Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., who moved to Florida after his 2008 presidential bid, laid some groundwork this week for a second try at the White House.
Looking to get beyond his base of social and religious conservatives that helped the former Arkansas governor win the Iowa caucus and be surprisingly competitive in the 2008 Republican primaries, Huckabee turned his attention to foreign policy on Wednesday, releasing a new Web video and an op-ed in Red State on the subject.
"When you're dealing with Islamic jihad, that has as its goal the annihilation of everyone who does not agree with their absolute religious fanaticism, you're dealing with a rattlesnake," Huckabee says in the video. As a kid growing up in south Arkansas, one thing I learned about rattlesnakes, you don't try to get in their head and figure out why they want to bite you. You don't try to have a conversation with them. You don't negotiate with them. You sure as heck don't feed them. You take their heads off with a 410 shotgun or a hoe before they bite you -- because the one thing that you can be sure of is that snake will bite you if he can."
In the op-ed at Red State, Huckabee takes aim at President Barack Obamas handling of Russia, China and the Middle East, hitting the administration for not supporting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program. Huckabee also jabs former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, in his op-ed.
Having clashed with then-U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, over foreign policy in the 2008 presidential contest, Huckabee also started focusing on his son, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on the topic. On Tuesday, Rand Paul launched a presidential bid and Huckabee dinged some on the right who embrace isolationism in his piece at Red State.
Our leadership must be rooted in American values, common sense and moral clarity, Huckabee wrote. That starts by acknowledging basic truths. We cannot defeat an enemy we refuse to name. Radical Islam is our enemy. We must confront and defeat this evil. This administration has weakened America. But isolationism, backed by some on the right, will make the world even more dangerous. No one would suggest that America engage militarily in every dark corner of the planet. But if America fails to confront and defeat the threat of radical Islam, who will? In the face of orange jumpsuit decapitations, anyone who believes rogue states and renegades will leave us alone if we simply disengage is a childish fool living in a world of dangerous theories.
Through strength, strategic leadership and unity in purpose, we can restore Americas proper place in the world after years of crisis management, Huckabee added. The shining city on the hill needs to get out of the shadows and illuminate a path forward once again.
Earlier in the week, Huckabee released a Web video on economic issues, sounding like a populist, playing up his blue-collar roots and looking to get power out of Washington, D.C.
"People feel disconnected from the people who are making decisions -- the decisions that touch them, affect them, and sometimes the decisions that break them, and they don't feel like they've got a voice anymore, Huckabee says in that video. They don't feel like anybody's listening. They don't feel like anybody even understands or knows who they are, much less cares what's happening to them.
"I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich, I'm a Republican because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me, Huckabee adds.
"One thing that has to happen in America is moving the power away from Washington, where people are so disconnected from the way that so many ordinary Americans live, Huckabee continues. It's a disaster. Power needs to be local and limited, because the closer government is to the people, the more accountable it is to the people who are being governed. Washington is out of control. It's time to return power to state and local governments, break the cycle of poverty and government dependency, and quit apologizing for being America."
Huckabee has left the door open to another presidential bid and will be back in Iowa, home of the first caucus, on Thursday. Meeting with homeschool parents, Huckabee will be at an event in Des Moines with Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, the stars of the TLC reality show "19 Kids and Counting. On Thursday night, Huckabee will be at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant as part of religious conservative group the Iowa Family Leaders lecture series.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
