Huckabee’s Playground Diplomacy

Gov. Huckabee: "This Administration's Bunker Mentality Has Been Counterproductive, Both At Home And Abroad." GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: "Well, let me begin by saying that to say that American foreign policy needs a change in tone or attitude, or an opening up and reaching out, is as obvious as saying that O.J. Simpson might've had a bad month (ha, ha, ha). This Administration's bunker mentality has been counterproductive, both at home and abroad. They've done a poor job of communicating and consulting with other countries, just as they have, frankly, with the American people." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Foreign Affairs As Playground Politics. GOV. HUCKABEE: "There's a sense in which our situation with prestige in the world is a great deal like many of us experienced as a child growing up in a neighborhood where there was one kid, one kid who was just exceptional at everything he did. He made A's, and never anything else; he could run faster; he could jump higher; he could throw the ball further; he never struck out. You know the kid; I hope you weren't that kid (ha, ha, ha)." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Huckabee: "Full Diplomatic Relations" With Iran. GOV. HUCKABEE: "Normally we speak to Iran only indirectly, through the Swiss embassy in Tehran. Our recent direct negotiations about Iraq have been very narrowly focused, not very productive because we really weren't exploring the full range of issues. We have valuable incentives to offer Iran in exchange for helping us to stabilize Iraq, not supporting the Taliban, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and abandoning their nuclear ambitions, trade and economic assistance (?), full diplomatic relations (?!), and security guarantees (?!!!)." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Huckabee: Iran Is Simply Playing "Normal Power Politics" And We Can "Negotiate With Them." GOV. HUCKABEE: "And while there can be no rational dealings with al Qaeda, Iran is a nation-state looking for regional power. It plays the normal power politics that we do understand, and can skillfully and rightfully pursue. And we have substantial issues to negotiate with them." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Diplomacy With Iran Is Like A Fight With Your Sister. GOV. HUCKABEE: "We haven't had diplomatic relationships with Iran in almost 30 years, most of my entire adult life, and a lot of good it's done. Putting this in human terms, all of us know that when we stop talking to a parent, or a sibling, or even a friend, it's impossible to resolve the differences to move that relationship forward. Well, the same is true for countries." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Huckabee: An Embassy In Baghdad Would Have Led To Better Intelligence. GOV. HUCKABEE: " If we had had diplomatic relations with Iraq, and an ambassador in Baghdad, we obviously would've had better information. Before we put boots on the ground in the future, we better have a few wingtips there first." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Mike Huckabee: "And When President Bush Included Iran In The Axis Of Evil, Everything Went Downhill Pretty Fast." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Mike Huckabee: "I Know That We Cannot Live With Al Qaeda, But There Is A Chance We Can Live With A Domesticated Iran." GOV. HUCKABEE: "As the only presidential candidate with a theology degree, along with several years of political experience, I know that theology is black and white. Politics is not. My enemy today on one issue may be my friend tomorrow on another. Bottom line is this: Iran is a regional threat to the balance of power in the Middle and Near East. Al Qaeda is an existential threat to the United States. I know that we cannot live with al Qaeda, but there is a chance we can live with a domesticated Iran." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Huckabee: Bin Laden Is "Protected Indirectly By The Pakistani Government." GOV. HUCKABEE: "Now, while our failure to engage Iran seems to be leading to our potentially attacking them, our failure to engage al Qaeda and Pakistan seems to be leading to their attacking us again. When we let bin Laden escape at Tora Bora in December of 2001, he fled Afghanistan into Pakistan, and we played Brer Fox to his Brer Rabbit. We threw him into the perfect briar patch, protected directly by Islamic extremists, tribal leaders who revere him, and don't consider their land to be part of Pakistan, protected indirectly by the Pakistani government, who believes that it is." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Huckabee: The War In Iraq Is A Distraction From Going After Al Qaeda In Pakistan. GOV. HUCKABEE: "I am convinced that our focus on Iraq at the expense of Pakistan or Iran is like dealing with the neighbor's house, which is on fire, while ignoring the house on the other side of the street that's filled with carbon monoxide. Iraq may be the hot war, but Pakistan is where the cold, calculating planning is actually going on. Al Qaeda in Iraq is a branch office. Corporate headquarters is in Pakistan." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Huckabee: By Supporting Pakistan's Government, "Our Government" Is To Blame If Al Qaeda Attacks Us. GOV. HUCKABEE: "If al Qaeda attacks us tomorrow, that attacked will be postmarked Pakistan, not Iraq. Pakistan has become the new Afghanistan. Another attack will spark justified outrage that we let bin Laden and his people get away. Concerns about Pakistan's delicate sensibilities will be drowned out by the wailing about American casualties. The American people will not understand why our supposed ally refused to help us or why our government put up with their intransigence." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

Gov. Huckabee: "I Would Prefer To Skip The Next Attack And The Exasperated Fury That It Will Rightly Generate And Cut To The Chase By Going After Al Qaeda's Safe Haven In Pakistan." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Remarks To The Center For Strategic And International Studies, Washington, D.C., 9/28/07)

