Huckabee's 1992 HIV/AIDS Plan: QUARANTINE All HIV Carriers/AIDS Patients & Then Cut Research Funding

Wow! Talk about an extreme idea from a man running for political office! And yes, that's the key point to all the below, it's that Huckabee said all this in the position and context of running for political office . . . in essence, he was not just giving his personal/religious views, he was suggesting public health policy.

The AP is reporting that Huckabee, during his 1992 failed run for the US Senate, suggested a quarantine for not just those with clinical AIDS, but for all those with HIV:

Mike Huckabee once advocated isolating AIDS patients from the general public, opposed increased federal funding in the search for a cure and said homosexuality could "pose a dangerous public health risk."

As a candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in 1992, Huckabee answered 229 questions submitted to him by The Associated Press. Besides a quarantine, Huckabee suggested that Hollywood celebrities fund AIDS research from their own pockets, rather than federal health agencies.
. . .
When asked about AIDS research in 1992, Huckabee complained that AIDS research received an unfair share of federal dollars when compared to cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

"In light of the extraordinary funds already being given for AIDS research, it does not seem that additional federal spending can be justified," Huckabee wrote. "An alternative would be to request that multimillionaire celebrities, such as Elizabeth Taylor (,) Madonna and others who are pushing for more AIDS funding be encouraged to give out of their own personal treasuries increased amounts for AIDS research."
. . .
When Huckabee wrote his answers in 1992, it was common knowledge that AIDS could not be spread by casual contact.[yes, this was POST-Magic Johnson]

Relatedly, The Politico is reporting that Huckabee also stated on a issue questionnaire (that he didn't HAVE to answer BTW . . . his opponent didn't):

"I feel homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural, and sinful lifestyle, and we now know it can pose a dangerous public health risk,"
. . .
"If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague.... It is difficult to understand the public policy towards AIDS. It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague [ed. insert: i.e. those with just HIV and not just those with clinical AIDS] have not been isolated from the general population, and in which this deadly disease for which there is no cure is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crisis it represents."

About the homosexuality comment . . . fine, most religious conservatives feel the same way (and this comment certainly won't hurt him with his base . . . though speaks to "electability" concerns were he to be the nominee.) But to purposefully and willfully interject such personal opinion onto a political questionnaire speaks to the wisdom and sensitivity of a candidate. However, where things get even more interesting are when Huckabee responded to this story breaking.

Huckabee's response is so internally contradictory that I can't stop laughing:

In the late 80’s and early 90’s we were still learning about the virus that causes AIDS. My concern, as a Senate candidate at the time, was to deal with the virus using the same public health protocols that medical science and public health professionals would use with any infectious disease.

Before a disease can be cured and contained we need to know exactly how and with near certainty what level of contact transmits the disease. There was still too much confusion about HIV transmission in those early years.
. . .
In the absence of conclusive data, my focus was on efforts to limit the exposure of the virus, following traditional medical practices developed from our public health experience and medical science in dealing with tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

First, he's right that in the 80s there was lots of discussion/argument/fear about the communicability of HIV . . . but when he filled out this survey in 1992 there was no question how it was passed on and that a quarantine was completely uncalled for (the CDC in 1985 said that HIV was not passed by casual contact).

So, we can sum up Huckabee's 1992 HIV/AIDS plan as follows:

AIDS poses a serious public health risk and so, because we don't know exactly all the ways it's passed on, we should:

1. Quarantine all HIV carriers or those with clinical AIDS immediately.
2. DECREASE HIV research funding and let all the rich Hollywood types pay for ways to figure out excatly how/why HIV is transmitted.

I hope this irony isn't lost on the general public. If he was dearly concerned and perplexed as to how HIV was transmitted why would he call for decreased funding?

I'm guessing that "Huck's fibbin" once again on this one.

"THE" Speech

"Doctors in the Lounge" Reaction to Romney's Speech

You've all heard of the "man on the street" reaction to current events, right? Well, I had the opportunity of catching most of Romney's speech (video and text) live in our doctor's lounge between surgical cases this morning.

