Iowa Still High On Huckabee

According to Mike Huckabee in a conference with Bloggers Friday afternoon the "Enthusiasm is High in Iowa." Thursday evening the Governor spoke with 1500 people and noted that the overflow area contained as many people as the main room.

"We are experiencing a dramatic surge of activity and enthusiasm" Huckabee said and noted this in spite of the "enormous number of attack ads primarily from Mitt Romney" who has spent "a half million dollars in attack ads."

"We are relentlessly being attacked on the one hand and yet relentlessly supported by people getting out in the snow" to work for the campaign and to come out to hear Mike's message for Iowans.

Governor Huckabee stated that many people are calling from around the country to ask how they can help in Iowa. The advise he offered for this point in the campaign is "send money, send money, send money." Not to be portrayed as a candidate always with his hand out, Huckabee clarified with a follow-up statement that "there are no hotel rooms left available here" indicating that the help in Iowa is a packed house, no need for you to be here in person.

Mike noted that "significant funds" were raised on the day after Christmas as well as the 27th fund drive. He maintained the motivational reporting by stating "In the National polls we are in either #1 or #2 spot." "If we actually win - it will be a seismic event on the political scale that will be noted for years to come as we have been out-spent 20 to 1."

NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING

Many of the questions posed to the Governor focused on the enourmous onslaught of negative attacks from Romney, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, and others that have hammered the Huckabee campaign from as many angles as can be invented ranging from personal family attacks toward his son David's teenage indiscretions (a famous GOP insider tactic since Ross Perot), being likened to a modern day "Jimmy Carter," to being pro-embryonic stem cell research. As to the latter accusation Governor Huckabee stated "it's a pretty long stretch to accuse me of supporting embryonic stem-cell research."

In his rationale for the relentless onslaught of negative attacks against him from those who should be "fair and balanced" in the reporting of their own, Mike stated: "I'm not going to Washington because I want to be invited to all the party's. ...I think [Washington] needs changing. I don't want to be an insider. Much of the Republican party are not interested in those of us who have strong convictions about pro-life." "I am an economic conservative" Mike stated and related to us that because Washington did not "give birth to me....I am not one of them."

The Governor also noted as many bloggers and discussion forum's have done over the last week "These people [news networks, talk show hosts, and commentators] are closely tied to my competitors. That is not something I can help."

The response to the onslaught - or at least one response according to Huckabee - is to continue to point people to the "truth squad" at www.mikehuckabee.com where the attacks are responded to. He further stated that "we have over 500 dedicated bloggers to help counter-attack the negativity."

In Mike Huckabee fashion, with his ability to offer anecdotes for tough situations, he stated that he learned a long time ago not to get into a fight "If you can't stand the site of your own blood."

Certainly we know those anecdotes must keep the governor going on days when the political battle is raging at its worst. The Governor's HIGH ROAD position on attack campaigning is:

"We want to stay positive in Iowa against advice to attack back. We want to
answer in a voice that is FOR THIS COUNTRY and what is best for it."

IMMIGRATION

When asked to simply explain his immigration position - since one of the largest attacks comes from the accusation of Mike being "soft on immigration" Mike offered the following position.

"Our website has our '9 Point Immigration Program'" Jim Gilchrist, founder of the multi-ethnic Minuteman Project, says that our immigration policy is the "strongest...program presented by any of the candidates."

The Governor stated: "It should not take eight or nine years..." to become a citizen in this country. "It should take weeks/months - or however long it takes to process those immigrants in front of you" alluding to the further point that Mike is AGAINST AMNESTY for those here illegally today. Negative campaigning has accused Mike Huckabee of stating that illegal immigrants would gain legal status within a "one day time frame." Mike responded to this by saying "The ONE DAY THEORY is bogus - I never said that and don't know who came up with that." "I have been criticised that my immigration policy is TOO TOUGH - not soft. It is a tough policy."

FISCAL CONSERVATISM

"I'm not trying to make rich people poor - but I have a system that will make poor people rich." Mike stated when asked to comment on his Fiscally Conservative views. "Republicans have forgotten that SMALL BUSINESS is what creates job's in this country..." a statement that we haven't heard from any candidate since Ronald Reagan campaigned on that very topic until Mike Huckabee. "Get the taxes, regulatory and litigation system off his [small business owner's] back and let him know that his toughest competition won't come from his own government." "I will institute economic policies helping everyone from top to bottom..."

The Governor further added that he would "...push for total transparency of spending in congress....we ought to know how much it costs to mow the lawn in an Iowa federal court house. If we had a transparent expenditure system and transparent tax system - which the fair tax does - in 100 days the texture of the spending in this country would change."

CAMPAIGN DIRECTION

When asked how specifically Ed Rollins - former campaign manager to Ronald Reagan who orchestrated the 1980 landslide victory for the President - has impacted the Huckabee campaign, the Governor had this to say:

"Ed Rollins looked at our campaign from top to bottom" when he came on board. Mr. Rollins was "amazed at what we had accomplished with the resources we had to work with." Rollins asked "How can you run a campaign that gets this far [with so little]?" crediting Chip Saltsman for "doing a lot with a little."

"[Mr. Rollins] brought a perspective that we needed from [his experience of] running the successful campaigns we have run. His Rolodex is worth a 'gazillion' dollars. He can pull any number of contacts out to get the assist we need with this campaign."

WRAP

Though not exactly the answer I was hoping for - quite possibly it's simply too soon to see the REAL impact Mr. Rollins will have on this campaign. I was left with the impression that Ed Rollins has taken the helm of an already stable ship - on the right course - and will steer the campaign through the murky waters of attack and negativity - keeping us on course into clear water and sailing for the long haul once Iowa is chalked up as a victory.

I came away from this call feeling much better (or at ease) about Iowa seeing a 3 point drop in the polls this morning and following the negative campaigning. I'm glad to see Iowans being able to see through the Faux New's tactics of getting their candidate elected. I hope Faux News pays attention to their ratings, I'm seeing in the discussion rooms a lot of people turning the station to CNN for the more recent fair and balanced reporting.

I was glad to learn of the 9 point immigration policy being liked and lauded by Jim Gilchrist. Now Gary Bauer has nothing to complain about - unless he starts believing the newest spins that are sure to come.

Thanks for the opportunity Governor to be involved in your campaign, my national community, and a caucus victory in Iowa.

My favorite quote today:

"If your catching a lot of flack - you must be over the target."

Mike Is RIGHT For U.S.