The Exciting Huckabee Encounter - Part 1

The 11 Smiths with the next President!!!!

A group of about 60 supporters gathered at the Nashville airport to

welcome Gov. Huckabee to Tennessee
Melissa
Daddy talks with Chip Saltsman, Huckabee's campaign manager
Jonathan and Deborah with Mr. Saltsman
Anna, David, and friend Andrew Poole, waiting eagerly...

Daddy visits with our friend, Jerry Woods, a former classmate of Gov. Huckabee's!

The jet arrives!!


Gov. Huckabee approaches the building...

...and enters to cheers and applause!

Gov. Huckabee signs autographs and talks to Anna and Jonathan
Gov. Huckabee signs our copy of his book Gov. Huckabee signs an autograph for Sarah






Luke and Andrew Poole with Gov. Huckabee
Anna is interviewed by a News Channel 5 reporter!

The group was just the right size. Everyone had the opportunity to shake hands with Gov. Huckabee, talk to him, and get his autograph.

It was amazing and wonderful to be able to meet Gov. Huckabee!! What impressed us the most about him was how he was so genuine, so sincere, so caring, and so real! He expressed heartfelt gratitude and thanks to each supporter he spoke with, sometimes more than once! It was evident that he was interested in the life of every person there -- from the way he talked to an expectant mother about her baby due next month, went out of his way to go over and shake hands with airport employees who directed the landing of his jet, and thanked people for having their picture taken with him! He was grateful and honored that everyone would come to see him!

We are more convinced than ever that Gov. Huckabee is the man to lead our country. It is so wonderful to imagine having a President who realizes that he is the servant of the people, not the ruler of the people!!

The Exciting Huckabee Encounter - Part 2

After the event at the airport we had lunch, then headed to the Legislative Plaza where Governor Huckabee was scheduled to be later that afternoon.

We had to park several blocks away, so we did some sign waving in downtown Nashville on the way there. We got several honks and waves.

We spent some time in the Capitol Building while we waited.

David and Andrew Poole pose in the Old Supreme Court Chamber
Waiting for Governor Huckabee's arrival

The Exciting Huckabee Encounter - Part 3

After our time in the Capitol, we returned to the Legislative Building to await Gov. Huckabee's arrival. A big crowd of media, legislators, interns and supporters began to gather.

While we waited, Fox News17 interviewed Daddy.

Gov. Huckabee arrived, and waved to us, then was hurried into the Lt. Gov.'s office for a press conference. After the press conference, Gov. Huckabee met with Tennessee leaders in the office. He planned to come out and talk to the crowd afterwards.

We waited and waited and waited...
While we were waiting, Daddy was interviewed by the Arkansas Democratic Gazette and by another news channel. Melissa was interviewed by ITV, making 5 interviews in all for our family.

Still waiting...our signs and buttons being taped by the media...
After 2 hours...
Gov. Huckabee finally emerges!
Because the meetings had taken so long, all Gov. Huckabee had time to do was shake hands on the way out.

David asked Gov. Huckabee if he had a message for the readers of our blog. Gov. Huckabee did, and Sarah videotaped it. When we figure out how to put it on the computer, we'll post it!
One man gave his cell phone to Gov. Huckabee so he could talk to his wife!
Gov. Huckabee is hurried away to his next event.
Our autographed books, signs and bumper stickers!
Click here to watch FoxNews17's coverage of the Part 3 event, featuring Daddy's interview and some video of us!! The video will be on the page linked to.

Tennessee Right to Life Endorsement

The TN Right to Life plans to offer their endorsement to Gov. Huckabee tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Thanks to everyone who helped to contact the TN Right to Life, and a big thank you to TNRTL and President Brian Harris for this important endorsement. Be sure to send them a note at info@tnrtl.org or bharris@tnrtl.org to show your gratefulness!

Huckabee is coming to Nashville!

On Monday, January 28, Governor Huckabee will be coming to Nashville for a fundraiser luncheon.

We will not be attending the $1,000 a plate luncheon. However, we are getting together a group of supporters to meet him at the airport when he arrives. (We have been in touch with Jennifer Hatten from the Little Rock office and she has arranged for us to meet him there.)

The last report we had is that we need to be at the hangar by 11:00 a.m. Governor Huckabee will have a tight schedule and will probably not be able to spend much time there, but we would like to have a crowd there to encourage him.

If you are interested in joining us in welcoming Governor Huckabee to Tennessee, please leave us a comment. We will let you know where to meet and will keep you updated on any new information we get.

What is the FairTax?

A comment left on our blog earlier today addressed the FairTax. Since Governor Huckabee is a strong supporter of the FairTax, I would like to take some time to explain it to those who may not have researched it.

So, what is the FairTax?

The following is taken from the FairTax website:

The FairTax plan is a comprehensive proposal that replaces all federal income and payroll based taxes with an integrated approach including a progressive national retail sales tax, a prebate to ensure no American pays federal taxes on spending up to the poverty level, dollar-for-dollar federal revenue neutrality, and, through companion legislation, the repeal of the 16th Amendment.

The FairTax Act (HR 25, S 1025) is nonpartisan legislation. It abolishes all federal personal and corporate income taxes, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, and self-employment taxes and replaces them with one simple, visible, federal retail sales tax administered primarily by existing state sales tax authorities.

The FairTax taxes us only on what we choose to spend on new goods or services, not on what we earn. The FairTax is a fair, efficient, transparent, and intelligent solution to the frustration and inequity of our current tax system.

The FairTax:

-Enables workers to keep their entire paycheck

-Enables retirees to keep their entire pension

-Refunds in advance the tax on purchases of basic necessities

-Allows American products to compete fairly

-Brings transparency and accountability to tax policy

-Ensures Social Security and Medicare funding

-Closes all loopholes and brings fairness to taxation

-Abolishes the IRS

The FairTax replaces our current, complicated tax system with a simple alternative, an easy-to-use sales tax. Instead of paying multiple taxes on your income, you are taxed only on spending.
The FairTax calls for a simple 23% sales tax. Compared to our current sales tax, this seems to be a huge tax. However, when you buy an item now you are paying more tax than you realize. Because the item has already been taxed several times before the consumer purchases it (the producer has been taxed, each individual item in the product has been taxed, etc.), the retail price has been raised to include those taxes. With the FairTax each item will be taxed once - when it is purchased. In addition, there will be no tax on used items (cars, items from resale shops, etc.).

