Anonymous anti-Huckabee fliers distributed in South Carolina
A similar flier attacking Huckabee was distributed in Iowa earlier this week.
GREENVILLE, South Carolina (CNN) – As Mike Huckabee surges in the polls, his Republican rivals are beginning to take aim at his record as governor of Arkansas. But in conservative Iowa and South Carolina, it appears Huckabee should probably start bracing for anonymous attacks as well.
Mysterious fliers attempting to paint Huckabee as too liberal for Republican primary voters were left on car windshields outside of a campaign event in Greenville on Saturday.
Under the banner, "Mike Huckabee – a 'True' Conservative?," the flier blasts Huckabee on immigration and taxes, and accuses the former Arkansas governor of "lying" about his role in the Wayne Dumond parole controversy.
[Read the flier here.]
It quotes a 2005 Arkansas News article that paraphrased Huckabee as saying, "Arkansas needs to make the transition from a traditional Southern state to one that recognizes and cherishes diversity and culture."
"Is something wrong with our Southern Christian culture?," the flier asks.
Hillary Clinton brings out Bill to battle Oprah in S.C.
Bill Clinton will be campaigning for his wife in South Carolina just a day before Obama has Oprah Winfrey there for a large event.
(CNN) - It will be the battle of the rock star surrogates this weekend, with a last minute trip by former President Bill Clinton scheduled for South Carolina as Oprah Winfrey campaigns with Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Clinton's appearance for his wife Senator Hillary Clinton was a surprise, added amid saturation media coverage of Obama's three-state swing.
The former President told reporters at a stop in New York City Friday the trip was a "coincidence", though he'll be in South Carolina the day before Obama and Winfrey stop in Columbia.
During a day of appearances in Charleston, Clinton will speak on health care disparity, attend a forum on the subject, visit patients and families at a Children's Hospital and stop at a downtown Charleston market.
The dueling trips come as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama compete for a bigger share of the critical African-American vote in South Carolina, where the former president remains a popular figure.
Hillary Clinton campaigns Saturday in Iowa, as Obama and Winfrey hold two rallies in Iowa.
–CNN Political Desk Managing Editor Steve Brusk
Oprah's friend in the audience
DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) – Before the Oprah-bama fest began in Des Moines, her best-friend and talk show host Gayle King, attempted to quietly slip into the rally. She walked up to the set of bleachers behind the stage and asked some women if she could scoot in. Within seconds cameras were clicking and fans were yelling. King spent the speech on the first row of bleachers chatting up supporters, listening and and mingling with fans.
- CNN Senior Producer Sasha Johnson
Poll: Huckabee opens up commanding lead in Iowa
Huckabee has a commanding lead in Iowa, according to a new poll.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - A new poll of Iowa voters conducted this week seems to show Mike Huckabee surging past the rest of the Republican field, beating his closest rival, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, by 22 points among Republicans, 39 to 17 percent.
In the latest Newsweek poll, released Friday, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson slides to 10 percent, down from 16 in the last survey. No other candidate rates higher than single digit support.
Polling in Iowa is notoriously difficult because of the unpredictable nature of caucus attendance. And most recent surveys have pictured a much tighter race.
Still, the poll, conducted December 5 and 6, comes after weeks of momentum for the former Arkansas governor’s campaign, fueled by increased support from social conservatives, who form a major bloc of Iowa’s GOP caucus-goers.
Among likely Republican caucus-goers, the margin is just as wide. Fifty-seven percent name Huckabee as their first or second choice, and 39 percent give Romney as their first or second choice. Again, Thompson is third, with just 20 percent.
The Romney campaign said that the new survey showed a crowded field narrowing to a two-man race. “Iowa is in a competitive state right now as far as public polling is concerned,” said Kevin Madden, Romney’s spokesman, in an e-mail to CNN.
He also cast Mitt Romney as the campaign’s new underdog. "Mike Huckabee is leading and with that lead comes much higher expectations and a greater degree of scrutiny of his weak position on immigration and his penchant for big spending and higher taxes," he said.
A senior Romney adviser tells CNN's John King on the condition of anonymity that the poll result is "not a surprise" and there is "not a lot of time to turn them around," while another adviser says the 22 point lead for Huckabee sounds "a little extreme but he (Huckabee) is the moving part out there."
The 'Oprah-bama'
Watch CNN's Candy Crowley report on the three state weekend trip for Obama and Winfrey.
(CNN)–Democrat Barack Obama is banking on some star power this weekend. Actually, make that "super-star" power. The Queen of Daytime TV herself..Oprah Winfrey..will appear with Illinois Senator Barack Obama in three key states over the weekend.
Special guest at Hillary Clinton event in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - Sen. Hillary Clinton's mother, Dorothy Rodham, was the surprise guest at a "Take Your Buddy to Caucus," event in Des Moines Friday night.
Sen. Clinton told the crowd of about 500 that she brought her mom as her buddy. She also noted that the last time her mother was in Iowa was 53 years ago.
Someone in the crowd yelled, "welcome back."
Mrs. Rodham sat down without making any comments.
The Senator encouraged the crowd to "buddy up" and bring an extra person to caucus.
Sen. Clinton also noted that the event site, East High School in Des Moines was where she started her presidential campaign.
The Clinton campaign announced that both Dorothy Rodham, and Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, would join the New York senator on the campaign trail in Iowa on Saturday.
Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com
-CNN Producer Matt Hoye
Over 23,000 tickets for Oprah – Obama Iowa event
DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) – According to the Barack Obama campaign, twenty-three thousand tickets were distributed for Saturday's event with Oprah Winfrey.
The first twelve-thousand tickets were handed out to precinct captains, volunteers, caucus training attendees and people who came into one of the 37 Obama offices around the state to ask for one. The other eleven-thousand tickets were distributed on-line.
- CNN Senior Producer Sasha Johnson
GOP courting Latino voters
Watch Bill Schneider's report on how the GOP is courting the Latino vote.
(CNN)–Republican candidates have been speaking with two voices to Latino voters. The evidence suggests that Latinos have noticed. CNN's Bill Schneider takes a look.
The Best Political Podcast
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Now the Best Political Team is portable.
In Friday's Best Political Podcast, journalist Ron Suskind speaks with CNN's Wolf Blitzer about the CIA terrorism interrogation tapes destroyed by the spy agency, Bill Schneider reports on the GOP's relationship with Latino voters, and Candy Crowley takes a look at what Oprah Winfrey may be able to do for Sen. Barack Obama. Plus, get a your weekly dose of campaign trail mix.
Click here to subscribe to The Best Political Podcast
McCain's looks for New Hampshire comeback
Watch John King's report on John McCain's New Hampshire strategy.
(CNN)–John McCain is angling for a repeat of 2000, and another New Hampshire surprise. CNN's John King travels with McCain through the state, the Arizona senator hopes will turn him in to another 'Comeback Kid.'
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