Thompson Apologizes to Huckabee

With Mitt giving his religion speech and Huck first slamming and then apologizing to Mitt for playing overty playing the religion card -- promising to keep it covert in the future -- Fred has figured out a way to get a little oxygen in this news cycle. He's apologized to Huck for pointing out, well, a number of things.

Again, as I said before, Fred strikes me as a blast to have around the office, and he would be a great ornament as anyone's VP. When was the last time that any serious presidential campaign had the gall to issue a press release like this?

In light of Mike Huckabee's heartfelt apology to Mitt Romney for making reference to Romney's religion in the New York Times Magazine, we at the Thompson Campaign would like to offer Huckabee our own heartfelt apologies for some references we've made about his record as Governor of Arkansas.

To add anything to this would be to gild a lily. So here it is:

To: Interested Members of the Media
From: Karen Hanretty, Deputy Communications Director
Date: 12/13/2007
Re: Fred Thompson Campaign Apologies

In light of Mike Huckabee's heartfelt apology to Mitt Romney for making reference to Romney's religion in the New York Times Magazine, we at the Thompson Campaign would like to offer Huckabee our own heartfelt apologies for some references we've made about his record as Governor of Arkansas.

We apologize for pointing out that as Governor of Arkansas, Huckabee offered in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. That's something he'd probably just as soon no one talk about.

A recent Washington Post-ABC News Iowa poll of Iowans likely to vote in the Republican caucus stated illegal immigration as their top issue of concern, tied with the war in Iraq.( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/poli tics/polls/postpoll_112007.html )

We apologize for pointing out that in 2002 Huckabee wrote Pres. Bush a letter asking him to lift the Cuban embargo. It's easy to see how Huckabee might have missed the finer points of a 40-year embargo. While he obviously knew enough about the embargo to ask that it be lifted, Huckabee clearly didn't know enough to ask that it not be lifted. So for that, we're sorry.

In 2002, Governor Huckabee strongly advocated lifting the embargo against Cuba saying it "harm[s] our own agricultural and business interests," "has not helped the people of Cuba" and has "provided Castro with a convenient excuse for his own failed system of government." (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 3/29/02)

We apologize for referencing that 47% tax increase Huckabee imposed on Arkansas taxpayers when he was governor. That must be really awkward for him, now that he's running in a GOP primary election. We notice he never points it out to voters.

Average Arkansan's tax burden increased by over 47% between 1997 and 2005 (or $933 per person). (Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 10/9/07)

We apologize for telling reporters that a BA in Biblical Studies from Ouachita Baptist University doesn't, in fact, make Huckabee more qualified to fight the war on terror than say...Fred Thompson.

In an interview with CBNNews in November , Huckabee said "...I truly understand the nature of the war that we are in with Islamo fascism. These are people that want to kill us. ... And I don't know if anybody fully understands that. I'm the only guy on that stage with a theology degree." ( http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/266712.aspx )