Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Talent rips into Huckabee during 'Hardball" appearance


Claiming his candidate's campaign has not been negative, but simply pointing out the truth, former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent, the domestic policy chairman for the Mitt Romney campaign, just told the audience for MSNBC's Hardball, the campaign has been simply telling the truth about former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
"It's not an attack," Talent said, but an assessment of Huckabee's record in Arkansas. "He raised taxes half a million dollars and paroled 12 murderers. If we don't raise his record now, the Democrats are going to raise it in the fall."
The danger of Huckabee receiving the Republican nomination, Talent said on the eve of the Iowa caucuses, is "He's liberal from start to finish." With Huckabee, Talent added, the Democrats would be running to the right of him on several issues, including crime and immigration.
Hardball host Chris Matthews and Tim Hutchinson, representing the Huckabee camp, appeared to fluster Talent by cornering him on Romney's inconsistency on several issues, including gay rights, gun rights, and abortion.
"Mitt Romney has been consistent on the issues," Talent said.

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Check with The Turner Report tonight for continuing information and commentary about the Iowa caucuses.
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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Prissy Jim is a tool of the monied establishment. These wealthy East Coast, Skull and Bones types are so worried that a Populist will get elected. Huckabee is what we thought we were getting when we voted for Bush. Romney is what we got. Do you want more of the same?

Busplunge said...

Talent did, indeed, appear flustered.
Good comment Anon 5:30: "Huckabee is what we thought we were getting when we voted for Bush."

Anonymous said...

I would think Jim Talent's support would be like a kiss of death to any candidate. Sure keep me from voting for one.

Anonymous said...

If Talent had been more like Huckabee and less like Romney, he might still be a U.S. Senator.

Anonymous said...

"Huckabee is what we thought we were getting when we voted for Bush."

And you got him. A Big-Government Republican who happens to have some gut-level culturally conservative instincts.

At least Bush was good on keeping taxes and regulations low, something that can not be said of Huckabee.

Romney is also anti-tax, but can probably do a better job on keeping down the size of government; he's also likely to be a much more effective executive.

Anonymous said...

I think at least Huckabee might really believe what he is saying. Romney longs to be a paid-off, elected lobbyist like BUSH.

Talent loved Bush as well. He is trying to get a new J.O.B. with some power to throw around. Maybe a nice cabinet or Secretary posn.

Anonymous said...

Romney is the establishment's candidate. Talent, Limbaugh, Jetton, and the Bushes are in the tank for him. Why is everyone ignoring Romney's liberal record? This is so frustrating.