Many people have been concerned about how the FairTax will affect the poor. Because of the monthly prebate, the FairTax actually ends up un-taxing the poor. Click here for a clear explanation of the prebate.

The FairTax website has a wealth of additional information and research, answers to critics of the FairTax, a list of which Presidential and Congressional candidates support or do not support the FairTax, and much, much more.

Will you give 10 minutes to Huckabee today?

Huckabee supporters all over the country have already made over 6,800 phone calls to Florida voters using the easy online phone bank. The campaign has set a goal of 25,000 phone calls by the end of the day. Will you give 10 minutes to help them reach this goal?

The Huckabee campaign has put together an easy way for all supporters to help with phonecalls. Click here to get started! Once you sign up you will be provided with phone numbers to call and a phone script.

More Endorsements and the Debate

Today Gov. Huckabee received the endorsement of Florida's conservative pro-family leadership. Click here to read more.

Tonight there will be a Republican debate broadcast by MSNBC at 8:00 CT. The 5 remaining candidates for the GOP nomination will be participating.

Hunter Endorses Huckabee!

Former Presidential Candidate Duncan Hunter has just announced his endorsement of Mike Huckabee!

Read the CNN article below to see why Hunter chose to support Huckabee.

January 23, 2008
Hunter endorses Huckabee
Posted: 03:15 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNN) — California Rep. Duncan Hunter, a former presidential candidate, announced Wednesday he is endorsing Mike Huckabee's White House bid.

“I got to know Governor Huckabee well on the campaign trail,” Hunter said in a statement. “Of the remaining candidates I feel that he is strongly committed to strengthening national defense, constructing the border fence and meeting the challenge of China’s emergence as a military superpower that is taking large portions of America’s industrial base.

"Along with these issues of national security, border enforcement and protecting the U.S. industrial base, I see another quality of Mike Huckabee’s candidacy that compels my endorsement," he added. "Mike Huckabee is a man of outstanding character and integrity. I saw that character over the last year of campaigning and was greatly impressed. The other Republican candidates have many strengths and I wish them all well."

Tennessee Endorsements

Fellow Tennesseeans:

Please contact our elected officials and ask them to endorse Gov. Huckabee now that Fred Thompson has dropped out.

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander: (202) 224-4944
U.S. Senator Bob Corker: (202) 224-3344
U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn: (202) 225-2811
U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp: (423) 756-2342
U.S. Congressman John Duncan: (865) 984-5464
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey -- email: lt.gov.ron.ramsey@legislature.state.tn.us

Contact the Tennessee Right to Life at: info@tnrtl.org
President of the Tennessee Right to Life Brian Harris: bharris@tnrtl.org.

Wallbuilders' Voter Guide

Click here to see a comparison of the candidates' positions on important issues like biblical marriage and the protection of human life. This guide provides links to articles and videos that document each candidate's position in his own words.

Gov. Huckabee On Roe V. Wade

January 22, 2008 -- "Today is the 35th anniversary of a great American tragedy, the Roe vs. Wade court decision that has led to the loss of millions of innocent lives. These children were denied the right to life our Constitution grants to everyone in America, only because they had yet to emerge from their mother’s womb. As President Bush noted today, America is better than this. I support and have always supported passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life. As president, I will fight for passage of this amendment. My convictions regarding the sanctity of life have always been clear and consistent, without equivocation or wavering. I believe that Roe v. Wade should be over-turned. I applaud those who are marching in Washington and elsewhere to call attention yet again to this terrible injustice. I stand with them in calling for the passage of a Constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade and restore the constitutional rights of the unborn, and I will march with them next year if I am elected president. As president, I pledge that I will continue the fight so that every child can have his or her God-given right to life."

- Gov. Mike Huckabee

Fred Thompson Drops Out!

Fred Thompson, former Tennessee Senator, dropped out of the GOP race today. ://www.politico.com/news/stories/0108/8039.html

This is great news for conservatives, and especially for us in Tennessee!

Video: A Reminder

Urgent: Contact the Florida Right to Life

The Florida Right to Life has not endorsed a candidate yet. Please join us in flooding their office with calls and emails requesting their endorsement for Gov. Huckabee.

Contact: (407) 834-5433
Email: frtl@embarqmail.com

On To Florida!!!!!!!!!!

A splitting of the conservative vote in South Carolina between Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson handed the victory to John McCain, a moderate who lost the state to George W. Bush in the 2000 primary. The good news is that Gov. Huckabee easily won the largest percentage of the conservative vote as well as the largest percentage of the Republican vote. And now it's on to Florida! The Florida primary is only for registered Republican voters, so McCain's independents won't be helping him there. He'll be splitting the moderate vote with Rudy Giuliani, and hopefully the Florida conservatives won't waste their votes on the dying campaign of Fred Thompson. Click here to read an article from the St. Petersburg Times on how the Florida primary system could be helpful for Gov. Huckabee.

There is a lot of work to be done in Florida before the 29th. If you are interested in volunteering, you can email Cherie Short at cheriereopro@hotmail.com. Please remember to send emails, make phone calls, write letters to the editors of Florida newspapers, contact uncommitted Florida leaders and ask for their endorsement, donate to the campaign and anything else you can think of to help!

This race is far from over!!!

Watch this personal message from Gov. Huckabee to all of us at Huck's Army yesterday!!!!!!!!!

South Carolina Votes Today!

Gov. Huckabee speaks to a crowd in South Carolina

The latest polls show Gov. Huckabee and John McCain in a close race in South Carolina, but with Gov. Huckabee's momentum building. Click here to see the final South Carolina poll put out last night by the American Research Group. It has Gov. Huckabee leading by 6 points. That's good news, but we need to keep praying! Pray for the weather to clear up -- there are reports of snow and rain across S.C. right now -- and pray that Huckabee supporters will get out the vote!
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3

Click here to watch Gov. Huckabee being interviewed by Wolf Blitzer yesterday.