HUCKABEE'S PLAYGROUND DIPLOMACY

Blames Bush, Copies Clinton & Obama Talking Points

The No Laughing Matter!: A serious look at Gov. Mike Huckabee's record and policy beyond the one-liners. As in:

Gov. Mike Huckabee: "And the ultimate thing is, I may not be the expert that some people are on foreign policy, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night." ("Imus In The Morning," 12/4/2007)

National Review: "The Holiday Inn Express Candidate." "In sum, conservatives should have worries about the depth and soundness of Mike Huckabee's foreign-policy views. And staying at a Holiday Inn Express is not going to be enough to allay them." (Editorial, "The Holiday Inn Express Candidate, National Review, 12/10/2007)

PLAYGROUND DIPLOMACY

COME ON, EVERYBODY, BE NICE!

Gov. Huckabee's foreign policy: Be Nice And Follow The Golden Rule. "Huckabee also said that nations deserve the same kind of treatment that individuals do. 'You treat others the way you'd like to be treated,' he said. 'That's to me the fundamental issue that has to be re-established in our dealings with other countries.'" (Lisa Rossi, "Huckabee: Restore U.S. Ties Around World," The Des Moines Register, 12/4/2007)

Gov. Huckabee Says The U.S. Shouldn't Act Like An Arrogant High School Student. GOV. HUCKABEE: "The United States, as the world's only superpower, is less vulnerable to military defeat. But it is more vulnerable to the animosity of other countries. Much like a top high school student, if it is modest about its abilities and achievements, if it is generous in helping others, it is loved. But if it attempts to dominate others, it is despised." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, "America's Priorities In The War On Terror," Foreign Affairs, 1-2/08)

Gov. Huckabee Wants The U.S. To Negotiate With Iran Because We Should Be Nice To Our Friends. GOV. HUCKABEE: "Yet we have not had diplomatic relations with Iran in almost 30 years; the U.S. government usually communicates with the Iranian government through the Swiss embassy in Tehran. When one stops talking to a parent or a friend, differences cannot be resolved and relationships cannot move forward. The same is true for countries. The reestablishment of diplomatic ties will not occur automatically or without the Iranians' making concessions that serve to create a less hostile relationship." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, "America's Priorities In The War On Terror," Foreign Affairs, 1-2/08)

FOREIGN POLICY PLAYBOOK

CRIBBED FROM DEMOCRATS

Huckabee/Democrat Talking Point #1 – Blame Bush foreign policy:

Gov. Huckabee: "The Bush Administration's Arrogant Bunker Mentality Has Been Counterproductive At Home And Abroad." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, "America's Priorities In The War On Terror," Foreign Affairs, 1-2/08)

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) Said The Bush Administration Was In "Bunker Mode." KERRY: "Attempting to prevent the Senate from investigating only prolongs the toxicity and further isolates a White House in bunker mode." (Sen. John Kerry, "Sen. Kerry Says White House Stonewalling Disservice To Democracy," Press Release, 7/9/2007)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Said The Bush White House Was "In A Bunker Mentality." "Senator Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, suggested that 'the White House is in a bunker mentality * won't listen, won't change.'" (Carl Hulse and Sheryl Gay Stolberg, "U.S. House Panel Authorizes Subpoena For Rove And Others," International Herald Tribune, March 21, 202007)

Gov. Huckabee: "After President Bush Included Iran In The 'Axis Of Evil,' Everything Went Downhill Fast." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, "America's Priorities In The War On Terror," Foreign Affairs, 1-2/08)

DNC Chairman Howard Dean Said The Axis Of Evil Was A "Foolish Phrase." MATTHEWS: "When you hear the phrase, axis of evil, is that a convincing phrase, a useful phrase, or a dangerous phrase? How do you hear it?" HOWARD DEAN: "I think it's a foolish phrase." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 1/26/04)

Huckabee/Democrat Talking Point #2 – Have Tea With Ahmadinejad:

Gov. Huckabee Is Calling For Negotiations With Iran. GOV. HUCKABEE: "We have substantive issues to discuss with Tehran. ... We have valuable incentives to offer Iran: trade and economic assistance, full diplomatic relations, and security guarantees. ... Another way to contain Iran is through diplomacy. We must be as aggressive diplomatically as we have been militarily since 9/11. We must intensify our diplomatic efforts with China, India, Russia, South Korea, and European states and persuade them to put more economic pressure on Iran." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, "America's Priorities In The War On Terror," Foreign Affairs, 1-2/08)

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Would Negotiate With Iran "With No Conditions." "But campaigning in New Hampshire this week, Clinton said, 'I would engage in negotiations with Iran with no conditions.'" (Margaret Talev, "Clinton's Position On Iran Under Fire," The Miami Herald, 10/13/2007)

