Huckabee leaving Fox News show ahead of decision

[Lite Beer]

Huckabee leaving Fox News show ahead of decision
By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL

WASHINGTON (AP) — TV host and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee says he is leaving his Fox News talk show as he considers whether to seek the Republican nomination for president, a decision he expects to reach in the spring.

Huckabee said Saturday night's edition of "Huckabee" would be his last as he ponders his political future. The weekly show, which is taped with a live audience and features political commentary as well as interviews with guests and musical entertainment, has been on the air for more than six years.

"There has been a great deal of speculation as to whether I would run for president. If I were willing to absolutely rule that out, I could keep doing this show. But I can't make such a declaration," he said on the show, according to a statement provided by his office.

"I won't make a decision about running until late in the spring of 2015, but the continued chatter has put Fox News into a position that is not fair to them nor is it possible for me to openly determine political and financial support to justify a race. The honorable thing to do at this point is to end my tenure here at Fox. As much as I have loved doing the show, I cannot bring myself to rule out another presidential run."

The former Baptist preacher and Arkansas chief executive — he led the state from 1996 to 2007 — is a favorite among social conservatives. While hosting the TV show he has published books, appeared at conservative conferences around the country and offered harsh criticism of President Barack Obama's policies.

Huckabee has been particularly critical of the nation's swing toward accepting gay marriage. In October, after the Supreme Court rejected appeals from five states that sought to prohibit marriage by same-sex couples, he said: "It is shocking that many elected officials, attorneys and judges think that a court ruling is the 'final word.' It most certainly is not."

He campaigned last fall for several Republican office-seekers — among them Senate candidates Joni Ernst in Iowa, David Perdue in Georgia, Tom Cotton in Arkansas and Mike Rounds in South Dakota. Rounds was national chairman of Huckabee's 2008 presidential campaign.

Huckabee, 59, won the Iowa caucuses in 2008, finishing ahead of Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, John McCain and Ron Paul. He came in third, however, in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary, behind McCain and Romney. McCain emerged as the leader in the primaries that followed and Huckabee ended his campaign that March.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-04

[NeverSure]

He doesn't have a prayer. He's too divisive. The Republicans need someone who is more centrist but stands against federal overreach and spending, and against illegal immigration.

While I like the guy because he's likeable, the issues he will campaign on are not the major concerns of the majority of Americans or even Republicans. He can stop complaining about gay marriage and other such things any time now. That ship has already left the port.

If a Republic wins the next POTUS race he will be fiscally conservative, pro-gun, and socially moderate.

[Ulysses G.]

All the religious stuff gets on my nerves. He is a too obsessed with it for my tastes. The good news is that they are taking his TV show off the air. I find it mostly boring. I vote for replacing it with the John Bolton Show. I really like him on foreign policy.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[BoneRanger]

Nice enough guy but his anti science views are just too bizarre.

The Earth is 6,000 years old he thinks.

God created the universe in 6 days... Then he rested? I don't think so.

[tartempion]

An other nutter as president of the USA?

FOX News must be the most idiotic news on the planet.

[evadgib]

His obsession with God will scupper any chance he may have had.

[borisloosebrain]

Another bigoted clown ready to rejoin to the circus.

[Ulysses G.]

An other nutter as president of the USA?

FOX News must be the most idiotic news on the planet.

Actually, most idiotic would be MSNBC.

Don't forget all the loony stuff on the Internet. Salon, Slate and AlterNUT spring to mind.

[BoneRanger]

An other nutter as president of the USA?

FOX News must be the most idiotic news on the planet.

Actually, most idiotic would be MSNBC.

FOX & MSNBC. What kind of moron would pay any attention to the crap they put out?

Targeting the religious and dumb demographic audience is apparently profitable.

.

Edited January 4, 2015 by BoneRanger

[Prbkk]

Nuclear crisis unfolds: "..let's pause for a prayer"

[Pinot]

Now that they don't have Huckabee, I'm afraid the Foxs News' viewers may become a bit misinformed.

The clown car is filling up fast. I can only hope that this trip will be as much fun as last time.

[BoneRanger]

His obsession with God will scupper any chance he may have had.

When he takes a religious viewpoint over scientific fact, or makes comments that fly in the face of 98% of the scientists on global warming, that's an indication that he won’t include science on his reference shelf.

God will be making the decisions?

Would he weigh rational scientific evidence in the most critical decisions about medical research, terrorist weapons threats, the environment, and education?

Do we want a president that says it is O.K. to dis science?

[BoneRanger]

Now that they don't have Huckabee, I'm afraid the Foxs News' viewers may become a bit misinformed.

The clown car is filling up fast. I can only hope that this trip will be as much fun as last time.

How many clowns will they stuff into that car?

The republic ticket is shaping up like a Sitcom TV show with a wacky cast of misfit characters.

I hope Sarah Palin, Donald Trump and that black Pizza Man run again. Add to the clown car, Rand Paul, extreme Ted Cruz, redneck Rick Perry, crazy Michelle Bachman and that chubby gangster guy from New Jersey.

Then we have Karl Rove & Roger Ailes up front driving the clown car. Honka honka honka!

[Publicus]

This will be another round of the same as the 2012 Republican party primaries where in each scheduled state the Rs for the nomination tumbled out of the clown car slapping and poking each other to include a knee here and there....Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Perry, Cain, Gingrich, Bachman, Romney, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, John Huntsman et al.