Two other doctors and a CRNA were there too, one watching the tube, one reading a novel, and one perusing the paper while snacking. I watched their reactions as Romney got into his speech. The two that were reading put down their material and were watching within the first few minutes.

After a few minutes one asked: "Where was he Governor?"

"Massachusetts" I said.

"I thought so . . ."

"Yeah, he's giving this speech because many are wary of his Mormon faith, similar to JFK's Catholic speech in 1960." I explained.

"That's funny, I was just thinking that he reminded me of JFK" he repsonded.

Back to viewing. A few minutes later another spoke up:

"Wow, I'm glad that he's talking about this. He really seems to 'get it' as far as how neither religion nor government should dominate one another. Most politicians would be too scared to discuss this."

Nods all around . . . followed by more attentive viewing.

After Romney finished one doc commented how impressive he was, and well-spoken. I then confessed that I was a big Romney supporter and gave him my "shpeel" about why Romney is the best candidate.

"How would he be for the economy?" he asked. I spoke of his business background, commitment to free trade, and also that Barron's Online rated him as the best candidate on either side for the economy.

"I think I've decided who to support." he said.

More nods.

Huckabee Video: God Responsible for My Rise in Iowa Polls.

Unbelievable.

I'm predicting Romney will use the same reasoning to explain how well he's doing in early states tomorrow when he gives his speech. (Heavy sarcasm)

HatTip: Mother Jones Blog.

Update: I'm not alone in thinking this. Jim Geharty sees this as a strange claim from Huck (and his wife's similar claim as confirmation) Love his line: "Dang. Here I was looking at poll numbers, advertising, and endorsements, when I should have been detailing and quantifying the "not human" factor in the race."

A Preponderance of Evidence (Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and Mike Huckabee)

A compilation of links confirming the following themes:

1) First and Foremost . . . Mitt Romeny is Awesome! (Boy, so many to choose from; but I'll limit it): here, here, here, here, here, and here. Anybody else's favorites are welcome in the comments section.

2) Rudy/Huck alliance or "A vote for Huckabee is a vote for Rudy": here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

3) Huckabee's politicizing religion and marginalizing himself as the "Evangelical candidate" (who the MSM and Dems would have a field day destroying . . . of course only AFTER he's helped stir the pot in the GOP field): here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here (and his religious perceptions determine his policy positions which, therefore, can no longer be up for debate, right? here, here, here, here, here, and here) . . . also, I just saw Fox News footage of a Huckabee Campaign event in SC where he said: "I'm here today to talk about Jesus, not to talk about me" (not sure how old that footage is).

Bonus material: Huckabee's slick but unsubstantive style is exposed in this RedState comment (scroll up to see the the post for context). Love it!

"Iowa Likes Mike" Blogsite Whimps Out?

Iowa Likes Mike has erased all the comments on recent posts placed by non-Huckabee supporters.

The blog owner calls out Romney supporters thus:

Unfortunately, recently, many Romney supporters have used my blog as a means to promote their own blogs denigrating Governor Huckabee. I am not interested in providing a bulletin board for Huckabee hate messages. With that said, I have deleted the last batch of comments with the attached links - (Some links were listed twice- somewhat obnoxious...)
Please feel free to continue to post, however, all comments will now be moderated. If you are seeking honest discussion, I welcome it.

Then why did you delete all of the honest discussion comments along with the apparent few unsavory ones?

I've been watching that blog frequently, and didn't see the type of comments he seems to be referring to (maybe I missed the last bunch?)

We have unmoderated comments here at Iowans for Romney (though Keith and I reserve the right to delete comments that contain profanity or are clearly "out-of-bounds"). Check out this comment stream with both anti-Mitt and anti-Mormon themes (and yes, it's from a Huckabee supporter). Here at Iowans for Romney we aren't afraid of any negative messaging from outside sources. It's a chance to argue the policy points and/or point out bigotry for what it is. I realize that Huck and his supporters are trying to ride their current wave of popularity and ignore his troublesome record and/or current stances for a few more weeks. That's all he (Ruduckabee) needs.

Good luck with that.