South Carolina

Gov. Huckabee continues campaigning in South Carolina today. Click here for today's schedule of events. If you know people in South Carolina, share these events with them and urge them to go hear Gov. Huckabee speak.

South Carolina's Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer endorsed Gov. Huckabee this morning. Click here to read more.

Sign up here to volunteer to make phone calls in South Carolina. Don't forget to pray that the large portion of undecided voters will make the decision to vote for Huckabee on Saturday. The Rasmussen Report South Carolina poll released today has Huckabee and McCain tied at 24% each.

In national polls, Rasmussen Reports has Gov. Huckabee at 23%, leading McCain by 3% and Romney by 5%.

Voting for Huckabee!

Early Voting in Tennessee began today!

The polls opened at 9:00 We were the first ones to vote in our County,

so the first 9 votes were cast for Huckabee!

Anna casts the VERY FIRST VOTE in McNairy County! Deborah votes for the first time ever!
Since Daddy and Melissa want to be Huckabee delegates, their names are on the ballot

Melissa thought it was funny to vote for herself!

Happy to have voted for Huckabee!

Please Volunteer to Make Phone Calls!

The grassroots Huckabee campaign is making a final push with phone calls to South Carolina and Nevada. Please join us! Go to www.phonecallsformike.blogspot.com and sign up. It's very important to get as many South Carolina voters contacted as possible before Saturday. We've been making calls all week, and have discovered that most of the S.C. voters are still undecided!

Pledge now!

Last night the Huckabee campaign's goal of raising 1 million dollars by the 10th was met!

Huckabee Momentum is organizing a fundraising effort. Please go to www.huckabeemomentum.com and pledge to donate just $25 when ten thousand others have pledged to do the same. Please sign up and encourage your family members and friends to do the same. There are 159 pledges so far.

Debate Analysis

Gov. Huckabee clearly did very well in last night's South Carolina Republican Debate. We thought he had the best answers of the night, and we agree with this analysis from the Weekly Standard:



"A Big Night for Huckabee"


"For the third time in six days, the Republican candidates gathered for a presidential debate in South Carolina on Thursday night. They say the presidential campaign isn't a sprint but a marathon. This week, it felt like a triathlon. The pre-debate agendas for each candidate were clear. Rudy, Fred, and Mitt had to do something to lift themselves off the mat. McCain and Huckabee had to broaden their appeal while avoiding any catastrophic errors that would make a Mitt, Fred, or Rudy rebound more likely: Oh, and Ron Paul had to stop embarrassing himself and the philosophy of libertarianism, something that seemed only slightly more likely than John McCain going the entire evening without saying "My friends." So how did the contestants fare? In ascending order: 6) Ron Paul: Paul has become the Washington Generals of politicians, assuming the Generals had thousands of zealots who showed up every time they played the Globetrotters and cheered like lunatics whenever the Generals hoisted up a shot, regardless of whether or not it went in. Paul's sole function at these things is for the other candidates to point out his relentless silliness and score points at his expense. The cranky Texan provided a wealth of opportunities for righteous indignation this evening, and it was a sad commentary on the Republican field that only Brit Hume and Mike Huckabee effectively rebuked him.
5) Mitt Romney: The stakes were highest for Romney. He came into tonight's debate with a harsh, looming deadline. If he doesn't win in Michigan next Tuesday, he's pretty much done. Fred and Rudy at least don't have their respective final exams until South Carolina and Florida. So it was an odd night for Romney to go invisible and say hardly anything original or inspiring. This was Romney's most lackluster debate performance of the entire campaign, and it came at a time when he could least afford it. If the guy who showed up in New Hampshire on Sunday showed up tonight, maybe Romney could have rallied. He still might, but this debate won't be the reason.
4) Rudy Giuliani: Giuliani has made himself utterly irrelevant. As if to underscore his irrelevance, his campaign sent out a photo during the debate of Rudy shaking Ronald Reagan's hand in the Oval Office. Wow! Gotta admit, that's pretty great. If that 25 year-old picture doesn't salt away Florida, I don't know what will.
3) John McCain: Tonight was like a microcosm of the senator's career. McCain is sometimes an inspiring and courageous leader. At other times, he seems to take a strange pleasure in being his own worst enemy. McCain had some wonderful moments tonight. His role in making the surge happen can't be overstated. He also sounded great when talking about the Navy. It's not just McCain's biography that makes him a credible Commander in Chief. He really understands military matters, and that separates him from the field in both parties. But there was also the other McCain, the one who seems to love to annoy conservatives for no apparent reason. Can anyone tell me why he opted to dance through the climate change minefield on his own volition? Why didn't he just go all in and offer some glowing praise for Al Gore's courageous leadership on that issue while he was at it? As has been the case throughout his career, McCain had some good moments and some bad ones. The problem is his principal rival, Mike Huckabee, has good moments and great ones.
2) Fred Thompson: If he keeps this up, Thompson will wrest the title of most frustrating candidacy from Mitt Romney. When he asserted himself tonight, Fred was brilliant. But he doesn't assert himself nearly enough, especially for a guy with his standing in the polls. Fred really has a great command of the issues. His comments on the economy were cogent and well-informed. He gets bonus points because his observations don't seem like the product of pre-debate cramming. He had one of his best moments of his campaign when he attacked Mike Huckabee for some of his more liberal positions. Fred spoke for many Republicans who have qualms about Huckabee. Problem is, Fred was attacking an exceptionally skilled politician.
1) Mike Huckabee: Huckabee deftly parried Thompson's aggressive and spirited attacks early in the debate. It was a battle on terrain that was unfriendly to Huckabee, and Thompson attacked with skill. And yet Huckabee got out of the exchange unscathed. The exchange with Thompson came early in the debate, and Huckabee was just getting warmed up. For the first time in this campaign, Huckabee looked like a credible commander in chief when the conversation turned to those Iranian speedboats. His normal joviality vanished, replaced by an appropriate gravity. Then he got even better. He seized on a characteristic piece of Ron Paul idiocy to give a spirited speech defending America's commitment to Israel. Again, he looked credible as a commander in chief. But this was also an extremely shrewd piece of politicking. Conservative foreign policy types obviously loved it as did inherently pro-Israel people (i.e. Jews). But Huckabee's core audience of conservative Christians, a much larger segment of the society than either of the other two groups, adored it also. Mike Huckabee's an exceptional politician whose package of skills is often sold short. He's a lot more than an affable dispenser of one-liners who only knows how to play to the home crowd. For people who might be inclined to dismiss Huckabee, compare his response to Thompson's adroit offensive with McCain's blundering into the climate warming thicket. These two are the likely finalists, and one of them is much better at politics than the other. Here's what I said on November 28, the night of the YouTube debate, the night that catapulted Huckabee to his huge lead in Iowa: "Was this a seismic night? I'll give that one a big yes. Tonight heralded the arrival of Mike Huckabee as a force in this race. Not a spoiler, not a wildcard, but a force."
Although fewer people watched this evening's festivities, tonight was even bigger for Huckabee. For the first time, it was not only possible but easy to imagine Mike Huckabee as the leader of 300 million people. He combined this new-found authority with his old standbys of off-the-charts likability and a deft way of tapping into aspirational politics.
In the race for the Republican nomination, Mike Huckabee is going to be tough to beat."