This now is shaping up for more thrills chills and spills as the bozos on the Republican Party Presidential Primary Bubba Bus start to push shove and slap their way aboard.

Huckabee and the even more sanctimonious Santorum can slug it out between them for the vote of the dead on their feet Ozark social reactionaries in each primary state.

Between 'em they might win a couple which will add to the hilarity.

[Pinot]

During the debates, I'm looking for Huckabee to break out his bass and play the Seinfeld bass line after each of his opponents speak.

I wonder in what alternative universe do these clowns (plural) think they could get elected President of the United States? It's one thing to get elected in a red neck state going loony right. Quite another thing to try and sell that BS to the entire US. First they're going to have to go far right to get the nomination and then swerve back into the middle with how lower taxes for the rich is a good thing, along with the "fear everything" argument. Maybe dig up the Benghazi crapola? Ebola? Or Hillary's too old, maybe?

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

[elgordo38]

He doesn't have a prayer. He's too divisive. The Republicans need someone who is more centrist but stands against federal overreach and spending, and against illegal immigration.

While I like the guy because he's likeable, the issues he will campaign on are not the major concerns of the majority of Americans or even Republicans. He can stop complaining about gay marriage and other such things any time now. That ship has already left the port.

If a Republic wins the next POTUS race he will be fiscally conservative, pro-gun, and socially moderate.

He shouldn't give up his day job.

[elgordo38]

An other nutter as president of the USA?

FOX News must be the most idiotic news on the planet.

We are a captive audience with WE/TV here in Chiang Mai. Wish they would switch to CNN

[elgordo38]

Now that they don't have Huckabee, I'm afraid the Foxs News' viewers may become a bit misinformed.

The clown car is filling up fast. I can only hope that this trip will be as much fun as last time.

How many clowns will they stuff into that car?

The republic ticket is shaping up like a Sitcom TV show with a wacky cast of misfit characters.

I hope Sarah Palin, Donald Trump and that black Pizza Man run again. Add to the clown car, Rand Paul, extreme Ted Cruz, redneck Rick Perry, crazy Michelle Bachman and that chubby gangster guy from New Jersey.

Then we have Karl Rove & Roger Ailes up front driving the clown car. Honka honka honka!

Hey you left Jeb Bush out. After his brother's fiasco in Afganistan and Iraq he looks like a long shot but considering the competition he may yet pull a rabbit out of a hat. If elected he would set a threesome record. Look out for another war. I think the present record holder is the Madison family with 2 I may be wrong. I guess with a Mexican wife he could corner the Latino vote.

[Ulysses G.]

An other nutter as president of the USA?

FOX News must be the most idiotic news on the planet.

We are a captive audience with WE/TV here in Chiang Mai. Wish they would switch to CNN

Maybe you are a captive audience. Most of us can turn the channel to BBC, Channel News Asia or even Al Jazeera. I watch them all on WE/TV, but I usually prefer Fox.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[ggt]

Huckabee is an intelligent...no non-sense...common sense approach kind of guy...

He would restore some transparency and integrity to the Whitehouse...

His Christian background and stand against abortion and homosexuality would be his undoing in a country who has turned it's back on religion...

[Equalizer]

All the religious stuff gets on my nerves. He is a too obsessed with it for my tastes. The good news is that they are taking his TV show off the air. I find it mostly boring. I vote for replacing it with the John Bolton Show. I really like him on foreign policy.

You mean he is Pro Israeli.

[Benmart]

Some comments are much like the people that run for public office. Interesting at first glance and often insincere at closer inspection.

[reptile91602]

It's pretty difficult to top the bunch that went up with Romney a few years ago but the Republicans are fantastic at outdoing themselves with bafoonery (if that is a real word but you get the point).

I figure every election the Republicans show such stupidity that they will loose all future elections for decades to come but the stupidity of the American citizen is beyond any rational thought. Huckabee, What a pious a..hole!

[Jingthing]

For a guy with his far right politics, he does come off as a genuinely warm human being. I wouldn't mind him so much if I was a right wing Christian and wanted a preacher. Please don't make him prez though. Also his weight gain after making a public morality show of great weight loss will be seen by the public as a moral weakness, fairly or not, probably not.

[Suradit69]

...as he considers whether to seek the Republican nomination for president, a decision he expects to reach in the spring.

Looks like the Republican Party is once again assembling a cadre of buffoons and (unintentional) stand-up comics to turn the primary race into another 3-ring circus.

I hope the Pizza Guy runs again too.

And when they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I'm going to say, you know, I don't know.

[ChoakMyDee]

Huckabee is a bigot and a liar.

[elgenon]

Huckabee is a bigot and a liar.

So he is qualified as the Republican candidate? Is that your point? 5555

[uptheos]

Southern Baptist's are quite firm in their beliefs and Mike Huckabee is a SB Ordained Minister, so I don't expect there to be any middle ground on certain subjects. As said before a likable enough guy, but president of the USA?

Mind you I have seen worse in office, the incumbent isn't anything to write home about.

[BoneRanger]

Huckabee is a bigot and a liar.

So he is qualified as the Republican candidate? Is that your point? 5555

That's how he got the FOX gig.