In ad, Romney attacks Huck on crime

Posted: Monday, December 17, 2007 3:55 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Ads

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
In his second comparison ad with Huckabee in Iowa, Romney hits the former Arkansas governor on his record on pardons and clemencies.

Side-by-side photos of Huckabee and Romney appear on screen as an announcer touts, "Two pro-life Governors. Both support a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage. The difference? Romney got tough on drugs like meth. He never pardoned a single criminal. And Mike Huckabee? He granted 1,033 pardons and commutations, including 12 convicted murderers. Huckabee granted more clemencies than the previous three governors combined. Even reduced penalties for manufacturing methamphetamine.

“On crime. The difference is judgment."

Romney’s first comparison ad was on immigration.

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Comments

Two words for you Huckabee...Willie Horton! Pay back's a b*tch! Isn't it!

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:19 PM)

Pat Huntington NY,

Huckabee is still better than Hillary Clinton... I'd rather vote for Mike Huckabeee than Hillary Clinton

Bee (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:24 PM)

Huck's response to this ad is to say that, unlike Mitt, he applied the death penalty a whole bunch of times. Great. So Huck not only allows criminals to go kill people's kids, he likes to kill criminals himself. I don't know if the "equal opportunity facilitator of death" defense will play well. Moron.

Stop Huckabee, Austin, TX (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:25 PM)

I've seen these ads. I don't find them negative. They are comparative. They are no more negative that the debates, where the candidates are supposed to disagree with each other and point out why they are the better choice... I find these interesting in particular, because I have yet to hear Huckabee actually talk about the hard issues... except immigration (on which he is now flip flopping), and taxes (on which he has a bad record). So, what does he really believe about the war, environment, economy, healthcare, etc.? Maybe Romney is trying to draw him out so people can hear if Huckabee has any defendable ideas at all... Frankly its a good strategy, and if Huck can stand the heat, he'll get slaughtered if he makes it to the general. At least I know what Romney thinks about these things.... and at least his "flops" occured with reason, several years before the campaign began- not just BECAUSE of the campaign like several of Huck's positions!

Kira, Utah (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:25 PM)

Great Ad Mitt!!

Dan,Atlanta, GA (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:30 PM)

Anyone interested in what Huckabee is really like face to face should try this funny (but it actually happened) column:
http://goupstate.us/index.php/lanefiller/2007/11/02/title_14

lane filler, spartanburg, SC (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:37 PM)

Anyone interested in what Huckabee is really like face to face should try this funny (but it actually happened) column:
http://goupstate.us/index.php/lanefiller/2007/11/02/title_14

lane filler, spartanburg, SC (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:38 PM)

Never granting a pardon or commutation show cowardliness, not strength. A huge majority of Huck's pardons were for people long out of jail who had trouble getting jobs because of their records. He never pardon or otherwise set free a single person convicted of murder. He merely made a few eligible for parole by commuting their sentence from "life" to 150 years.

Mitt is desperate and it shows.

Thaddeus, Columbus, oh (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:42 PM)

I saw the immigration ad this morning, and just from a visual perspective, I did not like it. Too many graphics, too much stuff moving around. I like a simple message.

Say, for example, Joe Biden's latest commercial in Iowa. He just sits in front of a plain background and talks about why he should be elected,. There is text about his credentials. No gimmicks, just substance. I was glad to have finally gotten to see that - and even more happy that it aired several times during the Survivor finale.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:43 PM)

Its easy to see that Mitt Romney is in trouble; the negative ads are the giveaway. However, Mike Huckabee is not his only target. Here in Michigan, Romney's negative ads reflect a general election campaign; they are directed solely against Hillary Clinton. You would have thought with all his millions Romney would have the best campaign staff money could buy; he should sue to get his money back.

Mark Golembiowski, Sterling Heights, MI (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:59 PM)

Evangelicals are rallying around Huckabee. That means it is the job of every American- republican, democrat, or independent- to do whatever they can to keep this guy from getting the republican nomination or, if it comes to it, the white house. If that takes "comparative advertising" so be it.

Wilson, Seattle (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 5:11 PM)

Huckabee is still better than Hillary Clinton... I'd rather vote for Mike Huckabeee than Hillary Clinton

Bee (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 4:24 PM)

Come on. Not every thread has to be Obama/Clinton. This ad has nothing to do with either of them.

