Huckabee on Being In The Dark: ‘It’s Going to Happen Again’
EmailABC News’ Teddy Davis Reports: Republican Mike Huckabee blamed his staff and the hectic nature of running for president for being oblivious Tuesday of a major U.S. intelligence report on Iran which had been released about 24 hours earlier.
"It would have been nice had someone been able to first say, ‘here’s some things that are going on, that are taking place,’" said Huckabee. "That didn’t happen."
"It’s going to happen again," he added.
Huckabee’s comments, which the former Arkansas governor made to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room," were sharply criticized by a spokesman for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Huckabee’s top rival in Iowa.
"Campaigns keep you busy, there’s no doubt," Romney spokesman Kevin Madden told ABC News. "But, if Mike Huckabee is asking citizens to trust him to be commander-in-chief and leader of the free world, he is going to have to come up with a better excuse for why he doesn’t have an answer on one of the most pressing and urgent national security issues facing the world today."
Romney’s spokesman also took a shot at Huckabee’s well-known reputation for making himself available to reporters.
"Since he seems to have time for every media interview available," said Madden, "he ought to be able to find time for getting even a basic briefing on Iran."
Reporters learned that Huckabee was unaware of the National Intelligence Estimate when he was asked about it Tuesday in Des Moines, Iowa, at an on-the-record dinner with reporters.
The assessment by U.S. intelligence agencies, which was released Monday, concluded that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003. The report found that Iran is continuing to produce enriched uranium. But the intelligence community moved away from its 2005 judgment that Iran had an active secret arms program intended to transform the raw material into a nuclear weapon.
A transcript of Huckabee being unaware of the U.S. finding on Iran is reproduced below. He was asked about the N.I.E. by Politico’s David Paul Kuhn.
–Kuhn: "I don’t know to what extent you have been briefed or been able to take a look at the N.I.E. report that came out yesterday"
–Huckabee: "I’m sorry?"
–Kuhn: "The N.I.E. report, the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. Have you been briefed or been able to take a look at it –"
–Huckabee: "No."
–Kuhn: "Have you heard of the finding?"
–Huckabee: "No."
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First, ABC does an inaccurate report this morning with Brian Ross Throughout the program, the lower third read: “Huckabee’s Pardon: Rapist Struck Again After Release.” Gov. Huckabee didn’t pardon him – Governors can’t in Arkansas. The parole board were all Clinton & Tucker (D) appointees. ABC did not contact the Huckabee campaign for their side of this story.
Failing to be aware of the Iran intelligence estimate immediately can be a little understandable. I was with him this last weekend in New Hampshire. Saturday, It starts at 4:30 am with a run followed by 5 or 6 events with radio interviews being conducted on the phone in the car in between stops. Back at the hotel by 11pm (I’m sure phone calls to make), back up again Sunday morning with 2 speaking engagements in a row and rushed to a plane to Iowa. He flies commercial – no private charter jets like many opponents.
His rise this week to number 1 nationally has increased the press coverage immensely. Interviews one upon another. All this in the environment of a grassroots hectic campaign.
Multimillionaire Romney with his private jet and huge staff jumps all over him for this??? He can’t even keep the illegal aliens out of his yard.
ABC finds this newsworthy?
Posted by: Dale Fitzpatrick | December 5, 2007, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
Listen up folks…
Huckabee honestly admitted that he didn’t read it! GET OFF IT! This is MORE refreshing and POSITIVE than some joker who would try to fake it!
In business, I would rather have five of such top flight people working for me, than a hundred that I couldn’t trust!
Watch the Charlie Rose interview and you will see the real man! I’m not a republican any more, but I could vote for this person.
Posted by: Dave Z | December 5, 2007, 11:02 pm 11:02 pm
While Mr. Huckabee’s support of the FAIR TAX ACT of 2007 (H.R.-25) (S-1025), authored by The Americans for Fair Taxation, and first introduced to Congress in 1999 by Representative John Linder of Georgia, is admirable, he actually has no plans of any sort published addressing any other issues. He recognizes most of the major problems facing Americans on his website, and offers explanations as to what he did as Gov., but doesn’t lay out a plan of attack on the problems as president. His nuances used to speak of legislation don’t sound too presidential. For instance on education he mentions his plan called “weapons of mass instruction”, and cliche’s such as “we all know the cliche of thinking outside the box, I want our children to be so creative that they think outside the cardboard factory.” Sorry, just doesn’t sound presidential to me. I want to see plans like Mr. Obama, down to the changing of the light bulbs. His lack of not knowing what is happening with our world is certainly not presidential. My God, most of us have RSS feeds on our cell phones now in order to get instant notification of happenings. Not knowing of this Iran breaking news till 24 hours later,certainly shows a lack of planning and organization. We have had seven years of that. Mr. Huckabee seems to be a very nice person and certainly Christian, but nice is not high on the list of qualifications for President, nor is, not recognizing separation of Church and State.
