Thursday, May 5, 2011

Mike Huckabee's campaign-in-waiting

A new analysis on RealClearPolitics seems to prove that Huckabee is indeed running.

Quotes:
Edward J. Rollins, who joined Huckabee's team as national chairman in mid-December of 2007 -- just weeks before Huckabee solidly won the 2008 Iowa caucuses -- has been charged with setting up shop.

[...]
According to a confidant of Rollins who has been slated for a high-level position in the potential campaign, "Ed has had long and serious discussions with Mike as recently as this past weekend." Rollins would manage the first phase of the Huckabee campaign this time.
[...]
On a national level, Rollins has gotten verbal agreements from experienced Republican operatives who would join the team. A political director, fundraising team, media team, communications director, press staff, policy shop and opposition research outfit are locked and loaded. Serious discussions with a respected national pollster are ongoing, and several national Republican operatives have told RealClearPolitics that they've gotten calls with the message: "This thing is happening. Do you want to be a part of it?"
[...]
The gathering national team has a different take, though. Rollins has worked on nine presidential campaigns and has developed many contacts over that time, and he has recruited a team over the last four months that will be ready to roll if Huckabee pulls the trigger.

Sounds like Huckabee is serious about running after all, or what do you make of it? He's already put together a fundraising team. Read the whole article. They also say he have until the end of the month to make up his mind, and that he has moved up his deadline more and more (he was supposed to announce in late summer, then it became june or july, then probably june, and now Rollins say he may announce by the end of this month).

Discuss, please.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Best news I've heard since Huck had to drop out in 2008...by the way..if you listen to Huckabee in 2007, he was "right on" about Pakistan. He is also "right on" about "The Fair Tax" and so many other things. A brilliant man, a strong leader, the BEST orator...Huckabee is the man who will beat Obama..

John said...

Could not have said it any better myself, Anonymous.

Anonymous said...

Ed Rollins is a pathetic, biased human being. I don't think he will be good for Huckabee in this campaign. Huckabee and Rollins together have only alienated Mormons and their friends with their actions, which will not serve Huckabee well in Utah and some other western states. If Huckabee is serious, he is going to have to approach his campaign very differently this time. Hiring Rollins will send a "more of the same" message to those who need to hear and see him in a different light. This is not a wise move for Huckabee.

AZ

Anonymous said...

Apparently, FOX gave him until the end of the month.

'Kick him in the teeth, and groin' Ed Rollins? Ha ha. I'm with AZ, Rollins is a horrible choice if Huck wants to be anything other than a joke. This will not be a serious campaign . . . IF he runs.

-Martha

Anonymous said...

Can't wait for the commercials they will produce together. More floating crosses, perhaps? Of maybe more ads they will show to the press, but have to much 'conscience' to run. HA HA!

-Martha

marK said...

Martha,

Be nice. You know my feelings towards Mike Huckabee. I think he is a weasel.

However, this is a new campaign -- a new page. Let's see if they've learned their lesson from last time and behave themselves. If they have, it will be all for the good. If they haven't, then they will deserve the thorough drubbing they will receive.

Anonymous said...

Huckabee needs to examine his past campaign and get rid of the dead weight. Say to Rollins what Romney said to Keough in NH, Thanks, but No Thanks!

zeke

Anonymous said...

Mark, I'm just having fun. You know how hard it is for me to be nice!

If Huck runs an honest and decent campaign, I'll be the first to acknowledge it. I sincerely hope he does---but I won't hold my breath or anything.

-Martha

Closer To Home said...

There is no doubt in my mind that Rollins is trying to prepare a "campaign in waiting" for Huck. After all, who else would hire the lizard Ed Rollins. If he can assemble his own team in the wings, IF Huck decides to run, he has a high paying job that makes him relevant for another year. That being said, it doesn't indicate with any additional certainty which way Huck is leaning.

Since Huck doesn't have any money in his PAC, and since he can't engage in an exploratory venture without surrendering his weekend job, all of Rollins work has to be pro bono, and he can do no more than to beg them to keep their powder dry.

Last evening, there were already questions about whether there were sufficient "A" players to fill out a Daniels campaign, after many of the best have been signed on by Romney and Pawlenty. The same question must be asked of Huck/Rollins.

Needless to say, the best talent is not still connected to Rollins. I imagine him assembling something akin to major league baseball during WWII; has beens and underage minor league players. Or replacement players for the NFL if they have a lock out.

Evidently, FOX is telling Huck he has no more than 4 weeks to declare his intentions, a point pressed by his decision to speak at campaign-type convocations. That would seem to push up his timetable by as much as a couple of months. Undoubtedly, he would have rather waited till August when he could see the playing field a bit better.

I can't imagine what he sees now is more encouraging than it was 6 months ago. Romney has weathered rushes by Palin, Gingrich, and Trump. Thune, Barbour, Pence, Christie, Ryan, and Rubio have all declared that they will not challenge from the establishment side. Pawlenty has not shown any strength in NH.

There are probably only two names left for Huck to hope rise up as a challenge to the Romney side of the bracket; Daniels and Hunstman. Daniels is still waiting in the wings, showing that he is a strong domestic voice, but not ready to lead on foreign policy. Huntsman is assembling a competent team but with no poll results to indicate any early affinity in NH.

And Romney is preparing for a mid-May fund-raising roll out, and a month long national fund-raising tour, that will demonstrate his ability to sustain a long nomination campaign. Huckabee has to be calculating his own ability to beat a Romney campaign that has to this point weathered every other challenge, and to have to wage that battle all the way to convention.

Revolution 2012 said...

My guess is that if Huckabee can land a multi-year contract from Fox, he won't run.
Short of that, he may not have anything to lose by running.

Anonymous said...

My question is if Huck runs, will he use the same angle of religious division that he used in 08? After all, this was the central theme of his campaign. He was not Romney the Mormon, basically, and it was the only way to distinguish himself. It was clear he was not running against McCain, but Romney only.

If he does repeat the same strategy, how will it play in round 2? I predict not well, although there is certainly a number of people who will never vote for a Mormon.

If he doesn't, what will the focus of his campaign be? He ran as the Christian Leader who is not the Mormon last time. Without that identity, what does he do? He doesn't have a great record as governor, certainly nothing close to Romney's, Daniel's, or Pawenty's.

I think he really must be wondering how/what he can do to distinguish himself from the others. The poll numbers are a mirage, that will not hold up unless he comes out and shows there's actually something of substance behind them. This is why I'm still very doubtful he runs. He also knows that the clemency issue is waiting in the wings.

-Martha

Anonymous said...

Tax Hike Mike doesnt have a snowballs chance in hell.

Granny T said...

Janet Huckabee "supports him becoming a candidate again".

Hope the rumors otherwise can be put to rest now!