--Dean Barnett

For more,visit: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/571gtvok.asp?pg=1

Republican Debate Tonight

There will be a Republican debate tonight sponsored by Fox News. It begins at 8:00 Central Time.

Click here to sign up to make phone calls for Gov. Huckabee in Michigan. The Michigan primary is just 5 days away.

Third In New Hampshire

The Huckabee campaign celebrated a third place win in New Hampshire last night. The win for John McCain there will be helpful for Gov. Huckabee. Click here to watch the speech Gov. Huckabee gave last night.

Click here to read a RCP article on Gov. Huckabee's momentum.

A Very Good Time For The Huckabee Campaign

Yesterday Rasmussen Reports, Real Clear Politics, and Gallup showed Gov. Huckabee leading in national polls. The Gallup numbers: Mike Huckabee, 25%; Rudy Giuliani, 20%; John McCain, 19%; Fred Thompson, 12%; Mitt Romney, 9%; Ron Paul, 4%.


South Carolina holds a very important primary on January 19th. Several polls are now showing Gov. Huckabee with a comfortable lead there.


And New Hampshire holds the first in the nation primary today. John McCain appears to be the favorite to win there. He won the state in the 2000 primary against George W. Bush and is very well-known and well-liked there. Mitt Romney's plan all along was to win Iowa and New Hampshire, then count on these wins to propel him to victories in the Super Tuesday primaries. Gov. Huckabee upset his plan with a huge win in Iowa, and it looks like McCain is going to upset the Romney strategy further with a New Hampshire win. Even if Mitt Romney comes in second in N.H., it will be a big blow to his campaign -- he was the Governor of a neighboring state, so he has the name recognition. Plus, he owns a vacation home there. A second place finish would be nothing less than embarrassing for Gov. Romney.


As for Gov. Huckabee, no one expected him to even be a factor in the N.H. primary, so the third place win that we're hoping for would further establish his standing as a national front-runner. And a McCain win in New Hampshire would be the next-best thing to a Huckabee win there. So today looks like a very good day for the Huckabee campaign!!

Debate Tonight

Tonight there will be a Republican debate in New Hampshire at 7:00. It will be hosted by ABC News, WMUR and Facebook.

Here's the debate schedule for January:

January 5, 2008: Republican debate hosted by ABC News, WMUR and Facebook - 7 p.m.
January 6, 2008: Republican debate on Fox News at 8 p.m. with Chris Wallace
January 10, 2008: Fox News holds a Republican debate moderated by Brit Hume from South Carolina
January 24, 2008: MSNBC hosts a Republican Presidential debate from Florida Atlantic University
January 30, 2008: CNN and the Los Angeles Times host a debate of the Republican candidates in California

Articles

Here are links to a couple of articles with analysis of the Iowa Caucuses.

http://michaelmedved.townhall.com/blog/g/6fc7e64c-aae4-492c-bb9c-2ae0bacb6116

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/04/upheavals_leave_huckabee_exultant_competitors_scrambling/?page=2

Iowa Caucus Results

"The Lord hath done great things for us..." Psalm 126:3

Gov. Huckabee gives victory speech in Des Moines

Despite the fact that most polls in Iowa showed Gov. Huckabee and Gov. Romney in a dead heat in Iowa this week, Gov. Huckabee had an incredible 9-point lead over Mitt Romney last night. In less than an hour after the caucuses began, most major news sources had already named Huckabee the big winner. With 95% of the precincts reporting, here are the results:

Huckabee - 39,814 votes - 34%

Romney - 29,405 votes - 25%

Thompson -15,521 votes - 13%

McCain - 15,248 votes - 13%

Paul -11,598 votes - 10%

Giuliani - 4,013 votes - 4%

Hunter - 515 votes -1%

CNN conducted entrance polls in Iowa last night and had some interesting results. Of the 60% of Iowa Republicans who caucused last night, 60% were Christians. An overwhelming number of these - 46% - voted for Huckabee, compared to 19% for Romney and smaller percentages for the other candidates. For those who say Huckabee isn't a conservative, Iowans have a different view. Gov. Huckabee won the "very conservative" and "somewhat conservative" voters by a sizable margin while Romney and McCain tied with the highest percentage of the moderate conservative vote. The Iowans were also asked what they thought was the top quality of their candidate. Of those who picked "says what he believes," Huckabee was the top choice at 33%, Thompson at 22%, McCain at 16%, and the others lower. Of those who said "shares my values" was the top quality of their candidate, 44% chose Huckabee compared to Romney's 26%. Much more entrance poll information is available at this link: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/epolls/index.html#IAREP One more interesting fact: of the voters who decided which candidate to support the day of the caucus, 29% chose Huckabee! (That's 10 points more than Thompson, 11 points over Romney and 12 points above McCain.)

