Huck wants an NYT story

Posted: Monday, February 25, 2008 6:01 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ's Matthew Berger
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Huckabee said he believed the New York Times article linking McCain to a female lobbyist helped the Republican front-runner, and hopes the paper does a similar story about him.

Speaking at the Community Preparatory School Monday, he also ruled out a run for the U.S. Senate. After touring the school and speaking at length to a music class, he said that any moment could change a campaign, and it could happen to any candidate. Asked whether he thought the recent McCain article was a “Makaka” moment, Huckabee said “obviously, that one didn’t seem to make a big difference.”

“In fact, if anything, it's really helped John McCain, and I’m kinda hoping the New York Times will take me on and run a nasty front-page story,” he said. “It’s maybe the best thing that could happen to me; it certainly was to him.”

Huckabee responded to questions about him seeking the Senate with a strong “no way.”

“Let me go ahead and put that one to rest,” he said. “As I said in Washington a couple weeks ago and this is about as clear as I can put it, there's a greater likelihood of me dying my hair green, tatooing my body, and going on tour with Amy Winehouse other than me running for the senate this year. Not happening.”

Huckabee stressed the importance of creative arts education at the school, repeating his initiative to mandate art and music class. He also played a few bars of “Rising Sun” to the class and asked the students to sing along, but no one seemed to know what the song was.

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Comments

How about the Dumond story? Huckabee paroles serial rapist that rapes and murders afterwards? I'd say that would be a good front page on the gray lady.

Doug, San Diego (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 6:41 PM)

"Just trying to sell as many of my books until I'm a has been." Those are the lyrics that he should be singing. Once a televangelist always a televangelist.

Cory, Tampa, Florida (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 6:41 PM)

The students' ignorance of an American musical standard with its roots in Creole culture makes his point dramatically.

The reason everyone of a certain age knows that song is not because of the many rock and folk recordings of this classic in the middle of the 20th century, but rather because we had music class in school.

In music class we learned a lot of songs, from a lot of places in the world... ours was indeed a bigger world than most contemporary students can imagine or care to know.

Now, in the age of metrification, all students have been left behind.

BTW... the House, was not a house of prostitution, it was a sweatshop employing the poorest immigrants in 19th century New Orleans.

Mark Thieme (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 6:43 PM)

Is this the only story you will give Mike?
You don't even post a picture.
I wish America could fire the Media.WE WOULD!

David (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 7:11 PM)

"Rising Sun"? The one that starts, "There is a house in New Orleans, . . . it's been the ruin of many a poor boy"? At a school? What was he thinking? The moral values candidate?

Betsy, Providence, RI (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 7:14 PM)

There is a house in New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun. It's been the ruin of many a poor boy (girl) and God I know I'm one.

Huck and I are showing our age.

nuanced (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 7:59 PM)

Go Huck Go! How can you not love this guy?

http://twocanpete.blogspot.com/

twocanpete (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 8:08 PM)

Doesn't this guy realize he just looks and sounds like a clown at this point? Good grief.

Matt, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Monday, February 25, 2008 8:12 PM)

Huckabee has become a secondary player. He is right about one thing. The NYT article was a huge plus for McCain. It gave an excuse for the conservatives to rally around his candidacy. It also stole the spotlight away from the democratic candidates and showed how effective the McCain machine will be. Brilliant counter attack. Not sure many other candidates could of pulled that one off like McCain's group.

asher (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 1:21 AM)

Frankly I can careless about John McCain’s private life, as long as he is straight with America. John should have defeated Bush back in 99-2000 primary campaigns.
The Demarcates approved of McCain then and know.

Richard Chapman Las Vegas NV (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 3:27 AM)

Well, Huckabee is right. While I don't think anyone could or should embrace the McCain NYT story entirely, I also don't believe that we can simply assume none of it is true. I do not think it's reason enough to rally around McCain in his defense. I don't think McCain is a victim. I am truly shocked that many Republicans and independents simply took McCain's word for it and largely dismissed the story. They did it in the name of partisan politics, believing liberals were out to destroy McCain (at least those who didn't support McCain before this). Maybe they were, but that doesn't put every point in the article out of the realm of possibility. Huckabee is pointing out the irony in this whole thing. Do I trust McCain enough to believe his denial of everything? No. This story wasn't so much about an affair but about professional conduct. That is where I doubt McCain's trustworthiness. But apparently a lot of other Repubs and Independents don't. I'm independent and usually vote Republican. I will vote Repub in this election too but not for McCain. Still hoping he doesn't make it to the general.

Heather, Charlotte, NC (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:20 AM)

Huckabee needs to stop this nonsense....he isn't dividing the party or getting additional support. Just wasting donaters money.

McCain/Romney 08 and down goes the democrats!

John, MI (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:31 AM)

I absolutely agree with Governor Huckabee on the NYT article. It's so funny because I was saying the same thing about the article when I first saw it and that was that it probably helped McCain's image more than anything else. I think the point that is intended to be made is "Hey he's not too old, he was maybe messing around with a young woman just a few years ago.". I think more and more people are catching on to the BS that comes out of the major TV media "News" outlets and Clear Channel, radio that is.

Bob, TN (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 9:16 AM)

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