CitizenJ (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 5:20 PM)

"He never pardoned a single criminal."

Why exactly are Republicans so proud of this? Surely someone out there is worthy of a pardon. Is this evidence of good judgement, or just a total abdication of a key part of the job?

Michael, Anchorage, AK (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 5:33 PM)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19586943/

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who as Massachusetts governor refused to pardon an Iraq war veteran's BB-gun conviction, on Tuesday called President Bush's commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence "reasonable."

"As governor, Romney twice rejected a pardon for Anthony Circosta, who at age 13 was convicted of assault for shooting another boy in the arm with a BB gun - a shot that didn't break the skin. Circosta worked his way through college, joined the Army National Guard and led a platoon of 20 soldiers in Iraq's deadly Sunni triangle.

In 2005, as he was serving in Iraq, he sought a pardon to fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer."

I just figured if we are talking about pardons and all. I don't dislike either of these guys, but I thought I'd level the playing field. But Romney is correct, he didn't pardon anybody.

--NSMSNBC (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 5:38 PM)

let them destroy each other----this neocon party have destroyed so many others including veterans I hope they have a real catfight.Hope they invite Rudy to their party.

HMT-MI (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 6:07 PM)

In a 1998 book, Huckabee was a fierce culture warrior, equating environmentalism with pornography, homosexuality with necrophilia, and nonbelievers with evildoers.

http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2007/12/huckabee-homosexuality-environmentalism-book.html

Yiannis, Baltimore (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 6:14 PM)

Thaddeus- where did you get your facts?

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Dec10/0,4670,HuckabeeClemencies,00.html

regardless of what kind of pardon Huck issued, the fact is he still issued more than the previous three governors combined. He averaged one every 4 days. That's a bit much don't you think? And with many of them, it seemed like they just needed to praise Jesus or get a good word from their pastor and he'd clear them right up. I'm willing to bet the atheists, jews, buddhists, agnostics, etc. of this country don't love that too much.

I'm not sure that the republicans should be "proud" to never offer pardons, as I imagine SOMETIMES one is needed. But the reality is, people seeking pardons have already been convicted of a crime. The murders/rapists/etc. faced a trial but jury. The laws of the land are in place- when we "excuse" behavior because someone has a friendly minister and can put on a good "I've been saved" act, we're just opening doors for more trouble.

That's not to say that a convicted criminal can't change his/her life and become a better person, but almost 2 per week is really not believable... and lends one to believe that Huck is either REALLY gullible, incredibly stupid, or he has an alterior motive.

Kira, Utah (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 6:30 PM)

When hiring in most professions, we look for the best- educated candidate. Huckabee doesn't have a master's degree, law degree, or even a BA in a subject pertinent to running a government. Why do we have such low standards when electing leaders? "He's a nice guy, I think I'll vote for him." We hired an unqualified master manipulator last time and look what happened.

Amy B Portland, Me (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 6:34 PM)

Yiannis- interesting article. How, I wonder, does he think that my desire to take care of God's creation- the earth- make me equal to someone who engages in pornography? I want to protect and uplift, porn defiles and tears down. Hmmm. One more reason NOT to vote for him.

And I was fascinated that he wants me to be a servant to my husband. My husband would laugh at that!

Kira, Utah (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 6:34 PM)

Huckabee is George Bush in drag. Let us not forget how the republican evangelicals have screwed this country way down in the dirt. Huckabee is their new leader. If you want to save our country lock evangelicals in their churches until after the election.

Barb (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 6:41 PM)

Yah, don't vote for Huckabee because he has the evangilical christians backing him. I'm sure a guy with a bunch of mormons following him is much better

j dudel (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 6:44 PM)

Some of you act like you have never changed your mind about anything and have always felt the same way your whole life about every situation you've expeirenced in life. Mike Huckabee at least says what he feels and you don't get some "slick willie" talk trying to appeal to everyone. I, like the major of Americans, what a president that believes in God and isn't afraid to say it! Our country was founded on religious freedom and I believe you can believe in whatever religion you what or not - just don't force me to believe the way you do. Yea, maybe a Baptist minster is a little less forgiving than I would like, but to me he's probaly better than someone who won't state his convictions. Also, Huckabee on interviews seems to state he would only go along with the recommendations of the parole board as far as the pardons are concerned, since that was their job. He's not trying to micro-managed everyone. He's the guy to beat Hillary or Obama - because they will only carry the east and west coast liberals. The Democrats haven't figured out they need to quit listening to Hollywood and start listening to America!

