Video: Huckabee Says He Won't Run Ad Attacking Romney -- But Screens It For National Press Corps!
By now you've probably heard that Mike Huckabee held a very bizarre press conference today in which he announced that his campaign had decided not to run an Iowa ad attacking Mitt Romney -- but played the very same ad in front of a roomful of national reporters, anyway.
Here's some video of the presser that was taken by an operative on the scene, so you can watch for yourself the explanations Huck offers to reporters who grilled him about his rather odd play here. It's quite a scene.
Comments (15)
Joshua the Teacher wrote on December 31, 2007 4:40 PM:Somebody got to him. He's made the deal to be Romney's VP I bet.
Strange how this whole thing went down in a matter of minutes. It's almost like Chick Hagel's "I'm here to announce that I will have an announcement in few months" moment.
Seems pretty straightforward to me. He's trying to get his attack ad into the "free media" stream, saving money and pretending that he's above negative campaigning. The only question is whether the political media will be dumb enough to bite. (I'm betting yes.)
Diverik wrote on December 31, 2007 4:44 PM:How's he doing in the "cash on hand" department? Could this have been a clumsy way for him to try to get his attack ad against Romney in the public view without having to pay for commercial air time?
Anonymous wrote on December 31, 2007 4:47 PM:This guy is sleazy but I think he is smart. He gets to act like holier than thou but gets free publicity and make Romney look bad not that it takes much to do that..
Joshua the Teacher wrote on December 31, 2007 5:10 PM:Sorry, I meant Chuck Hagel, no disrespect to the guy.
Helter wrote on December 31, 2007 5:19 PM:Man, what a scumbag move. "My staff wanted to run this ad calling Mitt Romney a child molester, and I even have a dossier here backing that up, but I told them just now that's not the way we run things. If Mitt Romney is a child molester, that's his problem. We're not going to go negative and actually call him a child molester to voters. That would be morally wrong and unchristian. God doesn't want us to point out that Mitt Romney is a child molestor."
My son who is pretty politically active at 23 came over last night...
He asked me what I thought of the Republican Primary..
I broke out an old VHS of Texas Chainsaw
Massacre..after awhile i turned down the sound and did our own dub improvisations.
Gotta laugh. Molly Ivins might have called this a "Why bless his heart" routine. Y'all ah mean spirited big cita cynics.
Rick wrote on December 31, 2007 8:09 PM:Pure genius...
I mean that in the political-theatre sense of the word....shewed, amoral, the sort of thing that Karl Rove merely aspired to...
stinger wrote on December 31, 2007 8:47 PM:He apparently forgot to pull the ad from KCRG (Cedar Rapids), because I saw this ad on Ch. 9 this evening.
Ray wrote on December 31, 2007 11:23 PM:I can't decide who's worse, Romney or Huckabee. Both are clowns. One thing for sure, this fruitcake is scary.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on January 1, 2008 12:32 AM:Oh look . . . Huckleberry is a huckster and a lying sack of shit.
How much does anyone wanna bet that there are several hundred Republicans in a graveyard right now trying to dig up and resurrect Barry Goldwater . . . If they would only pause long enough to realize that their high priestess and Her Royale Crownship will provide everything their black hearts desire . . . We could just get about coronating Clinton into her rightful place.
Lee Stranahan wrote on January 1, 2008 2:10 AM:This new Huckabee ad, just in...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N50tYL1j7_E
Iowan wrote on January 1, 2008 10:36 PM:What's most outrageous about the way Huckabee conned the media on this ad is that it *is* on the air! I've seen twice already tonight. So not only do Iowans have the privilege of viewing this attack ad but Huck found a way to get coverage in the national media a few days before the caucuses for supposedly not showing the ad & doing the "right thing". He should get an award for media manipulation & hypocrisy.
Jeffko wrote on January 10, 2008 7:05 PM:I watched it and it seems like he was reasonable. It doesn't mean I would vote for him. It means the press is out of bounds here. The "gotcha" game is as stupid as Mitt Romney thinking he had a cakewalk to the nomination.
