PENSACOLA, Florida (CNN) – Mitt Romney's failure to eat fried chicken with the skin on is nothing short of blasphemy here in the South, according to GOP rival Mike Huckabee.
Romney, of Massachusetts, dug into a piece fried chicken at KFC while campaigning in Lutz, Florida on Saturday, but not before peeling off what most would consider the best part - the crispy skin.
Admittedly, KFC's chicken doesn't exactly stack up against the delectable kind that comes out of deep fryers in kitchens around the South, and Romney said he was looking for the healthiest option available to him for lunch.
Huckabee, looking ahead to a flotilla of southern states up for grabs on Super Tuesday, was told about the move by a reporter here in the Florida panhandle.
"I can tell you this," he said, "any Southerner knows if you don’t eat the skin don’t bother calling it fried chicken."
"So that's good. I'm glad that he did that, because that means I'm going to win Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma ... all these great Southern states that understand the best part of fried chicken is the skin, if you're going to eat it that way."
Huckabee admitted that he hasn't eaten fried chicken in a while because of his weight loss program, preferring it broiled or baked instead.
And speaking of possible gaffes, a good Southerner might also dispute one of Huckabee's claims: since when is Oklahoma "a great southern state"?
– CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby
From CNN Politics
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Is this really what our political discourse is coming down to? Does Huckabee, the man who lost 70 pounds by eating healthy, actually think he will win because Romney eats healthy?
What is the significance of this? Show some respect for Ron Paul and put up articles about his campaign rather than a fried chicken incident. Good grief.
I am hungry now for some fried chicken.
Easter egg hunts now fried chicken, has Huckelberry got a chicken fetish?
A lot of people here are making it sound like Huckabee went to a campaign event and lectured on fried chicken for three hours. The man was asked a question by a reporter and he answered in jest. If you want to bash huck find something more valid. But it is true that pulling the skin off of fried chicken is a pathetic move. If Romney wants to appeal to common folk by going to a fast food place he shouldn't do something that allows him to be easily ridiculed. Thats on par with going to macdonalds, ordering a cheeseburger, and proceding to remove the patty.
Just another example of people who don't listen to all the candidates and make an informed decision. If you have spent more than 10 seconds listening to Governor Huckabee you will know this is another example of his wry sense of humor. Nothing more. He is not an idiot that would think that people would take a "fried chicken" stance on election day.. Please get your collective heads out, and listen to the candidates' platforms instead of what CNN feeds you...
Wow I keep thinking Mike will wise up and stop with the silly comments and jokes but nope! He already lost my vote a long time ago but now I may beg others who want to vote for him to reconsider! I know I want a healthy president!
What's even funnier is most of you guys can't even recognize a joke when it's made. Vote Huckabee. Fair Tax.
I am getting concerned over McCain's infatuation with war combined with his headstrong anger. SCARY! I keep hearing him repeat WAR WAR WAR!
To me this is much more serious than his lack of understanding of the economy and not being a fiscal conservative.
I eat with half of the skin off, and half with it on. That way, I won't offend anyone. Maybe I should run for office.
Reminds me of when John Kerry ordered a Philly Cheesesteak with swiss cheese during his '04 campaign- which is basically like asking to get punched in the face.
Huck's no flip flopper, clearly he's talkin' chicken not frog legs!
Gotta love it when a presidential candidate makes a joke that everyone takes seriously. Come on people, wake up!
I live in the south, but I don’t eat chicken. Everybody say hey to anybody. Southerners are great. Eating chicken is neither a prerequisite nor important. I am sure, there are even vegetarians holding offices in the South. Huck was kidding!
It was a JOKE people, a J-O-K-E.
Kind of like Ron Paul's chances of winning the Republican primary.
I'm sorry...I had to read this twice to believe it. Gee, Huckabee has found the magic bullet to win the South. Just eat fried chicken with the skin on. Not that the voters of southern states really care about the economy or the debate over Iraq. Mike ...you are so smart......I mean deep .........(fried).
That settles it! I am voting for whomever eats the most fried chicken skin! Can you say LIPITOR? Ridiculous!
Why did the chicken cross the road? To generate gratuitous free publicity for a politician's cash-strapped candidacy for president.
I don't know what he was thinking...Huckleberry has a point as the skin is the best part really. But although Romney clearly does have a problem in this regard, I'd still vote for him.
The real question: Is Arkansas a part of the South? Answer: NO. It's a midwestern state. It actually has it's own category, It's not south, north, east, west, central, it's the Wal-Mart region!
Coments on chicken coming from a real turkey!
Huckleberry has gone nuts. Since when does eating chicken with the skin equal to blasphemy?
Someone makes a comment/joke and the brainless go ever crazier. That's shows the state of our failed education system.
It was a joke, lighten up.
The concern most Southerners have is the fear of electing a President who is unable to fully relate to the south’s strong southern values. For many years people of southern heritage have been viewed only as corn-cob pipe smoking hicks worthy of receiving the brunt of preconceived opinions bordering on intolerance, due to the profiling of all southerners together. It’s a type of discrimination, if you will!