David, Corpus Christi, Texas (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 7:08 PM)

I see nothing wrong with this ad. I see plenty wrong with pardoning criminals and murderers!

Judee, Hampton NH (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 7:09 PM)

Mike Huckabee's response to this add tears it to shreds:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=TruthSquad.RomneyOnMeth

Joe (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 7:10 PM)

Ron Paul is a much better choice than both of these clowns

Pawel, Carbondale, Illinois (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 7:13 PM)

It is sad for Americans to observe Mitt Romney kept attacking other candidates based on thin ice. Huckabee actually executed 16 death penalities. and i think that's very conservative for most people.
If Romney want to win, he needs to go back to MA and started getting results. Townhall dot com actually reveals that his tax record is much worst that Huckabee's.

HungS, Morris county, NJ (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 7:23 PM)

These attack ads are starting to become humorous. Mitt Romney's best days are behind him.

First, his argument that he and Gov. Huckabee are equally prolife and for traditional marriage is the political stretch of the year.

Second, Romney's boast that he never pardoned a criminal is not a positive because it shows that as the leading state executive he did not seriously review the cases before him. Yes, Gov. Huckabee did pardon some petitioners, but overall, Governor Huckabee denied 88 percent of the applications.

Last, Romney's get tough on meth was a five year prison sentence. Gov. Huckabee's reduced penalty was that meth manufacturers could become parole eligible after serving 50% of their sentance versus 70%. Even then, meth manufactuers were serving 10 year sentences in Arkansas.

So, if you are meth manufacturer in Arkansas you get 10 years. With Romney, they get five years. I think he might want to rethink his ad.

Jason, Austin, Tx (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 7:23 PM)

HUCKABEE'S OWN SON TORTURED A DOG TO DEATH - If this isn't good news for Michael Vick, why shouldn't we hold the "Huckabees" responsible??? READ ON:

As Mike Huckabee gains in the polls, the former Arkansas governor is finding that his record in office is getting more scrutiny. One issue likely to get attention is his handling of a sensitive family matter: allegations that one of his sons was involved in the hanging of a stray dog at a Boy Scout camp in 1998. The incident led to the dismissal of David Huckabee, then 17, from his job as a counselor at Camp Pioneer in Hatfield, Ark. It also prompted the local prosecuting attorney— bombarded with complaints generated by a national animal-rights group—to write a letter to the Arkansas state police seeking help investigating whether David and another teenager had violated state animal-cruelty laws. The state police never granted the request, and no charges were ever filed. But John Bailey, then the director of Arkansas's state police, tells NEWSWEEK that Governor Huckabee's chief of staff and personal lawyer both leaned on him to write a letter officially denying the local prosecutor's request. Bailey, a career officer who had been appointed chief by Huckabee's Democratic predecessor, said he viewed the lawyer's intervention as improper and terminated the conversation. Seven months later, he was called into Huckabee's office and fired. "I've lost confidence in your ability to do your job," Bailey says Huckabee told him. One reason Huckabee cited was "I couldn't get you to help me with my son when I had that problem," according to Bailey. "Without question, [Huckabee] was making a conscious attempt to keep the state police from investigating his son," says I. C. Smith, the former FBI chief in Little Rock, who worked closely with Bailey and called him a "courageous" and "very solid" professional.

Richard Anderson (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 7:32 PM)

Anyone would be preferable to Hillary, although Obama and Edwards are almost as bad.

Stan, upstate SC (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 7:52 PM)

Romney is pathetic. Just check out his interview yesterday on Meet the Press:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/
I think it speaks for itself.

Chuck, Miami, FL (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 10:33 PM)

I prefer certain candidates over others. Most people do unless they feel betrayed by the whole system and just simply vent. Can serve a purpose but rarely does.