Huckabee FINALLY Caught in Distortion on Scholarships vs. In-State Tuition for Illegals

I've wished I were the interviewer or a debate contestant as Huckabee has kept "snowing" everybody about "Meritorious Scholarships" vs. "In-State Tuition Breaks" for illegal immigrants. George Stephanopolous finally nailed him as being deceitful on the issue:


Then he seems flabbergasted by George's question on whether or not he'd similarly support federal tuition breaks, federal student loans, and federal Pell Grants for illegal immigrants (like he'd never even thought about it):


He also opposed a bill that would have required proof of citizenship for voting (with a pretty lame excuse IMO):


NOTE TO HUCKABEE . . . IT'S THIS KIND OF "COMPASSION CONSERVATISM" BY YOU AND OTHERS THAT IS JUST AS MUCH OF A MAGNET FOR ILLEGALS TO COME HERE AS ARE THE JOBS. YOU ARE COMPOUNDING AND PROPAGATING THE PROBLEM WITH SUCH POLICIES!

If govenrment has enough money to provide scholarships/tuition breaks shouldn't our own citizens and legal immigrants have first priority? (Mitt made this argument at a Cedar Rapids, Iowa "Ask Mitt Anything" event last week that I saw on C-SPAN)

All the Right Enemies

A quick quiz . . .

Question: Which candidate has (wait to click on the links if you don't want to ruin the suspense):

1) A GOP pro-abortion group attacking him with negative TV ads in Iowa (and New Hampshire)?

2) A GOP gay agenda group (the Log Cabin Republican) attacking him with negative TV and radio ads in Iowa? (Also, this candidate is front-page issue #1 on their website where they are soliciting donations to help take him down.)

Answer Key:
Logically that should be the supposed newfound leader/candidate of the Evangelical Christian movement Mike Huckabee, right?

Wrong, the correct answer is Mitt Romney.

Believe me, there's ammo on both these issues that these groups could go after Huckabee if they wanted to (like him comparing abortion to the Holocaust).

Now think about this: which candidate do you think the GOP pro-abortion and GOP pro-gay agenda groups ARE pulling for in this race?

That's a no-brainer . . . it's THE GOP candidate that IS pro-abortion and pro-gay agenda . . . Rudy.

Many see that this is a way for Rudy to attack Mitt without doing it himself and without using his own money. But what is being lost is that they are holding their fire for Huckabee, because even they see that any challenge to Mitt in Iowa is good news for Rudy.

Makes ya wonder, eh?

Giuliani/Huckabee "Civil Union" Solemnized by Dick Morris?

Please forgive me for that "shocker" of a headline . . . but once I thought it up I simply couldn't help myself. First, let me explain the use of the "Civil Union" term. No, I'm not suggesting that the reciprocal Rudy-Huck man-crushes have actually developed far enough to where they've switched sexual orientation . . . rather, I'm suggesting that Rudy and Huck do have a "union of civility," (as confirmed through a preponderance of evidence here, here, here, here, here, and here --any I missed?) that there is a pact that they will both pump each other up (and both slam Romney) at every opportunity.

Now it looks like Dick Morris may be facilitating this Rudy-Huckabee relationship while simultaneously attempting to pose as an "objective pundit":

"Mike Huckabee has been holding private conversations with Dick Morris, according to aides, a long-standing relationship that is raising new questions as Huckabee’s campaign begins to take off.
. . .
[Morris'] brought Huckabee onto his client roster, beginning in 1993 when he advised the Republican’s winning campaign for lieutenant governor.

Morris lately has been lavishing praise in newspaper columns and television appearances on Huckabee, whose polished debate performances and recent gains in the polls in Iowa have given him a chance to penetrate the top tier among the GOP candidates.

Morris’ public touts of Huckabee sometimes come with disclosures of his past working relationship with the candidate, but they do not mention that the two men still talk regularly — an omission that could raise eyebrows among journalistic ethicists.

As Huckabee’s prospects become more serious, speculation about Morris’ role has blossomed in the small circle — sometimes incestuous, sometimes bitterly competitive — of national political operatives. Some accounts place Morris as an important figure among Huckabee’s kitchen cabinet of outside advisers.

Here is what is known: Morris and Huckabee confer with one another, according to two top Huckabee advisers . . .

