Photo credit: Dave Davidson (Prezography.com)
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was on the Kelly File on Fox News last week when he took shots at U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ben Sasse (R-NE) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) because they haven’t gotten behind Donald Trump.
Here’s the video:
Here’s the transcript:
Megyn Kelly: So Governor Huckabee what do you think of Ted Cruz, “Trump is utterly amoral, he’s a pathological liar, hey everybody I’m Ted Cruz welcome to the Trump convention.”
Mike Huckabee: (Laughing) Well let me tell you something one of the reasons you don’t say that kind of stuff during a primary is that one of two things will happen. You’ll be the nominee and all of those people you’ve been talking about have got to go up there and put their arms on you, or you have got to put your arms on people you said were a bunch of bums.
Kelly: Right
Huckabee: If you are the Democrats you are going to beat the daylights out of a guy like that. You’re going to say, ok which time were you lying? When you said this or when you said this?
Kelly: How is anybody supposed to take him seriously when he gets up there and what is he going to say? “Donald Trump is the man for us!” The best he could probably do credibly is something weak saucy like “better than Hillary” and who needs that at the convention?
Huckabee: He could just go up there and say, “I’ve seen the light, Dear Jesus.” Now I’m going to be there with Donald Trump. No, it’s disingenuous no matter what and it…
Kelly: (Imitating Cruz) Thank God for Ohio.
Huckabee: That’s it, and it is a very awkward thing so I think the longer you are in politics the more careful you are about saying things that you are going to have to eat later with syrup on top of it.
Kelly: What do you think of the conduct of some of these Senators in this meeting? Trump goes to Capitol Hill. He didn’t have to do it, he’s trying to unite the party.
Huckabee: Sure.
Kelly: These people they don’t like him, they give him a hard time. Ben Sasse he’s not a Trump fan, why bother? You know? Why show up to give him a hard time?
Huckabee: You know, I guess to get some attention since we’re talking about him tonight, but look here’s the fact if Donald Trump is President, and I think he likely will be and I hope he is, it will be a bad place for Jeff Flake to be in two years not because he’ll have his election upended by Donald Trump it probably won’t be that big of an effect. But when Senator Flake needs something for Arizona he ain’t gonna get it, and I’m going to tell you Presidents can play hardball and can punish the people who didn’t want to stand up there with them.
Kelly: How?
Huckabee: Do you think there will ever be an appointment to West Point, Annapolis or the Air Force Academy that will come through his office? Do you think there will ever be a grant with his name on it? That he will ever be able to make the dedicatory speech at a road? I’m telling you there are ways that are painful.
Kelly: They are punished.
Huckabee: And you never get so much as a White House pass for some tourists from your state.
Kelly: Are we going to hear from you at this convention?
Huckabee: Donald Trump told me a few weeks ago that he would like for me to speak. I don’t know when. I don’t know if it is going to be at two in the morning while the crew is setting up.
Kelly: That’s just a little offensive.
Huckabee: I just don’t know, but I’d like to know pretty soon because I need to be working on it.
Kelly: Hey Trump 9pm would be a good time for Governor Huckabee.
Huckabee: Let’s do it, I’m all about it.
Kelly: Good to see you sir.
Huckabee: Thanks Megyn.
Ok… I’m not sure what Megyn Kelly was drinking, but wow, I’m embarrassed for her. That had to be one of the most juvenile interviews I’ve seen in some time. Her 180 on Trump is giving me whiplash.
I’m also embarrassed for Mike Huckabee. He looked petty, vindictive and small. Everything he said about Ted Cruz you can apply to Donald Trump. As far as Cruz speaking at the Republican National Convention… It is the REPUBLICAN National Convention. He came in second in terms of delegates. He wants to go thank them, and he wants to lift up conservative principles. I highly doubt he will sing the praises of Trump, but I don’t expect him to tear him down. His speech won’t likely be about Trump at all.
For all of this talk about wanting to unite the party, this is how you are going to treat the runner-up? Also, Governor, it’s easy not to attack a candidate who is not personally attacking you. Did Huckabee miss all of the crap Trump said about him, his wife and his father?
I don’t believe for one second Huckabee would have taken that type of abuse without responding.
As far as a President punishing a Senator… First I do see Trump doing this. Thanks Governor for giving us another reason to oppose him. Trump has already said he wants consequences for his rivals who don’t support him.
Second, does Huckabee believe this is how the chief executive and Commander-in-Chief should act? Is this how Governor Huckabee acted when he was elected Lt. Governor and then became Governor? The fact he would say this says much about Governor Huckabee’s character.
Where is the Christlikeness in this attitude? That’s just being vindictive. Granted I don’t expect Trump to be pals with people who opposed him, but he shouldn’t punish a Senator’s constituents because he feels the need to settle a score. They need to come together to work for the good of the nation.
Also, does Trump not think it cuts both ways? Does he want his priorities to pass Congress?
It’s much better when our elected officials don’t act like two-year-olds having a temper tantrum. It’s very disappointing when someone I thought was a Christian statesman condoning that sort of behavior. I expect more out of Mike Huckabee than this.