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Romney Campaign Press Release - "I'm Not Sure That I Support the Troop Surge ..."

January 06, 2008

Gov. Huckabee Confronted With The Videotape

"That's a pretty clear contradiction. ... you didn't say you supported the surge, you said, 'I'm not sure that I support the troop surge.' ... according to this evidence you did not support the surge before Mitt Romney. ... I don't know how you can have it both ways on that, governor." – ABC's George Stephanopoulos (ABC's "This Week," 1/6/08)

In Last Night's Debate, Gov. Huckabee Mad False Claims About The Troop Surge:

Huckabee Claimed He Supported The Surge And Wrongly Claimed Gov. Romney Didn't. "I supported the president in the war before you did. I supported the surge when you didn't." (ABC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Manchester, NH, 1/5/08)

This Morning, Gov. Huckabee Was Confronted With The Fact That He Did Not Support The Surge While, In Fact, Gov. Romney Did:

ABC's George Stephanopoulos: "That's A Pretty Clear Contradiction." STEPHANOPOULOS: "You also, you and Mitt Romney went at it on the surge as well. Here is what you said last night." HUCKABEE (TAPE): "I supported the president in the war before you did. I supported the surge when you didn't." STEPHANOPOULOS: "But last January when you were asked on another program whether you agreed with Mitt Romney and John McCain on support of the surge, you said this." HUCKABEE (TAPE): "Well, I'm not sure that I support the troop surge if that surge has to come from our guard and reserve troops, which have really been overly stretched." STEPHANOPOULOS: "That's a pretty clear contradiction." (ABC's "This Week," 1/6/08; www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPkCgQhW3gI)

Stephanopoulos: "Well, You Didn't Say You Supported The Surge, You Said, 'I'm Not Sure That I Support The Troop Surge.'" HUCKABEE: "What I said was that the surge I supported but the concern that I had was because as the commander in chief of the National Guard..." STEPHANOPOULOS: "Well, you didn't say you supported the surge, you said, 'I'm not sure that I support the troop surge.'" (ABC's "This Week," 1/6/08; www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPkCgQhW3gI)

Stephanopoulos: "According To This Evidence You Did Not Support The Surge Before Mitt Romney." STEPHANOPOULOS: "But, do you retract your statement from last night? Because according to this evidence you did not support the surge before Mitt Romney." HUCKABEE: "No, I don't retract because I did support the surge. Separate the surge from the fact that I said that we need to have a different approach when it comes..." (ABC's "This Week," 1/6/08; www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPkCgQhW3gI)

Stephanopoulos: "I Don't Know How You Can Have It Both Ways On That, Governor." STEPHANOPOULOS: "I don't know how you can have it both ways on that, Governor. The surge did require the guard and reserve troops to be used so you either support it or you don't." HUCKABEE: "And I did support it." STEPHANOPOULOS: "That's not what you said on January 24th." HUCKABEE: "Well, what I was speaking to was the specific overuse of guard and reserves over a long period of time and I do stand by that, George." (ABC's "This Week," 1/6/08; www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPkCgQhW3gI)

Watch Gov. Huckabee Confronted With The Videotape Here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPkCgQhW3gI

FACT: One Year Ago, As Gov. Romney Supported The Surge, Gov. Huckabee Did Not:

Gov. Huckabee, January 2007: "Well, I'm Not Sure That I Support The Troop Surge." MSNBC's NORAH O'DONNELL: "We have a Rudy Giuliani, who supports the president's plan on Iraq. We have Governor Mitt Romney, who also supports a troop surge. How are you different from any of those candidates." HUCKABEE: "Well, I'm not sure that I support the troop surge, if that surge has to come from our Guard and Reserve troops, which have really been overly stretched." (MSNBC's "Live," 1/24/07)

Watch Gov. Huckabee NOT Support The Troop Surge In January 2007: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLquRK7sNs0



Oh Really?

Gov. Huckabee Once Claimed "People Aren't Going To Find Me In A YouTube Moment From 10 Years Ago Saying Something Substantially Different Than I'm Saying Today." GOV. HUCKABEE: "I think it's a combination of convictions that are consistent. People aren't going to find me in a YouTube moment from 10 years ago saying something substantially different than I'm saying today." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 7/23/07)

Mitt Romney, Romney Campaign Press Release - "I'm Not Sure That I Support the Troop Surge ..." Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/296480

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