Morris declined to be interviewed but said in an e-mail he talks with Huckabee casually and does not consider himself an adviser.
. . .
Morris is doing his part to nudge along Huckabee’s chances.

Huckabee is “the last survivor in the elimination tournament of the Christian right,” Morris exclaimed in an Oct. 17 column. “And they could do a whole lot worse!”

“Mike Huckabee is shaking up the Republican race,” Morris declared in an Oct. 26 column.

He has compared Huckabee favorably to GOP rivals, such as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

On Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes” show last week, Morris spoke of the two candidates’ records on social issues and how they will play in Iowa: “Romney's record on all this stuff is very tentative, so that when a phony social conservative meets up with a real social conservative, Huckabee, I think Huckabee gains, gains, gains and probably wins.”

And recently, Morris has stepped up his advocacy of his former client and current friend and begun to offer the first hint of wanting some credit for the rise of Huckabee.

After a series of unfavorable columns and articles by conservative journalists — culminating in a much-discussed piece by Robert D. Novak — questioning Huckabee’s fiscal conservative credentials, Morris started a column a few days ago:

“As his political consultant in the early ’90s and one who has been following Arkansas politics for 30 years, let me clue you in: Mike Huckabee is a fiscal conservative,” he wrote before making the case for Huckabee in Iowa — and beyond.

So how does Rudy come in with Morris? Well, I remember him saying just a few days ago on Fox News that he likes Huckabee and Rudy the most (though not disclosing that he was actively talking and informally advising both candidates.) From the same article above Morris stated via email:

“[Huckabee], like Rudy and the staff of three or four other campaigns, are personal friends, and I chat with them from time to time, but nothing like an adviser,”

Yeah RIGHT Dick! Interestingly, why did Morris single out Rudy as a "personal friend" here? I think Morris actually wants some public recognition for brokering this particular Rudy/Huckabee alliance. He hinted at this a few weeks ago in his column with the idea that a Huckabee surge/win in Iowa might just save Rudy from his mistake of not taking Iowa seriously:

Rudy could still bounce back in Iowa if he gets his act together there and at least make it close. More possible would be for Huckabee, who has been surging with no money, to close with Romney and win in Iowa. Mike’s consistent pro-life position contrasts sharply with Mitt’s flip-flop-flip on the issue and could propel Huckabee ahead of Romney . . .

You can look at Morris' other recent columns and connect the dots as well:

In one a couple of weeks ago, Dick Morris goes against reason (and against every prominent fiscally conservative pundit and watchdog group) by saying that "MIKE HUCKABEE IS A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE" (yes, it was all in caps). Just a few days ago his column was devoted to highlighting Romney's recent supposed struggles in the campaign (that I'm sure he's chuckling behind the scenes because he's helping to cause them).

I always thought this guy was a sleazeball just from listening to him (and that was even before my wife pointed out to me his scandalous past). Seeing him being party to this hypocritical Rudy/Huckabee alliance confirmed my gut reactions.

Rudy Camp: "Huckabee is an unmitigated Godsend for Rudy."

"Huckabee is an unmitigated Godsend for Rudy"

I wonder what God Team Rudy is referring to . . .

Mind you, last week Huckabee said that God was responsible for his recent surge in Iowa.

"Mr. Huckabee also said that Divine providence was responsible for his recent surge in the polls in Iowa" [side note: can you imagine the backlash if Romney would have said the same thing a few months ago?!?!?]

With all the other campaigns bringing God into the campaign so much maybe it really IS time for Romney to give "The Mormon Speech"

Breaking . . . Romney to address issue of "Faith in America" - - - - - "Mormon Speech"

From the NYTimes Blog

Jeff Fuller

Iowa Christian Alliance President Scheffler: "Rudy Giuliani cannot be elected" (And how Huck's trying to have it both ways)

States this in Romney's presence:

DUBUQUE, IA -- It's no secret that Iowa Christian Alliance president Steve Scheffler isn't a Rudy fan. But tonight, within spitting distance of Giuliani’s rival GOP candidate Romney, Scheffler explicitly urged Iowa Christians to oppose Giuliani in the race for the nomination. "If our party nominates this guy," he told a crowd at a Dubuque gathering of the ICA, "we will see a bloodbath at the polls like we've never seen before."

