(CNN) - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who announced Saturday he will not seek the Republican presidential nomination, said he thought he would make a run for the White House “up until a few days ago.”
“I honestly thought I would be in it,” Huckabee said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Although the 2008 presidential candidate said he is not ready to endorse a candidate for the GOP nomination, he acknowledged that other potential candidates, including former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, as well as declared candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, may reap the benefits from his absence in the field.
“I think all of these folks, very clearly might benefit from it,” Huckabee said. “But those are some folks immediately, because of their strong positions on issues like life and traditional marriage, as well as fiscal conservativism.”
The Fox News host and former Baptist minister remains popular among social conservatives and registered well in national polls against President Obama and other potential Republican contenders.
While former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who Huckabee said left him a “wonderful” voicemail Saturday night, and real estate mogul Donald Trump didn’t make his list of favorites, ultimately he said he is a Republican and will support the GOP nominee in 2012.
“If Mitt Romney is the nominee for our party, I will support him because I believe Mitt Romney would be a better president of the United States than Barack Obama on any day,” Huckabee said. “And whether he is my first choice, I will support our nominee.”
“I believe Donald Trump would be better for America than Barack Obama, because he understands business,” Huckabee said.
Too bad he's not running..he's the only one I can stand to listen to.
Why should he run. He's getting a steady paycheck from Rupert Murdoch...for now. I say we start boycotting his sponsors like we did for Glenn Beck. His show is a waste of bandwidth anyway.
Any Republican nominee is advised to keep his day job.
Part of the problem the GOP has is that they keep putting the same LOSERS out there every election year to try to become POTUS. Look at Ron Paul trying for the 3rd time, Newt Gingrich really shouldn't be trying AT ALL, then Romney on his second try, and the other guys so far seem so boring even though they are new that this field has no excitment. Sarah Palin at one time was exciting and a good front runner UNTIL she opened her mouth and even die -heart conserves knew that being an "attack dog" is about the best they can get out of her. Look at the past loser McCain, Dole not a new face in the bunch. Like him or not one of the things Obama had going for him was that he was new and somewhat exciting and connected with the youth, minorities, even some moderate Republicans. The right doesn't want to admit it but the country is NOT as in bad a shape it was when Obama took over from Bush in 2009. Huckabee should keep his high paying job at FoxNews and do something easy, like making stuff up about Obama since their fans will believe about anything they put out.
Who cares? I liken this to Lebron's "The Decision".
I really love Mike Huckabee and sad that he is not running. I think he could have easily beat Obama. Rick Santorum is my next choice, although he is a longshot.
I'm sad that Huckabee isn't running in 2012. He would have made a great President. Rick Santorum would be a 2nd choice, but a longshot.
Donald Trump has filed for bankruptcy protection so many times, it's ridiculous. For Huckabee to say he favors Trump over Obama "because he understands business" is absolutely ludicrous. This is what you call Party First Theory.
Huckabee is a party guy. The fact that just because Trump is a businessman doesn't make him a better president than Obama. Trump hasn't understood that can't fire Congress. His show is evident that he can't figure out how to effectively run things.
obama is going to be reelected and almost all republicas know it,
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America won't vote for 4 more years of failure...9% unemployment, huge deficits, huge debts, Libyan war.
If he's willing to support Trump the chump and thinks that he would be better than President Obama. then he is right to sit this one out. HE HAS NO JUDGEMENT.
and then you realized you would lose millions by giving up your Fox job and your CD set of phony American history based on your opinions.....like forgetting to even mention that FDR was president for 12 years and the Democrats won WWII.
Of course, he wants to stay on Fox No News and spread lies that he couldn't on the campaign trail where his obvious lies would be challenged. No one is challenge his on Fox No News, they love his lies on the GOP network.