Most news sources are reporting that Gov. Huckabee took Iowa last night because of the major effort on the part of Christians, pastors, homeschoolers and pro-lifers to volunteer, tell their friends and get out the vote. It is true that Gov. Huckabee couldn't have done it without his grassroots supporters, and we salute them for their hard work, for their loyalty, for their energy and for their enthusiastic support. But the real reason Gov. Huckabee won Iowa is best described by the words of a supporter who posted the following on hucksarmy.com:

"I wanted to let you guys know what was happening at the Mike Huckabee victory party between 6:30-7:00 pm last night. At that hour there was probably only 50-100 supporters in the ballroom, almost exclusively the people who had come from other states to help at campaign headquarters (because the locals were at their caucuses) plus another hundred members of the media. A small group of Huckabee supporters formed a circle, joined hands and began to pray. For 20 minutes the praying continued; it was a fervent beseeching of the Lord for our nation and for that election night. My two daughters were in that group and many others. You could feel the Spirit of God in their midst (it was one of those prayer times when it seems like one is really talking to the Almighty). Well, picture this: All these cameras and reporters with nothing to do (no returns yet)and this group of Christians fervently pouring out their hearts to God. You got it. After about 10 minutes, that small group of believers were surrounded 3 or 4 deep by photographers, video cameras and scribbling reporters trying to record this crying out to God. The media crush on that prayer circle was only exceeded all night by the media crush when Mike came into the room."

May the Lord receive all the glory for the victory last night.

"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." Psalm 115:1

HUCKABEE WINS IOWA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More on this tomorrow...

January 3rd is Here!

Tonight the voters of Iowa will caucus and we will find out if Gov. Huckabee's message and positive campaigning is really what Americans want. The polls look good, but it's the turnout and the votes that matter.

If you have family or friends in Iowa, CALL THEM TODAY and make sure they are planning to caucus for Gov. Huckabee.

A first-place win in Iowa for Gov. Huckabee would be huge. It would change the face of American politics -- proving that elections can be won because of message instead of money, and proving that it is possible to run a positive campaign. It will be interesting to see who comes in second, third and fourth in Iowa, and it will also be very interesting to see which Democrat wins.

Here is a supporter video that focuses on the Iowa Caucus:

Don't forget to contact your Iowa friends and family. And most importantly, be praying for the outcome tonight. We can do everything we can, but it is the Lord Who controls every voter. The ultimate outcome is in His power! We can praise the Lord in advance for whatever happens tonight because He is infinite and omniscient and sovereign and He never makes a mistake!

New Iowa Ads

Here are Gov. Huckabee's two latest ads that will be airing in Iowa this week.



"Start Now"




"The Founding Fathers"

Huckabooks and Huckabuttons!!!!!!

Gov. Huckabee made it to our house this Christmas!!!

His books were highly prized Christmas presents!

Everyone was pleased to discover the Huckabutton pinned to their stocking!

It's December 27th!!!

Today is the day set aside by the unofficial Huckabee campaign to be "Freedom Lives" Day. (http://www.dec27th.com/)



If you have not contributed to Gov. Huckabee's campaign today, click here to be part of the special fundraising effort!!



The Iowa caucus is just one week away! If you have friends who live in Iowa, be sure they visit the Iowa Huckabee Headquarters to see how they can get involved!

Merry Christmas!

We wanted to take the time to wish all of you a very
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

On this day, set aside by many as a time for giving and receiving gifts, let us not forget the greatest gift that was ever given.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is GIVEN: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

For God so loved the world, that he GAVE his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Christ came to die that we might live.
This is the only reason for the season!

Merry Christmas from all of us!

Quotes from a sermon Governor Huckabee gave earlier today

“Sometimes in the middle of Christmas, Jesus is the one person who’s tough to find. You notice that? I can find Santa at every mall, you can find discounts in every store but if you mention the name of Jesus, as I found out recently, it upsets the whole world. Forgive me but I thought that was the point of the whole day.”

“One hundred years from now when all your worries are over, if your faith is in that child in Bethlehem born that day, and you’ve taken yourself off the throne and you’ve decided you’d rather be a shepherd than a Herod, then the good news for you is, when the game is over no matter what It looks like now, you win in the end. That is the message of Christmas so I say to you, Merry Christmas! Jesus is Lord!”

Governor Huckabee Talks About Christmas Ad

The Huckabee Christmas ad has gotten a lot of attention and criticism from the media. Listen to Governor Huckabee talk to a group of supporters about the ad.

First Supporter Video

Here is our first attempt at making a supporter video for Gov. Huckabee.

The YouTube link for this video is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=VZ26evdYDv0

Dick Morris: "Huckabee Is A Fiscal Conservative"

From an article by Dick Morris:

As Mike Huckabee rises in the polls, an inevitable process of vetting him for conservative credentials is under way in which people who know nothing of Arkansas or of the circumstances of his governorship weigh in knowingly about his record. As his political consultant in the early ’90s and one who has been following Arkansas politics for 30 years, let me clue you in: Mike Huckabee is a fiscal conservative.

A recent column by Bob Novak excoriated Huckabee for a “47 percent increase in state tax burden.” But during Huckabee’s years in office, total state tax burden — all 50 states combined — rose by twice as much: 98 percent, increasing from $743 billion in 1993 to $1.47 trillion in 2005. In Arkansas, the income tax when he took office was 1 percent for the poorest taxpayers and 7 percent for the richest, exactly where it stood when he left the statehouse 11 years later. But, in the interim, he doubled the standard deduction and the child care credit, repealed capital gains taxes for home sales, lowered the capital gains rate, expanded the homestead exemption and set up tax-free savings accounts for medical care and college tuition.

Most impressively, when he had to pass an income tax surcharge amid the drop in revenues after Sept. 11, 2001, he repealed it three years later when he didn’t need it any longer. He raised the sales tax one cent in 11 years and did that only after the courts ordered him to do so. (He also got voter approval for a one-eighth-of-one-cent hike for parks and recreation.) He wants to repeal the income tax, abolish the IRS and institute a “fair tax” based on consumption, and opposes any tax increase for Social Security.

