Huckabee Says He is Not a Liberal GOP Candidate, Can Beat Clinton & He is One Reason Thompson Delayed Running

News & Policy: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Sunday he would make a strong Republican opponent to Democratic front-runner and former Arkansas first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in a race for the presidency. . . . "Quite frankly, Americans are going to look at a contest where there's contrast. That's what I bring to the race, someone who can contrast in terms of philosophy and record, but also who's going to be able to challenge her on key fundamental issues like educationand health care," Huckabee said.

In January, he completed more than 10 years as governor, and hails from the same Arkansas town of Hope as former President Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton, now a U.S. senator from New York, was first lady of Arkansas before her husband became president in 1993. "Hillary is a strong, strong candidate, much stronger than a lot of Republicans want to accept," Huckabee said. "But the reality is that if we put someone up whose views on some of the issues that rally our base don't rally our base, then we're going to be in big trouble."

Along those lines, he also suggested he could match Republican Fred Thompson's image as a mainstream conservative who could win votes. Thompson has done better in polls than Huckabee even though the former U.S. senator from Tennessee has not yet announced hiscandidacy. The former governor (Huckabee) said Thompson's delay may partly be due to Huckabee's profile. "I think that's one of the reasons that maybe he's delayed," Huckabee said. . . . [Read More]

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