Washington (CNN) - Mike Huckabee on Monday defended Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour from recent criticism that he has been insensitive to issues of race and civil rights.
The former Arkansas governor said Barbour, another southerner who is strongly considering a 2012 presidential bid, is "a person of impeccable integrity when it comes to issues of race."
"I'm not going to criticize Haley," said Huckabee, who called Barbour a friend and labeled him "the smartest political mind in America today" and "a sheer genius of political strategy."
Huckabee made the comments on a conference call with reporters to promote his new book, "A Simple Government."
Barbour last week refused to condemn the Mississippi chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans after the group proposed a state-sponsored license plate honoring Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, who became an early leader of the Ku Klux Klan.
And in December, Barbour came under fire after he gave an interview to The Weekly Standard featuring a fond remembrance of the pro-segregation Citizens Council in his hometown of Yazoo City.
"I don't think it's fair to read too much into what Haley said," Huckabee added. "I would never be critical of Haley and would not second guess his experiences."
Brilliant minds run along the same track! Ha, Ha!
I don't think this fools anyone. Barbour has two strikes on him already.
Tell us something we don't know about the Grand Wizard Huckaboo. I'm more concerned about how you can be a minister and work for a network that is hate based.
Impeccable record on race issuess? From who's perspective, Mr Huckabee? From one white southern man to another? Way to go.
In the south, you don't re-write the entire history, just to be "politically correct".
"I'm not going to criticize Haley," said Huckabee, who called Barbour a friend and labeled him "the smartest political mind in America today" and "a sheer genius of political strategy."
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SMACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You just kissed what little chance you had at the Presidency goodbye Ad Hoc!!
It's honorable to stick by your friends but your friend is WRONG ten ways to Sunday, and for you to insist on playing "blind man" to this fact just doesn't speak of being a good judge of character on your part. It also says that you allow loyalties to blind you to the glaring truth.
See ya! Thanks for playing Huckie!
This comes from a man who refused to stand against the flying of the confederate flag and in fact asked his fellow Republicans (such as McCain who did speak against the flag) to stop denouncing it. Here is what he said: "You don't like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag. ... If somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we'd tell them what to do with the pole." He got a round of applause from that line from the southern crowd. The civil war was about slavery, plain and simple. Even Jefferson Davis, former president of the south during the civil war said so (I would add his quotes, but I don't want the post to get too long). Therefore, to pretend otherwise is insulting and an attempt to change history. Anyone that is OK with his state honoring the founder of a violent terrorist group (the KKK) is not one that deserves support. And any politician that supports America's swastika (the confederate flag) is not one I will ever support.
Perhaps change the title of his new book to "Neo-Con Government for Simpletons and Dummies"
That statement will be the death knell for Huckabee's chances in 2012!
We know who is Haley Barbour Huckabee’s view will hurt his campaign
Left dream ticket in 2012 is Barbour/Palin or Bachmann this ticket we will see 50 blue states in 2012
"the smartest political mind in America today" and "a sheer genius of political strategy."
Sure Huck. Explain then why Mississippi is rated number 49 out of 50 in nearly every national category imaginable. I understand that you and your GOPer cohorts want to bring America down to gutter levels, but I suspect most Americans have other plans for themselves, their children, and their grandchildren.
Yeah, and abortion is the most important issue this country faces today, eh? Loozer putz. 🙂
I think Mr. Huckabee could use a dictionary to look up the term 'impeccable'. Unless it's opposites day, where impeccable actually means pitiful.
Who cares? Neither of you nitwits are going to beat President Obama!
There aren't many southern whites who are honest about the racial history in this country. Huckabee and Barbour would like nothing better than to rewrite history and make heroes out of their grandparents and the the rest of their ancestors. To fully acknowledge the history of how whites treated blacks in the south since the end of reconstruction would make any sane person ashamed of their ancestors and seeking ways to make amends for what they did to an entire population of people. So they need to promote their ancestors as heroes instead of the criminals against GOD that they were. As long as they continue to deny what was perpetrated on Africans Americans by their ancestors they will never see the oval office as its inhabtant. If you look at the only southern Presidents we've had in recent history they've all come to grips with =what their ancestors did and have tried to make a difference in rectifying it.
The guy LOOKS like a racist. Just like Repubs. proclaimed that John Kerry looked French.
Frankly, the opening image says all their is to say.
Oh yeah? Where does Mississippi rank in education and poverty? When I was stationed at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, racism was rampant. Black and white military personnel couldn't walk the streets together, there was separate taxi services and separate social venues. Where was Haley then? Oh, I forgot he thought it was okay.
Barbour is a racist lout. Ah the good ole days in Yazoo City where the Klan, oops the Citizens Commission, kept the darkies in line, no we had no riots. They knew their place, ah, I knew them as friends, er servants, um, next question.
Huckabee is another Arkansas hick.
You've got to be kidding! Even if he were impeccable nobody could understand him if they lived in the north with that southern drawl! He is not electable. Neither is Huckabee or whatever his right wing name is!
Two peas in a pod, that's what they both are. Give it up we will never elaect either of you. Your era the 50's has passed.
A southern white racist saying a southern white racist isn't a southern white racist for promoting a stamp with the face of a southern white racist on it. And, this is what rates as immpeccable behavior by southern white racists? Inbreds all.
NEWS FLASH: Former Republican Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee does not denounce current Republican Miss. Governor Haley Barbour, Gov. Haley Barbour does not dennounce Ku Klux Klan Founder / Confederate General Beford Nathan Forrest!
Barbour is impeccably Confederate!
He's the resurrection of Boss Hogg, an extreme case of the "Good ole boy" if there ever was one.
Huckabee just brought himself down several notches (below the sea level he was already in).