And he can win in Iowa.

When voters who have decided not to back Rudy Giuliani because of his social positions consider the contest between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, they will have no difficulty choosing between a real social conservative and an ersatz one. Romney, who began as a pro-lifer and switched in order to win in Massachusetts, and then flipped back again, cannot compete with a lifelong pro-lifer, Huckabee.

But Huckabee’s strength is not just his orthodoxy on gay marriage, abortion, gun control and the usual litany. It is his opening of the religious right to a host of new issues. He speaks firmly for the right to life, but then notes that our responsibility for children does not end with childbirth. His answer to the rise of medical costs is novel and exciting. “Eighty percent of all medical spending,” he says, “is for chronic diseases.” So he urges an all-out attack on teen smoking and overeating and a push for exercise not as the policies of a big-government liberal but as the requisites of a fiscal conservative anxious to save tax money.

From www.dickmorris.com

Huckabee Webcast on New Year's Day

On January 1, 2008, Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris will host a live webcast from the Des Moines Huckabee For President Meetup at 7:30 p.m. Central Time. Watch it live on www.mikehuckabee.com!

Newsweek Magazine Calls Romney Attack Ads "False and Misleading"

This is a very interesting article. (http://www.newsweek.com/id/80949) Please take the time to read it and share it with your friends and family.

Check out today's Rasmussen Report and the new Truth Squad articles.

Huckabee Press Conference

Gov. Huckabee does a great job answering the questions from the media!

Some Facts About A Favorite American Statesman!

• He was born to hard-working parents in unpretentious surroundings.



• He graduated from high school and worked his way through college.



• He was an avid outdoorsman and loved dogs.



• He ran for Governor as a Republican in a very Democratic state and served two terms.



• As Governor, he was criticized for raising taxes to eliminate the budget deficit.



• He was able to consistently balance his state’s budget and end each year with a surplus.



• He was faced with a very Democratic legislature and learned to work with members of the opposite party.



• As Governor, he enlisted the help of parents in the education of their children.



• In his run for President, there were 7 other Republican candidates running.



• He refused to attack the other candidates and ran a positive campaign.



• He was criticized for not having any foreign policy experience.



• He was criticized for his occupation prior to his political career.



• He was not ashamed of his Christian faith and referred to himself as a "born-again Christian."



• He was known for his wit, charm and sense of humor.



• He was able to cross party lines with his message of hope and vision for America.



• He spoke with ease, with conviction, with passion -- and was able to communicate with the people like few politicians can.



• His National Campaign Chairman was Ed Rollins.



• His name is Ronald Reagan.
  
  How many of you thought I was referring to Mike Huckabee? :) It is both interesting and exciting to see the similarities in the lives, ideas and policies of Ronald Reagan and Mike Huckabee. With so many of the current Republican candidates trying to assume the mantle of Ronald Reagan for the profit of their campaign, it is very special to be able to support the candidate that really does have the same principles as our great 40th president. This is evidenced by the fact that Ronald Reagan’s National Campaign Chairman, Ed Rollins, has recently joined Gov. Huckabee’s campaign in the same capacity. Mr. Rollins stated that since the days of Reagan he has been looking for another statesman like that, and that Mike Huckabee comes closer to Ronald Reagan than any other politician. Coming from a man who knew Ronald Reagan very personally, that’s a powerful statement! Instead of looking back and wishing for the days of Ronald Reagan, it's time to look forward into the bright future our country can have with a president like Mike Huckabee!

December 27th

The unofficial Huckabee campaign (http://www.hucksarmy.com/) has set a goal of $1,ooo,ooo to be raised on Dec. 27th. Visit http://www.dec27th.com/ to read more and to make your pledge!

New Ad!!!

Gov. Huckabee's latest (and greatest!) TV ad will be airing in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Pass it on to your friends and family!

Rasmussen: Huckabee 5 Points Ahead

Check out the Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll for today.

Fellow homeschoolers might like this article from CBS news: "Home-Schoolers Buoyed Huckabee's Rise."

Republican Primary Dates

Be sure to vote in your state's primary!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alabama - February 5, 2008
Alaska - February 5, 2008
American Samoa - February 23, 2008
Arizona - February 5, 2008
Arkansas - February 5, 2008
California - February 5, 2008
Colorado - February 5, 2008
Connecticut - February 5, 2008
Delaware - February 5, 2008
District of Columbia - February 12, 2008
Florida - January 29, 2008
Georgia - February 5, 2008
Guam - February 9, 2008
Hawaii - February 19, 2008
Idaho - May 27, 2008
Illinois - February 5, 2008
Indiana - May 6, 2008
Iowa - January 3, 2008
Kansas - February 9, 2008
Kentucky - May 20, 2008
Louisiana - February 9, 2008
Maine - February 1, 2008
Maryland - February 12, 2008
Massachusetts - February 5, 2008
Michigan - January 15, 2008
Minnesota - February 5, 2008
Mississippi - March 11, 2008
Missouri - February 5, 2008
Montana - February 5, 2008
Nebraska - May 13, 2008
Nevada - January 19, 2008
New Hampshire - January 8, 2008
New Jersey - February 5, 2008
New Mexico - June 3, 2008
New York - February 5, 2008
North Carolina - May 6, 2008
North Dakota - February 5, 2008
Ohio - March 4, 2008
Oklahoma - February 5, 2008
Oregon - May 20, 2008
Pennsylvania - April 22, 2008
Puerto Rico - February 24, 2008
Rhode Island - March 4, 2008
South Carolina - January 19, 2008
South Dakota - June 3, 2008
Tennessee - February 5, 2008
Texas - March 4, 2008
Utah - February 5, 2008
Vermont - March 4, 2008
Virgin Islands - February 23, 2008
Virginia - February 12, 2008
Washington - February 19, 2008
West Virginia - May 13, 2008
Wisconsin - February 19, 2008
Wyoming - January 5, 2008

Bumper Stickers!