Scheffler went on to slam Giuliani's position on same-sex marriage, life issues and gun rights. "Rudy Giuliani cannot be elected," he said, citing the ex-mayor's differences with social conservatives. "We cannot afford to nominate somebody who's out of touch with the base."

Also, Iowa voters should take note that Scheffler made these comments not just while Romney was present, but in the presence of Pro-Life crusader James Bopp Jr. (Romney endorser) who essentially said at that same meeting that a vote for anyone else in Iowa but Mitt is a vote for Rudy, arguing that Mitt is the only candidate that can take on and beat Rudy.

Let's see, Scheffler, as a leader among Iowa Christian voters is HARD CORE against Rudy . . .

These same Christian voters should then take pause at why Huckabee seems to be so pro-Rudy (and vice-a-versa). Shouldn't the so-called chosen son of the Evangelical movement have a little more "Rudy is unacceptable" fire in him? Instead, Huckabee isn't simply ignoring that the "front-runner" for the GOP nomination is anathema to all socially conservative things, but Huck takes it far beyond silence, and is constantly complimenting Rudy and even defending him. There is also evidence that Huckabee is timid about taking on Rudy head to head and has said himself:

". . . if you go after Rudy, you better be prepared to take one upside the head, because Rudy's an experienced fighter and knows how to do it."

More "Rudy love" recently from Huckabee:

"There is an authenticity about Rudy that people find refreshing."

. . . hardly what the social conservative movement is looking for I would assume (I'm socially conservative, and I'm not looking for someone who can't take down Rudy! Of course, I'm already aligned with the only guy who can take out Rudy AND win the general election!).

Makes one wonder whether Huckabee is truly a leader of the social conservative movement, or if he's just a political opportunist who is trying to ride his "flavor of the month" status as long as he can. At least Rudy's team sees that "Huckabee is an unmitigated Godsend for Rudy." (interesting use of that religious metaphor . . . are they saying that God wants Rudy to be POTUS?(sort of ironic, eh? . . . ). The social conservative Baptist minister rides in to save the day of the pro-abortion, pro-gay agenda, socially liberal and anti-religiosity candidate. (Please excuse me while I clean up my own emesis)

However, if what George Will is suggesting is really what's going on in Iowa then the above may all be a moot argument:

Although Huckabee is considered affable, two subliminal but clear enough premises of his Iowa attack on Mitt Romney are unpleasant: The almost 6 million American Mormons who consider themselves Christians are mistaken about that. And -- 55 million non-Christian Americans should take note -- America must have a Christian president.

Another pious populist who was annoyed by Darwin -- William Jennings Bryan -- argued that William Howard Taft, his opponent in the 1908 presidential election, was unfit to be president because he was a Unitarian, a persuasion sometimes defined as the belief that there is at most one God. The electorate chose to run the risk of entrusting the presidency to someone skeptical about the doctrine of the Trinity.

If Huckabee succeeds in derailing Romney's campaign by raising a religious test for presidential eligibility, that will be clarifying: In one particular, America was more enlightened a century ago.

I'm not saying that is what's happening and dearly hope not. If so, I'll pray even more earnestly for the future of our nation.

I beg rational leaders of the Evangelical movement to see what's happening with this "Unholy Alliance" between Rudy and Huckabee. Then help convince and persuade others that Mitt is the right man at the right time to stop both Rudy and Hillary . . . that he is a leader with proven strength and results. Your endorsement of Romney can help avoid a situation where both party's nominees are unapologetically pro-choice. Most importantly, a Romney candidacy, more than any other viable candidate, can keep together the long-important "Reagan coalition" of social, fiscal, and national security conservatives.

