Mike Huckabee was on ABC’s This week with Stephanopoulos, and explained he is not like other Republicans because he likes music and art, and calls this a “paradoxical Republican.” He was also an Arkansas governor that rasied taxes. Huckabee explained,
Well, you know, when people say we shouldn’t have any taxes, you know what? When you dial 911 and your house is on fire, you want a fire truck to come. Guess what pays for it? Taxes. What Americans don’t want is unfair, unnecessary, exceptionally high taxes where the money is wasted. But Americans understand that, if you have the garbage pickup, or the fire trucks and police cars out there, or for that matter if you have a highway, then it’s got to be paid for.
Also on This Week was John Kerry, who said now that he isn’t running, he can focus more on the war in Iraq.
Chris Dodd moved up in the polls this past week from 0% to 1%. Don’t want to peak to quick. Dodd was on CBS’s Face the Nation this morning talking about, talking about the Iraq war in the Senate. When speaking about the non binding resolutions of last week Dodd said, “None of these resolutions could garner barely 50 votes, and so we ended up sort of competing about debating over debating.” But then Trent Lott came on and said the Republicans, “didn’t block debate – actually, the vote was to continue debate.” Lott said that Republicans are insisting on a “debate, not a mandate.” So the Senate is debating about debating while the Iraqi war goes on. Dodd went on to say in Iraq, “Sixty percent believe it’s appropriate to shoot and kill Americans who are there,”….. “How do you sustain a policy when the very people we’re trying to help are opposed to our being there?”
Australian Prime Minister John Howard attacked Obama the day after Obama announced his candidacy. Howard said of Obama and Democrats, “I think he’s wrong. I think that will just encourage those who want to completely destabilise and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for an Obama victory”….”If I were running al-Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and be praying as many times as possible for a victory not only for Obama but also for the Democrats.” P.M. Howard is a good friend of President Bush, and also is sliding down in the polls because of his stance on the Iraq war, just like Bush’s other good friend on the war Tony Blair. Obama responded with, “I would also note that we have close to 140,000 troops in Iraq, and my understanding is Mr Howard has deployed 1,400, so if he is … to fight the good fight in Iraq, I would suggest that he calls up another 20,000 Australians and sends them to Iraq.”…..”Otherwise it’s just a bunch of empty rhetoric.” Most American politicians on both sides of the aisle have indicated that Howard should stay out of American politics, except for Duncan Hunter who defended Howard, by saying, “I think the Aussies have earned a right to comment on the world stage about their partner in this endeavour because they’ve been fighting side-by-side with us in Iraq,” The Aussies currently have about 1,000 troops in Iraq in noncombat positions. Obama also said he took it as a compliment that an ally of Bush is already speaking out about him. And Finally today I have to give it up to John McCain for putting his money where his mouth is. McCain is a strong supporter of sending more troops to Iraq, even against all this mainstream opposition going on now. Among those 20,000 troops expected to go to Iraq is McCain’s 18 year old son who just graduated from Marine boot camp in December. McCain is willing to do what very few politicians would do, he is willing to send his own son.
Alan Cosgrove