Huckabee has his issues! Every candidate is pointing that out thanks to pollsters and the over-zealous media.
In the process, people need to smart and sift through the garbage.
What kind of candidate do we need in office?
Prefer to focus more on the candidates rather then their platforms.
The platforms have changed so much that some republicans are really democrats and some democrats republicans.
Candidates that have seasoning and experience, Clinton, Mccain, Romney, Edwards...The others are lacking Guilini, huckbee, so on.
Like Romney: Very talented individual and has proven success...He has leadership skills and can do the job.

Believe it or not: Clinton is one smart cookie. Can't stand her moral values for the most part. She has skills though so give her credit.

ALl in all...pick a candidate that you can relate to and go for it.
Huckabee has poor tactics and lack of experience. He does have some influence but so limited that I doubt he will make it through the polls. Only chance is to develop a base through the platforms and hope they strait vote works in his favor.
Watch for Obama. He may surprize people on the dem ticket. He has this interesting appeal factor going on.
My concern is people are over-focusing on issue which comes from the media high-lighting and some cases distorting positions.
WATCH CLOSELY, Dig deeper and you figure it out. Too many feel like their being unfairly persuaded.
Only going to get worse. Very diverse candidates. Vote!
Give Mitt the oppurtunity to do what he does best"turn our country around into something special"

Brent (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 10:40 PM)

Huckabee is USING Christmas for his own self-serving needs... Very UNCHRISTIAN, but very typical, too. What's this about HUCKABEE'S OWN SON GETTING FIRED AFTER TORTURING A DOG TO DEATH??? Is this what kind of a "gentle" leader the old man is going to be?

John O'Sullivan (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 10:50 PM)

Please....not Huckabee!!!!!!!! This is guy shiftier and shadier by the day as more stuff comes to light......and I don't like his vengeful agenda.Gimme Mitt.

clare (Sent Monday, December 17, 2007 11:34 PM)

Mitt Romney is the best canidate out there.

John, Iowa (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:25 AM)

i can see oasam bin laden going free if huckabee's elected! huckabee will assume living in a cave for (?)years will be payment enough and set him free! this idiot is more g.dubya and his head buried in the scriptures and would love to start WWIII himself!

phillip (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 4:00 AM)

It is time to turn the 'run' to facts and Mitt Romney is doing just that. He is a man with vision and proven ability to get our great country on the track it seems to be slipping from.

Maurine Wheatley China Grove, NC (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 5:30 AM)

Willie Hortoning a republican is great stuff...ironic that its a former goobernator of MA doing it too...

Rick, WS, NC (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 9:43 AM)

This ad is pretty misleading, especially about Romney claiming to be tough on meth dealers. Does he realize that the maximum penalties for manufacturing meth in Arkansas is TWICE what it is in Massachusetts? He also "brags" about never granting a pardon and makes it appear as though Huckabee allowed 1,000 criminals to set free. 98% of these pardons involved people who were convicted many years ago, served their time, and a decade later are unable to get jobs because of felony convictions (writing bad checks, for example). He pardoned some of them so that they could gain employment. Sounds reasonable to me...and I can understand why elitist Mitt Romney doesn't understand.

Romney is VERY desperate right now.

Chris, Wood River, IL (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 9:48 AM)

All those criticizing Romney over the penalties drug dealers serve. The legislative branch determines the length of penalties - not the executive branch. Those using this as an argument about how Huckabee is "tough on crime" need to go back and take a basic course in civics. Also, please continue to bury your head in the sand about the convicted murderers and rapists your guy pardoned. Hopefully you convince yourselves that he won't pardon or suspend/commute the sentences of those CRIMINALS he thinks have accepting his brand of religion and are saved. Anyone, but Huckabee!!

David, Des Moines, IA (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 10:42 AM)

Well Mitt, you gave people up to 5 years for meth crimes. Even when Huckabee limited the time - it was only limited to 10 years. Who is tougher on crimes? Mitt gives 5 years to meth criminals and Mike gives 10. Try being honest in your ads Mitt.

Paul Cooper, Marshall, IL (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 11:00 AM)

Huckabee is becoming more and more scary. I watched him on Larry King Live last night- trying to give him another chance. He was awful! He "attacks" the other candidates just as much as the rest of them, then claims to be running a "friendly" campaign. His main supporter- Chuck Norris- learned about Huck's campaign from Huck's own website- well OF COURSE that's going to make him look good- all the candidates' sites make themselves look good. Huck isn't going to post info on his website that says "I'd make a great president, except that I made several unethical decisions while governor, oh and I'm soft on illegals and have no foreign policy experience..." Duh.

