http://washingtonexaminer.com/mike-huckabee-gears-up-for-2016-run/article/2553425Mike Huckabee gears up for 2016 run
By Byron York | September 15, 2014 | 7:58 pm
Mike Huckabee is leading the Republican presidential race in Iowa. And not by just a point or two: in a new CNN survey, the former Arkansas governor, winner of the 2008 Iowa caucuses, is at 21 percent, with his closest GOP pursuer, Rep. Paul Ryan, nine points behind. Rand Paul is 14 points back, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush 15 behind.
Few frontrunners choose not to run. And when Huckabee, not yet a candidate and officially undecided, invited a group of reporters to meet with him at a hotel outside Washington Monday, he certainly looked like a man preparing to jump into the race.
One obvious sign is that Huckabee is talking about world affairs. Back in 2007, when he first ran for the GOP nomination, he became frustrated when debates focused on the war in Iraq. "Do you realize that in four debates we never had a single question on education?" he once complained.
On Monday, though, Huckabee opened his discussion with foreign policy. He has just returned from a trip to Israel — his third this year. Huckabee, who is perhaps the walking personification of American evangelical support for Israel, says he has lost count of the times he has been there since his first visit in 1973. What he is sure of is that President Obama has taken the wrong approach to Israel's latest conflict.
There's a "disconnect" in U.S. Mideast policy, Huckabee argued, because the president is unable to tell good guys from bad guys. "For the State Department to continue to act as if there is some moral equivalency between Hamas and Israel, and to join with the chorus of boo birds from the U.N. to question the manner in which Israel has tried to defend itself, is utterly remarkable."
Huckabee went on to criticize Obama's handling of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, charging that the president recognized the threat too late and was wrong to take the option of U.S. combat troops off the table. "Never publicly announce what you're not going to do," Huckabee said.
Huckabee volunteered thoughts on Iran, Egypt, and other topics. The conversation wasn't a tour d'horizon of foreign policy, but it was clear Huckabee has been studying up — for a former governor steeped in domestic policy, often a sign of an impending run. Huckabee said he regularly consults an informal circle of foreign policy advisers, "a host of people, both in the military as well as the intelligence community."
Huckabee is quick to recite a long and varied resume — Baptist preacher ("like an extended graduate school of humanity"), lieutenant governor and then governor of Arkansas for nearly 11 years. He has experience in a broad range of domestic issues, has run for president, and recently, with a program on Fox News and a syndicated radio show, "for the last few years I've been talking about a lot of stuff."
In 2008, Huckabee became famous for his dislike of fundraising — an odd position for a candidate who had no money. Now, the job is easier. "Eight years ago, I'd try to talk to a potential donor, and they'd either say, no, who are you, how do you spell your name, let me get back to you — and they never did," said Huckabee. "Now, people call me and they want to meet with me, talk to me — it's a very different circumstance."
Huckabee has started a new organization, America Takes Action, and he's calling around for money. He said it's going well — "we very quickly are into seven figures" — with a good response from big donors. Huckabee also runs HuckPAC, which he uses to contribute to Republican candidates.
Perhaps a bigger question involves Huckabee's own money. He never had much; the governor of Arkansas's salary is perpetually near the bottom of the gubernatorial pay scale. When he ran for president in 2008, Huckabee recalled, "My wife and I cashed in life insurance, mortgaged the house, depleted our savings. It was tough."
Now, with a successful media career, Huckabee has built a $3 million beach house in Florida. For the first time, he is comfortable. But he'd have to give up his role at Fox, and the radio show, to run for president. Is he ready to do that?
"If I have to, you do," Huckabee said. "That's part of the consideration."
Not everyone believes Huckabee is running. Skeptics point out that appearing to run for president isn't a bad way to drive up speaking fees. Some doubt Huckabee will give up his media paychecks.
Whatever the case, Huckabee said he will make up his mind whether to run by around April of next year. A very nice time for a trip to Des Moines.
