Huckabee puts chances of a 2016 run at 50-50, wades into 'Duck Dynasty' controversy
(CNN) – Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said Sunday there's about a 50-50 chance he'll run for president again in 2016.
The former Arkansas governor said he would make a final decision after next year's midterm elections.
"I would say maybe at this point it is 50-50. I don't know. I don't know that I can put a percentage on it," Huckabee said on "Fox News Sunday."
"It would be a decision of the heart," he said "I've tried to be honest in all my evaluations, not only back in 2011, but even now, so when people ask me, ’Are you open to the possibilities?’ the honest answer is yes."
The 2008 presidential candidate opted out of running this past presidential cycle but in recent interviews has left the door open to another bid for the White House.
In recent weeks, Huckabee has met with groups from the politically important early voting states of Iowa and South Carolina. He told the Washington Post that groups he hadn't received support from in the past are encouraging him to launch another campaign, though Sunday he denied intentionally planting ideas of a future presidential run.
Mulling 2016 bid, Huckabee meets Iowa and S.C. groups
Huckabee, a pastor, also weighed in on controversial comments by “Duck Dynasty” TV star Phil Robertson in an interview with GQ magazine about same-sex marriage, saying that homosexuality is as much of a sin as lust.
"I think it's come to a point in our culture where political correctness has made it so if you want to take a point of view that is traditional, that holds to a steadfast, old-fashioned biblical, Christian values - which are also, by the way, values of traditional Judaism and even Islam - and somehow you're just supposed to shut up and keep that to yourself," he said, noting President Barack Obama's changed in position on the issue.
Huckabee pointed to a "new level of bullying on the part of these militant activist groups,” as reason for Robertson's suspension by A&E, referring to groups like the Human Rights Campaign, which urged the network to suspend the star.
But Huckabee conceded that Robertson's comments would have been "more appropriate for the duck woods than it would be for the pages of a major news magazine."
CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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Huckabee doesn't have a chance in 2016 until he participates in the circular firing squad currently in progress. He will have to make a fool of himself like Cruz, Rubio, Paul, Christie and Ryan.
So, Mr. Huckabee... you think black slaves were actually happy and better off and all that other stuff Mr. Duck said?
"new level of bullying on the part of these militant activist groups,”
Hmmm...I wonder if he was saying the same thing a decade ago when many of his supporters were burning Dixie Chicks CDs because they dared to criticize the president.
Huckabee thought it was difficult to beat Pres.Obama, he better think twice if it is easy to beat Hillary. The same machine will be in operational again. It didn't go away.
The trendy America is taking wl soon make a country of a people who stand for nothing.
Huckabee would of been so much better than Obama.
being a bigot and being a Christian are two very different things. If JC were still around he'd be horrified by the many bigots who call themselves Christians. Huckabee for president? Now that's a really funny joke.
Huckabee with Phil Robertson as his Snooki Palin sidekick.
Let's hope he doesn't drown . . . . NOT!
These fools don't learn from past mistakes, do they? You are not worthy of even considering a run yet again.
There is money to be made if he runs. That is why he will run.
So, this "man of the cloth" is embracing the idea that Blacks in the South liked the pre-civil rights South? That's another nail in the coffin of the GOP outreach plan. Ignorance and hate supporting ignorance and hate.
The hypocritical intolerance coming out of the far right wing is caustic.
We would be VERY supportive if you decide to run. Please do – to put a renewed honesty to the position, which hasn't been seen in a l o n g time!
I have to help Huckabee to do the calculations. If he thinks he will get evangelical votes, that was I suppose Romney got and didn't take him anywhere. He needs more than evangelical votes. I have tried to think from where? but I do not see who will support him besides this group. Therefore, Huckabee, you better give up already. The Math doesn't add up.
according to a lot of people, He wasn't that much of a good governor, OR a preacher......I guess the "other" news channel "picked him up" – guess that the way they roll, over there.....as far as I'm concerned, they should be called, "Not Fair, & Not Balanced" LOL – – after 5 minutes of listening of it, I have to get an Excedrin or Tylenol, because of everybody talking on top of one another, arguing, trying to talk Over one another, fussing, fighting, and the majority of the Anchors (after 6 pm) cut off who ever their guest is......amazing, isn't it ?
The clown car just keeps filling up. Gov. Huckabee needs to just fade into the woodwork and take his archaic bigotry with him. I am so sick of these self professed christians who continue to spew their bigotry. Enough of them!
The ignorant and uninformed comments here by those claiming the Phil stated that blacks were better off or that they were happier is a sad revelation of how liberal minds work, or rather malfunction. Stating personal observations about a very narrow slice of people in a very specific setting in no way is a blanket statement about the big picture, but of course the DNC and supporters are not capable of understanding this. Anything that can be twisted to race bait and cause strife and devision is fair game to the left.
OK, so does that you mean your also HATEN on gays but just won't be 'public' about Hucklebee?