When Governor Mike Huckabee entered the Republican presidential race, he was the ultimate dark horse, with almost no money, no consultants, and no name recognition beyond Arkansas. The so-called experts were highly amused by this former small state governor from blue-collar roots who also played bass in a rock band. He wouldn’t have a prayer against the well-connected and financially wired pros like Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson.
But Huckabee had one big advantage: a common sense message that connected with millions of people, and not just his fellow evangelical Christians. He spoke about family values, fair taxes, and helping hard-working, middle-class Americans in a tough economy. And to the dismay of some Republicans, he talked about fighting Wall Street greed and K Street corruption.
Huckabee shocked the country by winning the all-important Iowa caucuses and seven other states, while spending far less than the other major candidates. He created an army of passionate volunteers and small donors, transforming his campaign into a true movement that will endure long after Election Day.
Do The Right ThingDo The Right Thing is Huckabee’s amazing story, in his own words—from making commercials with Chuck Norris to meeting a Michigan woman who insisted on donating her wedding ring. But this is more than just a campaign memoir. It’s a vision for a smarter, fairer type of politics—“vertical politics”—that focuses on common sense solutions for education, health care, the economy, and many other issues. It’s not about right versus left; it’s about taking America up rather than down.
Huckabee also shows how the Republican Party can heal its divisions—between social and fiscal conservatives, the wealthy and the middle class, the religious and the secular—and become a true majority party again.
Michael Dale Huckabee served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas and current host of the Fox News Channel talk show Huckabee. He was a candidate for President in 2008, finishing second in delegate count as a result of the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries. Following losses to John McCain in the Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island primaries, Huckabee exited the race on March 4, 2008 as McCain became the presumptive Republican nominee.
Mike Huckabee was born Aug. 24, 1955, in Hope, Arkansas, the same small town where former U.S. President Bill Clinton was born nine years earlier.
Huckabee's strict father worked as a firefighter father who on in his days off worked as a mechanic. In the mid-sixties, he joined Garrett Memorial Baptist Church and became involved in church activities.
Timid and a bit of a klutz, Huckabee found salvation in words and music. He started playing guitar at age 11 (to this day, he occasionally plays bass with the Arkansas rock band, Capitol Offense) and became a champion public speaker and debater. He preached his first sermon as a teenager.
Huckabee is the author of several best selling books, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, musician and a public speaker. He is also an ABC Radio political commentator. He and his wife, Janet, have been married for 33 years and have three grown children: John Mark, David, and Sarah.
... Show more