Romney Campaign Press Release - ... Question Governor Huckabee's Record

Laura Ingraham On Governor Huckabee's Explanations For Giving Illegal Immigrants Tuition Breaks:

"The Laura Ingraham Show"

December 3, 2007

...

Ingraham: "I know Mike Huckabee is a nice man. And I know he has a wonderful style. And he's good on a lot of issues. He's great on the life issue. Great on marriage. Great on all these things. But on this [immigration] issue, which is so important to so many of us, I am tired of this double speak. The taxpayers are footing the bill for this. This is the money of the taxpayers of Arkansas. And if you offer these benefits to illegal aliens, more illegal aliens will come into your state. That is just a fact.

"And people across this country have made their views known about this. So people can debate whether Giuliani is Catholic enough or Mitt Romney is Christian enough or John McCain is calm enough to be the president. But I think on this issue, we have to ask, 'Who is going to enforce this border?' 'Who is going to put teeth into these laws?' 'Who is going to represent the will of the people on an important issue culturally, for our health care, for our prisons, for our economic structure, for everything that we care about this issue is involved?' And on this issue, I think Huckabee has been a big loser. Okay? That is my view on this."...

To listen to Laura Ingraham, please click here .

The Wall Street Journal's Brendan Miniter: "Huckabee's Tax Challenge":

"Huckabee's Tax Challenge"

By Brendan Miniter

The Wall Street Journal's Opinion Journal's "Political Diary"

December 3, 2007

"Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is good at one-liners."

...

"Asked by a reporter what he thought about former Sen. Fred Thompson's attack ad that shows an old news clip of Mr. Huckabee as governor before he lost 100 pounds listing one tax after another he would support raising, the governor got off one of his better lines: He said that he must have been under the influence of sugar at the time.

"It's a good line, but not good enough."

...

"He likes to point out that as governor he cut taxes some 90 times. What he doesn't say, however, is that he also raised more than 20 different taxes for a net tax hike during his tenure of about $500 million. He also left it to his successor – Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe – to cut the state's hated sales tax, which Mr. Beebe did shortly after taking office.

"When we pressed Mr. Huckabee on his tax record a few months ago, he said he 'won't apologize' for raising taxes because he needed the money to repair his state's decrepit highways. Fresh asphalt always seems to appeal to Republican elected officials – especially those who love earmarking federal highway funds. But it's not something that will win over fiscal conservatives."...

San Diego Union-Tribune: "Meet The Huckster":

"Meet The Huckster"

San Diego Union-Tribune

Editorial

December 3, 2007

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"Unfortunately for Huckabee, the positive first impression he often makes fades when you learn more about him. He may have been a solid steward in his 14 years as lieutenant governor and governor in Arkansas. But he also showed an enthusiasm for parlaying his public office into a cushy lifestyle that makes Fabian Nunez, California's similarly inclined Assembly speaker, look like a Boy Scout.

"Over the years, Huckabee has:

"Used campaign funds to pay himself $14,000 for being his own media consultant.

"Used campaign funds to pay himself $43,000 for use of his private plane while attempting to hide what the payment was actually in return for.

"Used an account set up to cover operational costs of the governor's mansion to pay such obviously personal expenses as fast-food and dry-cleaning bills.

"Set up a nonprofit organization that paid him $23,500 without disclosing the source of the money.

"Attempted to take $70,000 of furniture with him when moving out of the governor's mansion.

"Took more than 130 gifts worth more than $300,000 – while suing to overturn a law that made him disclose the gifts.

"We could go on in this vein, but space is limited. The bottom line: Mike Huckabee has an awful lot of explaining to do."...

To read the full editorial, please click here .