Oppo Round-up

Updates on the Iowa Competition:

Rudy:

• Politico: Rudy's Affair Financied (in part) by NYC taxpayers (and it looks like he tried to hide it)
  

Money quote: "As New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses amassed during the time when he was beginning an extramarital relationship with future wife Judith Nathan in the Hamptons"

• Citing Statistics, Giuliani Misses Time and Again

Huckabee:

• The affable but subliminally unpleasant Mike Huckabee — By GEORGE F. WILL

Money quotes: "Mike Huckabee's candidacy rests on serial non sequiturs: I am a Christian, therefore I am a conservative, therefore whatever I have done or propose to do with "compassionate," meaning enlarged, government is conservatism. And by the way, anything I denote as a "moral" issue is beyond debate other than by the uncaring forces of greed." . . . "Huckabee combines pure moralism with incoherent populism"

• Immigration group: Huckabee a ‘disaster’
  Money quote: "there’s little doubt which Republican scares them most — former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. “He was an absolute disaster on immigration as governor,” said Roy Beck, president of NumbersUSA, a group that played a major role in rallying the phone calls that helped defeat this year’s Senate immigration bill. “Every time there was any enforcement in his state, he took the side of the illegal aliens.”

• Richelieu: Huckabee’s Challenge
• Mike Huckabee, The Populist (from HuckabeeFacts.org)
• Huckabee offered ‘no-cost’ deal for Mexican Consulate - Developer confirms role, legislator raps ex-governor for using taxpayer funds for illegals.

McCain:

• Internal McCain Campaign Memo: GOP, Turn Down The Volume On Immigration

Fred:

• Fred Thompson’s almighty misunderstanding
• Why One Iowa Blogger Won't Vote for Fred

Money quote: "Fred Thompson is conservative enough but he has never been a conservative leader. When I hear him speak I think, "Nice enough guy, probably was a decent senator." . . . the argument that Iowa socons should rally around Thompson doesn't make any sense."

• Too Bad Fred Won’t Sell His Good Ideas

New Hampshire Poll from Fox News shows Romney Strongly in the Lead

November 30th poll from FoxNews shows Mitt Romney with an 8 point lead over McCain, and most importantly, and 10 point lead over Giuliani. America, are you listening??? Romney is leading in the important states, and will carry over this momentum to the rest of the non-early states! Here are the numbers:

1. Mitt Romney 29%
2. John McCain 21
3. Rudy Giuliani 19
4. Mike Huckabee 7
5. Ron Paul 4
6. Fred Thompson 4
7. Duncan Hunter 1
8. Tom Tancredo -
9. (Other) 1
10. (Don’t know) 14

Unlike the other candidates, Romney is experiencing steady, long-term gains in polling. As he visits these states, his polling goes up. His polling is not a reflection of national name recognition, nor government long-timer presence, nor media-driven endorsements. Romney is the real deal. He's what Americans want in a president, and the media is struggling to keep him down.

Other interesting facts from the poll in New Hampshire:

The poll (also) shows that five percent of all likely Republican primary
voters describe themselves as "evangelical Protestants," with most of the rest
split between identifying themselves as Catholics (32 percent) and traditional
Protestants (34 percent). Among evangelicals, Romney holds a sizeable lead over
Mike Huckabee (37 percent to 23 percent), with McCain a close third at 21
percent and Giuliani trailing in fourth position with 11 percent.

Looks like bad news for Huckabee, considering his primary leg that he is standing on is the "Evangelical Protestant" vote.

Regarding the key qualities these voters look for in a candidate, the poll found
honesty (32 percent) and standing up for one’s beliefs (30 percent) about
equally important, with experience trailing far behind (18 percent).

Seems as if they are describing Mitt Romney in what they look for in a candidate.

Editorial Addendum by Jeff Fuller:

That Fox News Poll is actually one of the worst showings for Romney in NH in a while (all Fox News Polls . . . especially the national ones . . . tend to give Romney lower numbers, and Rudy higher numbers than most other polls). The Real Clear Politics NH Average has Romney with a 15 point lead. Also, the Rassmussen NH poll that came out the same day as this Fox one showed Romney with a 19% point lead with 34% and no one else over 15%. Now that's what we call DOMINATING a poll!

Let's focus on winning Iowa though!

Why Evangelicals Should Support Mitt Romney

Very convincing arguments from Evangelicals that are supporting Mitt

Why Evangelical Christians are supporting Mitt Romney

Bookmark Evangelicals for Mitt . . . a great site/resource.