sponsor of the bill begged to differ.

‘Anyone aware that they are should alert the attorney general’s office or the prosecutors office, because that’s fraud,’ Huckabee said.

Thompson Lit #2 — Honesty Grade – C-/D+

If you want to hear Huckabee defend his record on these two subjects — taxes and immigration — you should listen to our Huckabee Podcast HERE.

– jpt