Posted by: gc | December 5, 2007, 11:42 pm 11:42 pm
Its not vary presidential to be unaware of major defense info. such as Iran’s nuclear ambitions and advancements. Huckabee’s lack of preparation and weakness on policy is his fault and responsibility. Huckabee can’t blame his campaign for this. When it comes down to it the candidate needs to be prepared and responsible for what the campaign does and says and what the candidate does and says.
Posted by: Clark Washington | December 6, 2007, 1:55 am 1:55 am
On June 5 at the CNN GOP debate in New Hampshire, Huckabee and the other ccandidates were asked if they would support a pre-emptive strike against Iran using tactical nuclear weapons.
Each of the candidates responded that they would not rule out the use of nuclear weapons, except Congressman Ron Paul who said:
“I do not believe that [pre-emptive war] is part of the American tradition. We, in the past have always declared war in the defense of our liberties or [to] go to aid somebody. But now we have accepted the principle of preemptive war. We have rejected the
just-war theory of Christianity. And now tonight, we hear that we’re not even willing to remove from the table a pre-emptive nuclear strike, against a country that has done no harm to us directly and is no threat to our national security! We have to come to our senses about this issue of war and pre-emption. We have to go back to traditions and our Constitution, and defend our liberties and defend our rights, but not to think that we can change the world by force of arms
and to start wars.”
Dr. Paul, who served in the air force Air Force for five years and is a veteran member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, has dealt with important global issues for decades.
The NIE report makes it clear: When it comes to Iran, Ron Paul was right and the other candidates have it wrong!
Paul has the understanding and experience to protect America’s national security through peace and diplomacy.”
Posted by: Greg | December 6, 2007, 2:08 am 2:08 am
Huckabee would have no quams about nuking any country on earth. With Huckabee believing Christians will “win” the rapture,he has no fear in starting wars.
Posted by: AJ | December 6, 2007, 2:12 am 2:12 am
Unbelievable that the Sheeple of the US will believe anything a Republican says.
Posted by: Iam Avoter | December 6, 2007, 9:52 am 9:52 am
Dumond was convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl in 1984 and was sentenced to life in prison. This was in Arkansas while Bill Clinton was governor, and for a while nobody cared. But then, after Clinton was elected president, Dumond became a cause celebre for the Clinton-hating fever swamp. (Book version of conspiracy theory here. There’s always a book.) Long story short, the rape victim was Clinton’s second cousin once removed, and the fever swamp became convinced that Dumond was the innocent victim of (yet another) frameup by a vengeful and drug-crazed Clinton. In 1996, after being elected with plenty of help from the fever swamp, Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee announced that he thought Dumond should be set free. Subsequently, he met with the parole board and a few weeks after that Dumond was paroled. Dumond then went on to rape and kill 2 more women.
Posted by: cat | December 6, 2007, 11:24 am 11:24 am
“In business, I would rather have five of such top flight people working for me, than a hundred that I couldn’t trust!”
Hah! funny one. The big difference is that this guy isnt applying for a job to work for you. hes running for the highest most dictatorial position in this country and if you think hes busy now, try running the entire country successfully.
Whatever!
All the other candidates on both sides had at least some inkling of this incredibly important news story coming out of the white house.
All but Huckabee.
O and the release on parole of that rapist was not the fault of the parole board. Huckabee clearly admitted that he put Governor pressure on them to agree to release the guy. End of story.
Posted by: FormerRepubNeveragain | December 6, 2007, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
Should have given him a pop quiz on the names of foreign leaders. Then again that was what happened to Bush in 2000, he couldn’t name them, and he still got elected. I think Huckabee is a bit more intelligent than the current president.
Posted by: Richard | December 6, 2007, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm
Huckabee’s lead in the polls in a creation by the media and the left because they see Hillary Clinton being able to beat him in a General Election. Oddly no one has voted yet, yet they (the media) put him in the lead with their fake polls. Real Republicans know that Huckabee is a fluke and a media creation.
Posted by: No to Dems in 2008 | December 6, 2007, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
Huckabee’s record is dismal – he favored rapists, commuted murderers, and excused repeat drunk drivers. It’s also VERY scary that he thinks his numbers are high in the polls because of GOD – another wacko.
Posted by: Iseescarymonsters | December 6, 2007, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm