Huckabee Unveils Ad Only to Disavow It

[davidinalameda]

Source: Washington Post

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee took an unorthodox gamble in his bid for the presidency Monday, unveiling an attack ad against Republican rival Mitt Romney and then immediately pledging not to run it in the hopes of appealing to the better nature of Iowa voters.

Flanked by posters his campaign produced to question Romney's credibility, Huckabee decried gutter politics in America but then directed the attention of scores of reporters and television cameras to a movie screen, where he played the 30-second hit piece on Romney's honesty and record.

"I pulled the ad. I do not want it to be run at all," he said. But within minutes, the ad was being played on national television and had been posted on blogs and other Web sites -- without costing his campaign a penny.

The campaign's decision to not buy airtime for the ad came after an internal debate over how to arrest the damage from a week of critical Romney campaign commercials and several highly publicized flubs by Huckabee, whose sudden status as front-runner in the GOP contest here appears to be in jeopardy.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/31/ST2007123102528.html

---

does he really think people are that stupid?

[Ikonoklast]

1. Yes, he does think they're stupid.

After all, he's an ordained minister selling bunkum and moonshine to the gullible.

[ingac70]

2. He doesn't think, he knows they are that stupid....

This is the Religious Right he is courting....

[hyphenate]

3. Anyone stupid enough

to believe in Creationism, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh is stupid enough to believe the wiles of a fuckup like Huckabee. They won't change, and they will continue to damage the image of our country in so many ways.

[and-justice-for-all]

4. Well he is accustomed to selling people bullshit..

that's what charlatans and snake oil sales men do.

[Dr.Phool]

5. Pretty smart campaign tactic.

The ad runs nationwide, and he doesn't waste a dime.

[Mz Pip]

6. He got more of a buzz

not running it than if he had just run the ad. Still his "I'm better than that." explanation was pretty lame.

I think it's a wash. Still I'd love to see him beat Mitwit in IA.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[humbled_opinion]

7. All he gotta do is tell the masses that Mitt will take away Jesus...

They will freak out and turn out in droves to support Huckster..}(

[underpants]

14. That's what I thought-sounds like the Swift Boaters

run the ad a couple of times and then get it run for free endlessly on the talk shows

[TwilightGardener]

8. Totally bizarre stunt. Everyone can see through it, too. Rollins isn't helping.

[msongs]

9. he's a Southern Baptist minister, that's the kind of thing they do nt

[KamaAina]

10. So he was for the ad before he was against it?

:sarcasm:

[JPZenger]

12. I enjoyed that

[JPZenger]

11. The press was laughing at him

As reported on NPR, the national press was laughing at him.

He will use the high road and not pay to show the attack video on TV, but here it is on a huge screen in front of the TV cameras of all of the national media. You are welcome to show it for free.

Fortunately, the national media didn't replay the video, they just commented on his hypocricy.

[Thor_MN]

13. Little league play. "I coulda thrown you out."

It's the fake throw, arm wave with the ball, after having finally corralled the easy grounder that bounced around his feet. The blustery, better stay close to that base, look. Nine year olds would be proud of him.

[trof]

15. Well...I could tell you some things about Huckabee.

I could tell you about his conviction on child molestation charges.
And about his long time love affair with his pet goat Daisy.
Or about his annual Baby Barbecue fund raiser.
But I won't.
Nope.
Wouldn't be right.