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1605 days ago

Scenes from the trail: Huckabee’s nutty New Year’s Eve

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - Instead of kicking off one of his last campaigning days in Iowa with a stump speech, Huckabee did it with a 7:30am, three-mile run around Des Moines’ Grays Lake in 17-degree weather. “This really is insane, isn’t it?” he told reporters Monday.

When the shivering journalists asked who would win a footrace against Mitt Romney, Huckabee responded, “Bring him out here and we’ll see. Of course he’ll be running both ways the whole time.”

Shortly after, Huckabee dropped a bombshell at a news conference by deciding not to introduce an attack ad on Romney, yet showing it to the gathered press, sparking a frenzy among the gathered press corps.

The next stop of the day was even more chaotic. Back at his campaign headquarters, the next stop of the day, anti-war protesters had gotten inside and unfurled a banner reading “What would Jesus bomb?’ Police led them away, past a second protest struck up by Ron Paul supporters outside Huckabee’s offices. Those protestors were chanting, “Legalize the Constitution.”

After telling the guests at his New Year’s Eve party about his change of heart over his campaign ad, he grabbed a bass and played ‘Johnny B. Goode’ and ‘Hard Day’s Night’ with the band before making an early exit to get some sleep.

After a day whose sole purpose (essentially) was to get as much coverage as possible, what is Huckabee’s New Year’s resolution? “Stay away from you guys all I can,” he said jokingly to huddled reporters.

– CNN Political Producer Alexander Marquardt


Filed under: Iowa • Mike Huckabee
soundoff (34 Responses)
  1. Rita Leone

    I would also like to add that Mr. Mike Huckabee should reconsider running
    since He obviously cannot take care of his own Family.....
    There are allegations stemming from when his own son went to camp
    some time back whereby his son, allegedly tortured and killed an innocent
    stray dog at Boy Scout Camp '98 and he did NOTHING about it....
    As far as I am concerned, his son should be punished just like all other
    animal abusers and he, Mr. Huckabee should be reminded that this type of
    VIOLENCE is a LINK between cruelty to animals and VIOLENCE against people....
    I certainly would not want a man like this to run the UNITED STATES OF
    AMERI CA....

    Sincerely,

    Rita Leone

    January 1, 2008 04:52 pm at 4:52 pm |
  2. DenisL, DesMoines Iowa

    Thank goodness we are 2 days from the election!
    The reporters are getting desperate for a story when they cover a press announcement to stop running negative ads BUT the negative ads are run at the announcement AND THEN the press runs the negative ads free of charge for the guy stopping the ads.
    It is getting silly.
    It is time to vote!
    But you gotta love anyone who posts a banner saying:
    "WHO WOULD JESUS BOMB?"
    The hypocrisy is getting to be too much.
    Let's vote already......PLEASE!!

    January 1, 2008 05:39 pm at 5:39 pm |
  3. Jen Cedar Falls, IA

    The reason the liberal media wants Huckabee to get the nomination is because they KNOW there's no way in the world he could beat any of the Democrats. Then when the Dem's get the White House, they will have done their jobs. Disgusting!

    January 1, 2008 06:45 pm at 6:45 pm |
  4. David, Oregon City

    Iowa poll numbers are starting to emerge with Mike Huckabee 2 to 1 over Mitt Romney. It appears in the final moments before the polls, Iowa voters are looking for a candidate with integrity rather than money.

    January 1, 2008 06:46 pm at 6:46 pm |
  5. Rhys

    Is Huckabee ever serious?

    January 1, 2008 07:28 pm at 7:28 pm |
  6. Ryan

    Media looks stupid spending all their time around huckabee. Watch Iowa, Watch NH. It will be a Huckadud, and a RP storm.

    January 1, 2008 10:21 pm at 10:21 pm |
  7. Jonathan

    "Actually, Huckabee has one tiny office on the FLOOR that Dr. Paul rented as his campaign headquarters. Must be PRETTY dispiriting to see the HUNDREDS of people stream in and out of the Paul campaign's offices. No wonder the Huckster spins it the way he does. Control of the media doesn't count for everything though."

    This is not correct. First of all, in addition to the office on Paul's floor (which includes several rooms), Huckabee's campaign has most of the 3rd floor of the same building. Also, if you honestly think that there are HUNDREDS of people streaming in and out of the Paul offices, than I assume you've never been there, because this is flat out wrong.

    January 2, 2008 01:23 am at 1:23 am |
  8. mekonnen

    Obama!!
    Obama!! he is the true one

    January 2, 2008 05:26 am at 5:26 am |
  9. Churchill

    Ru!!
    Ru Paul!! is the false one.

    January 3, 2008 01:44 am at 1:44 am |
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