We just got a new shipment of 50 bumper stickers. We want to get these stickers out and on vehicles as quickly as possible to get Governor Huckabee's name out. If you would like a bumper sticker, please leave a comment on our blog.

Rasmussen: Huckabee first in Florida

In the Rasmussen poll released today, Gov. Huckabee leads the rest of the GOP candidates with 27% of the vote in Florida! Mitt Romney is close behind at 23% and Rudy Giuliani is at 19%. This new development in the race is very exciting for Gov. Huckabee. Since the last Rasmussen Florida poll in November he has picked up 18 percentage points while Giuliani, the former front-runner, has dropped 8 points. Mayor Giuliani, like Mitt Romney, may have to start rethinking his campaign strategy. He planned to gain momentum by winning the delegate-rich state of Florida on Jan. 29 and go on to do well on Super Tuesday in other large states. A loss in Florida could be a big blow to his campaign.



Gov. Huckabee now leads in the important states of Iowa, Michigan, South Carolina, Florida and Texas. Rasmussen has him at 23% nationally again today, leading Giuliani by 4%!



Keep working and keep praying! Our God is ABLE!!

All signed and sent to Nashville!

Our petitions to be Huckabee delegates are finished!

Watch Gov. Huckabee's Recent Media Appearances Online

Visit www.prezcast.com to see Gov. Huckabee's latest media interviews.

Watch today's Republican Debate Online

The Republican Debate in Iowa will start at 1:00 CT this afternoon. Click here to watch it online. Fox, CNN and MSNBC all plan to air the debate.

Pray for Gov. Huckabee today as he prepares for the debate. This will be the last Republican debate before the January 3rd Iowa caucus date.

Huckabee 16 Points Ahead in Iowa!!!

I just had to post the results of a new Rasmussen poll of Iowa Republican voters. Gov. Huckabee now has 39% of the vote while Mitt Romney has 23%. Since the last Rasmussen poll conducted in Iowa 2 weeks ago, Gov. Huckabee has gained 11 points and Romney has lost 2. Not one of the other candidates is even polling in double digits in Iowa now.

Gov. Huckabee is now viewed favorably by 81% of Iowa Republicans -- that's 16% up from last month! This proves that the Iowans are too smart to believe the attacks and criticisms that the media and rival candidates have been levelling at Huckabee these last few weeks.

It has been exciting to see how the Lord is fulfilling His promise in Isaiah 54:17 for Gov. Huckabee: "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord."

Our First Huckabee Meetup

Last evening our Huckabee Meetup group met for the first time.

We discussed ways that we can help the Huckabee campaign locally, passed out bumper stickers to those who did not have them, and talked about the best places to get Huckabee materials.

Because 3 of the members of the meetup are working towards being Huckabee delegates, there were several petitions to sign.

After the meeting we watched Huckabee's interview on Hannity and Colmes.

Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Hardin for hosting the meetup!



To join our meetup group, or learn more about it, click here. To find a meetup near you, click here.

Poll Updates

Rasmussen - December 11th:

• Huckabee - 22%
• Giuliani - 21%
• Mitt Romney - 14%
• Fred Thompson - 12%
• John McCain - 9%

CNN poll - conducted December 6-9:

• Rudy Giuliani - 24%
• Mike Huckabee - 22%
• Mitt Romney - 16%
• John McCain - 13%
• Fred Thompson - 10%
• Ron Paul - 6%

CBS/New York Times Poll - conducted December 5-9:

• Rudy Giuliani - 22%
• Mike Huckabee - 21%
• Mitt Romney - 16%
• John McCain - 7%
• Fred Thompson - 7%

"Secure America" Immigration Plan

Click here to read more about Gov. Huckabee's 9-Point Strategy for immigration enforcement and border security.

Go Visit The Truth Squad!

Gov. Huckabee's campaign has put additional articles in the Truth Squad section of the official website. Be sure to check them out and share the site with your friends so they'll get the real facts on the things Gov. Huckabee is getting attacked about. As Gov. Huckabee said on Hannity and Colmes last night, the truth is his best friend in these situations!

Click here for the Truth Squad statements.

New Huckabee Campaign Ads

Gov. Huckabee's new ads began airing in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina today! Click here to watch "A Better America." Click here to watch "Secure Borders."

Contribute to Huckabee's campaign today to keep these ads running!!!

Rasmussen: Huckabee Up Another Point!

Huckabee continues to lead in the National Rasmussen Poll. Today his support is at 21% while Giuliani is at 18%, Romney at 12% and Thompson and McCain at 11%.

A Rasmussen poll released today shows Huckabee at 25% in South Carolina, an important early primary state. He leads Romney and Thompson by 7 percentage points!

Mobilize for Mike Day

Today our goal is to introduce 100,000 new friends to Gov. Huckabee using the internet. Here's what Gov. Huckabee had to say about it yesterday: "We hope to educate voters about our campaign, counter misinformation being circulated by rival campaigns and build our base of support nationally. While other campaigns spend hundreds of thousands of dollars micro-targeting voters with canned messages, starting at midnight tonight we'll focus on what has worked for us: friends telling friends about our campaign. Friend to friend conversations was the secret to our success in Ames and it will be the best way to build our momentum heading into next year."

Here's how it works: Visit the Build Our Base section of the Huckabee website.Choose the type of email you would like to send (you can preview messages). Add the email addresses of people you would like to send the message to. Add your personal message and hit send. It will take just a minute, but can be very effective! A ticker on the front page of the website will be tracking our progress.

Gov. Huckabee's campaign continues to experience an amazing surge. Yesterday was the best day yet for the campaign website -- over 6,000 new email signups, 700 first time contributors and over 100 new Rangers! Let's keep the momentum building by sending all of our friends to check it out for themselves!

