Republican
presidential candidate Mike Huckabee appealed to Iowa
conservatives on two fronts last weekend in Iowa, calling
for a stronger military and stronger families.
Huckabee, the
former Arkansas governor who jumped to a lead in Iowa polls
earlier this month, wants a drastic increase in regular
forces to ease the strain on National Guard and
reserve units being called up for duty in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
''We need to have
a larger regular force to make sure we are capable if
we do have to go into battle, and let's pray to God that we
don't,'' Huckabee told about 120 people in Council
Bluffs.
Huckabee
acknowledged the criticism leveled at him last week for his
negative comments about President Bush's foreign policy,
although he mischaracterized the criticism.
Huckabee said
detractors don't like his opinion that a larger force
should have invaded Iraq. In fact, Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice disagreed with a separate Huckabee
complaint, that Bush has an ''arrogant bunker
mentality'' toward foreign policy that is offensive to other
countries.
''Mistakes were
made in how things were handled; we all understand
that,'' Huckabee said of the Iraq war. ''Now I'm getting
criticism because I'm suggesting there were mistakes
in the light-footprint concept.''
He repeated his
complaint that Bush should have listened to military
commanders who said more troops were needed for the initial
invasion.
''Once you engage
in battle, you do not let the politicians second-guess
and mess with the decisions of the battlefield commanders
who have the blood on their boots and the medals on
their chest,'' Huckabee told around 300 supporters
later in a high school auditorium in Sioux Falls.
Huckabee's
foreign policy views were also criticized by GOP rival Mitt
Romney, whom Huckabee knocked out of the lead in Iowa polls
earlier this month.
The ascent of
Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, has been fueled by
Christian conservatives who share his evangelical faith and,
in many cases, say they are uncomfortable with
Romney's Mormon faith.
On his final
stretch of campaigning before the Christmas holiday,
Huckabee underlined his lifelong opposition to abortion and
same-sex marriage, issues that will likely drive many
churchgoers to the January 3 caucuses in Iowa. He
spent Saturday traveling the western edge of Iowa, the
most conservative part of the state.
''It's not
because I don't like them,'' Huckabee said of gay people.
''It's because I like even more the idea that the heart and
soul, the essence of our civilization is in the
family. It's not in the government. It's not even in
some institution, not even the church. Before there was
the church, and before there was government, there was
family.
''When you mess
with the design, you end up messing with results,'' he
added. ''We can't afford to do that. That's why you will
never hear me waver.''
His emphasis on
consistency calls attention to Romney's inconsistency.
Romney favored abortion rights and gay rights when elected
governor of Massachusetts, but has since changed his
mind on abortion and in his presidential campaign has
played down his support for gay rights, while playing
up his opposition to same-sex marriage.
Huckabee also
thumped Romney for spending millions of dollars to organize
and boost his profile in Iowa. Huckabee runs a tiny campaign
on a shoestring budget and, even with significant help
from outside groups and pastors, is vastly outgunned
in the state.
''But what would
happen in this country if money couldn't buy the
presidency?'' Huckabee asked. ''What would happen if Iowa
said we're not for sale, and we're not even for
rent?''
In Orange City,
he joked about mailboxes stuffed full of campaign
mailings: ''I know you normally look forward to Christmas
cards this time of year. This time, you go and --
Huckabee's a bum, Huckabee's a bum, Huckabee's a bum,
Huckabee's a bum.
''My wife
could've told you that and saved the postage,'' he said as a
packed auditorium laughed and clapped.
It wasn't all
talk for Huckabee, who despite his conservative image likes
to rock out on bass guitar. In Sioux City, to illustrate
what he needs to do over the crucial next few days,
Huckabee played ''Takin' Care of Business,'' the 1970s
hit by Bachman-Turner Overdrive. (Libby Quaid, AP)