By the way, speaking of foreign policy, do you know that Huck compared Osama Bin Ladin to the Brer Rabbit? good grief- talk about making our country sound like hicks... his position on foreign policy is based on a Disney movie from the 50s. Yikes.

http://race42008.com/2007/12/15/mike-huckabees-plan-to-win-the-war-on-terror-operation-uncle-remus/

Kira, Utah (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 12:41 PM)

PS- I realize that most of the republican candidates don't have much foreign policy experience... but that's why they have advisors that can teach them about it. Really only McCain has experience in this area and he lacks in other categories. Huck doesn't have much in the way of advisors, which he sorely needs to even sound credible.

Likeability is nice, but it's hardly the best qualification for president... especially if the niceness that creates the likeable personality only extends to people like him (heterosexuals, disease free, "Christians" [aka evangelicals, because Catholics and Mormons and non-church attending christians are not Christian enough for him], people from the middle to upper class, and people who will give him presents... oh and convicted criminals who will praise Jesus) Sad.

Am I starting to sound cynical- yes, I admit that I am. This guy started out seeming a little 'ah-shucks' harmless, but potentially a good VP choice for a number of the candidates. Now he just seems scary- a really BAD choice to lead this country and fix the problems created by the current administration.

Kira, Utah (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 12:47 PM)

Arkansas Governors do not have the authority to PARDON criminals. Only to commute their senctences. The particular criminals that Huckabee is accused of letting go free, in fact, the PAROLE board let them go. Arkansas Law does not allow a Governor to stop that process either. So, before people start calling Mike Huckabee things like "Moron" they should really take a look at what was actually done not just buy in to what is being said without actual proof. I think someone else is the moron here.

Morgan, Crossett, Arkansas (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:28 PM)

Romney is disgusting. He is clueless and classless.
His wealth will not win the hearts and minds of our republican party.

His negative ads have proven he is desperste for all his millions spent but no results. Take a hike MITT.

You are a sore loser!

Klen Klotheger (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 2:19 PM)

Morgan, thank you for the semantics clarification. My guess is that most people are using pardon and commute interchangeably. Whether or not he actually pardoned anybody, he did issue 1033 commutations- more than the last 3 governors combined- approximately 1 every 4 days of his time in office. That makes him soft on crime in my book, even if he did carry out the death penalty for criminals already on death row.

i understand a few commutations- surely some people out there recieve harsher punishment than necessary, or something was unjust in a rare trial. But frankly, I put more faith in our justice system than that and don't think he should be reversing or petitioning so many- especially when his reasoning sometimes seems shady.

Kira, Utah (Sent Tuesday, December 18, 2007 2:25 PM)

I can't believe what I am hearing from Huckabee supporters. Cute Christmas cards are supposed to prevent the coming recession?

SCARY THOUGHT FOR THE DAY #26:
Huckabee and Guiliani have nothing for the economy compared with Romney's business and economic acumen. Will you still be complaining about Romney's faith when they lay you off and foreclose your home? Get real, and don't get me started about Huckabee as a foreign policy disaster. Huckabee and Ahmadinejad sitting across at a table???? That's classic, what a nightmare.

Take all of the t-shirts mocking Bush you see at the mall and insert Huckabee's face. That's what college kids may be wearing until 2012. Bush haters are going to FEAST on Huckabee, what a goober...there's a good image for the Republican stigma. Are you kidding me??

Why don't we all vote for an inferior candidate merely because he's not LDS. Evangelicals are going to ruin this nation.

Jenner, San Diego, CA (Sent Wednesday, December 19, 2007 6:59 PM)

Ugghh. Just saw the picture of Huckabee's family on Drudge Report. What a bunch of obese, disgusting slobs. Can you imagine those hillbillies being the first family? Gag me. They look like something out of a Far Side comic. If that redneck Huckabee gets the nomination just because he claims he's been endorsed by God the Republican party is done for. I hope we aren't that stupid.

Steven Rinehart (Sent Thursday, December 20, 2007 1:23 AM)

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