ATTENTION TENNESSEE HUCKABEE SUPPORTERS

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

If you are a Huckabee supporter from Tennessee we need your help. Governor Huckabee needs 3 delegates and 3 alternate delegates from each congressional district in Tennessee. We have only a week to fill these important slots, and we need Huckabee supporters from across the state to step up and fill these vacancies. If you are a registered Tennessee Republican voter who is willing to be a Huckabee delegate to the national convention, please contact one of these men right away:

Jared Morris, Ballot Access and Delegate Coordinator:

jared.morris@explorehuckabee.com (334)-202-0511

Bill Bryant, Ballot Access and Delegate Coordinator:

bill.bryant@explorehuckabee.com (501) 324-2008

We have two in our family who have begun working to be delegates. Each potential delegate must submit 150 signatures of registered voters from their district by Thursday, Dec. 13th, in order to be included on the ballot. If you are a registered voter from the 7th Congressional district of Tennessee and would be willing to sign these petitions for us please leave a comment on our blog.

FIRST In The NATION!!!!

The Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll, released just moments ago, has Gov. Huckabee at 20% support nationally! Since Rudy Giuliani has slipped to only 17%, this places Gov. Huckabee as the leading contender for the Republican Nomination.

Today's numbers:

HUCKABEE - 20%
Giuliani - 17%
McCain - 13%
Romney - 13%
Thompson - 10%

Praise the Lord!!!!

"I will extol Thee, my God, O king; and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable." Psalm 145:4

Huckabee Featured On Nightline Yesterday

Click here to watch Gov. Huckabee on ABC's Nightline.

HUCKABEE TIED FOR FIRST PLACE NATIONALLY!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the best news so far! After coming in a definite second in the daily Rasmussen Presidential Republican Poll for 2 days, today Gov. Huckabee has gone up to 18%. Combined with Rudy Giuliani's falling numbers, it places Gov. Huckabee in a tie for first place nationwide!!!! "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous it our eyes." Psalm 118:23

From today's Rasmussen Report:
"With less than a month to go before the Iowa caucuses, the Rasmussen Report's daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that Rudy Giuliani has fallen back in the pack in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination. Giuliani’s support has fallen to 18% and four other candidates are within six percentage points of the lead. Mike Huckabee is enjoying an amazing surge and now shares the top spot with Giuliani at 18%. Close behind are John McCain at 14%, Fred Thompson at 13%, and Mitt Romney at 12%. Ron Paul attracts 7% of likely Republican Primary voters nationwide and no other Republican candidate reaches 2."

Even though our candidate is ahead, and the only candidate continuing to surge, it doesn't mean that we can sit back and relax. Criticism will be coming to Gov. Huckabee from all angles now. The Romney campaign has already sent out a mailing to Iowa voters slamming Gov. Huckabee's record and stand on the issues. Now is the time for us to really work on getting the truth out to the voters of America! And while it feels great to be tied for first place we must never forget Who is giving Gov. Huckabee success. "God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another." Psalm 75:7 The Lord is blessing His servant Mike Huckabee and we give Him all the glory!!

"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake." Psalm 115:1

Huckabee Campaign Announces New Fundraising Goal

Our new goal is to raise $1,150,000 by December 15th. Over $250,000 has already been raised. We have 12 days to raise about a million dollars for Gov. Huckabee. Let's do it! Click here to donate online. Your donation will be immediately invested in the efforts to get Gov. Huckabee's name and message to the early primary voters.

You can be more involved with fundraising by joining the Huckabee Rangers. You can set your own goal and track your progress!

Newest Rasmussen Poll Analysis

Today's Rasmussen Report has Gov. Huckabee at 17% nationwide -- that's only 3 points behind Rudy Giuliani's 20%. Gov. Huckabee is now within the margin of error to be the national frontrunner for the Republican nomination!

The poll numbers are:

Giuliani - 20%
Huckabee - 17%
Thompson - 14%
McCain - 13%
Romney - 11%
Paul - 7%

Gov. Huckabee was at 17% yesterday also, and the weekly poll average for him last week was 15%.

The CNN/YouTube debate was on Tuesday. Every time Gov. Huckabee is in a debate, his numbers surge. This simply proves that all Gov. Huckabee is lacking is name recognition. When people find out about him, they like him and want to support him! His message is resonating with the American people, not only in Iowa, but across the nation. Gov. Huckabee's campaign reported yesterday that 9,000 people signed up for his email updates in the previous 48 hours. Over 1,000 of those new supporters also contributed for the first time! If you have not signed up for the campaign updates, click here. Gov. Huckabee plans to announce the December fundraising goal today, but you don't have to wait to contribute! Also, the "Get Involved" section of the official Huckabee website has been revised. Click here to check out the new layout and resources!

November Goal Reached

"If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

As the last day to meet the November fundraising goal, yesterday was a big day for the Huckabee Campaign. The online donations totalled more than $365,000. This is the largest amount of money raised online in one day during the entire campaign! Over 2,000 supporters made their first contribution to Huckabee's campaign yesterday.

The money raised yesterday puts the campaign at $3 million on hand. This money will allow the campaign to do some serious work in the early primary states. The money will be used to run ads, print literature and yard signs, and hire staff in these important early states. We have seen how much the Huckabee campaign has been able to accomplish in spite of the little they have spent. Less than 2 months ago Rasmussen polls had Governor Huckabee at 4% nation wide. Today Rasmussen reported him at 15%, his highest point so far, and within 10 points of first in the nation. Many people still have not heard of Huckabee, but your donations will help to get the word out. We will be watching in the days ahead to see what will be done through our contributions.

"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Psalm127:1

We must remember where the success comes from, yet we must also do our part. The November goal has been reached, but a new goal will be announced next week. Let's help get Governor Huckabee's name out. Even if you are unable to make a financial contribution you can support the campaign through prayer.

Remember to use our donor code(R34) when you make a contribution. This will help us to reach our family's goal.

New Poll Shows Huckabee at 2nd Place Nationally

The newest Rasmussen poll has just come out with good news. Governor Huckabee has passed Thompson, McCain, and Romney, and is within 10 points of Giuliani!


Poll Results

Rudy Giuliani 24%

Mike Huckabee 15%

Fred Thompson 14%

John McCain 13%

Mitt Romney 10%

This is the best national poll he has had so far. Let's keep spreading the word about Governor Huckabee and see if we can do even better on Monday! People are watching these polls and they do influence voters. Tell someone you know about Huckabee today.