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) Said He Would Meet With Leaders Of Rogue Nations Like Iran. OBAMA: "And I think that it is a disgrace that we have not spoken to them. We've been talking about Iraq -* one of the first things that I would do in terms of moving a diplomatic effort in the region forward is to send a signal that we need to talk to Iran and Syria because they're going to have responsibilities if Iraq collapses. ... And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -* which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration -* is ridiculous." (CNN/YouTube Democratic Presidential Debate, 7/24/2007)

Huckabee/Democrat Talking Point #3 – Attack Your Allies:

Huckabee Suggests Attacking Targets In Pakistan Without Pakistani Approval. "Despite the Bush administration's continued claims that the U.S. military will pursue 'actionable targets,' according to a July 2007 article in The New York Times based on interviews with a dozen current and former military and defense officials, a classified raid targeting bin Laden's top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in Pakistan was aborted in early 2005. Then Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld called off the attack at the very last minute, as Navy Seals in parachutes were preparing in C-130s in Afghanistan, because he felt he needed Musharraf's permission to proceed. Why did Rumsfeld, instead of President Bush, call off the attack? Did he ask for Musharraf's permission or assume he would not get it? When I am president, I will make the final call on such actions. ... Rather than wait for the next strike, I prefer to cut to the chase by going after al Qaeda's safe havens in Pakistan." (Gov. Mike Huckabee, "America's Priorities In The War On Terror," Foreign Affairs, 1-2/08)

Sen. Obama Recently Suggested Attacking Inside Pakistan Without Pakistani Approval. "Obama said if elected in November 2008 he would be willing to attack inside Pakistan with or without approval from the Pakistani government, a move that would likely cause anxiety in the already troubled region. 'If we have actionable intelligence about high-value Terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will,' Obama said." (Steve Holland, "Tough Talk On Pakistan From Obama," Reuters, 8/1/2007)

To follow up, Governor Romney was asked about Gov. Huckabee’s Foreign Affairs article today in Iowa. Below are his comments and a link:

http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/ICYMI_12.15

Governor Mitt Romney: "You also heard my comments, my remarks today, about Governor Huckabee's article in Foreign Affairs. To accuse the President of an arrogant, bunker mentality is, in my view, more fitting from a person running from the Democratic Party than from our own. It sounds like something Barack Obama or John Edwards would say. Not what you'd hear from someone running for president as a Republican. And I think it was a very serious error. With that, I'd be happy to take any questions you may have."

Reporter: "Yesterday, you said you weren't going to compare your foreign policy experience with Governor Huckabee's. In light of this article that has come out now, does that show a lack of judgment on his part in terms of foreign affairs?

Governor Romney: "Well, having looked at the article, I must admit some things were also surprising. His suggestion that foreign affairs was like a children's playground is not exactly the allegory I would draw in mind. It's a far more serious and complicated and monumental effort than kids in school, but I'm sure I'll have more thoughts about his article. But I was disappointed in the quality of the thinking and the quality of recommendations there. But that which really stood out, of course, was the accusation that the Administration, the accusation of the President's administration as being arrogant, bunker mentality, an administration that had been counterproductive both here and abroad. We've been safe here. How can one possibly say that when we have been safe in this country and we took action abroad at a time when the Taliban had made Afghanistan a safe haven for terror, Libya was developing nuclear technology and Iraq was a partner in efforts of terror."

…

Reporter: "Governor Romney, just a few minutes ago you called Governor Huckabee a great friend. Did it surprise you the Foreign Affairs article that came out today?"

Governor Romney: "It did surprise me. His comments surprised me. They disappointed me. I expected a great deal more from the article than I saw, but the attack on the presidency was something uncalled for. It was unnecessary and inaccurate." (Governor Mitt Romney, Media Availability, Humboldt, IA, 12/15/07)

And, on Fox News this afternoon, host Brigette Quinn and the Washington Examiner’s Bill Sammon discuss Huckabee’s Foreign Affairs article.

Both Quinn and Sammon say that Huckabee sounds like a Democrat, was over the top in his criticism, and counterproductive.

YouTube link and transcript follow:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=abGemUDiw7o

BRIGITTE QUINN: All right, a tough act to follow, but let’s go to the campaign trail, where one Republican candidate is taking on more than just opponents. Take a look at this quote. “The Bush administration's arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home, and abroad.” Here we go. Pretty harsh words and those words coming from none other than presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, the candidate making the statement in the latest issue of Foreign Affairs magazine. Will the blistering remark about members of his own party help or hurt Huckabee? Bill Sammon is the senior White House correspondent with the Washington Examiner. Do you score points, Bill, with the Republican faithful going after the president like that?

BILL SAMMON: No, I think, you talk about counterproductive. I think this is going to be counterproductive to Huckabee's chances in the primaries. I mean, it makes him sound like a Democrat, which is not a good thing if you're trying to appeal to voters in a Republican primary. Now, I understand he's surging in Iowa and elsewhere and he is the guy to sort of beat at the moment. But, this sounds more like a general election strategy, he might be getting ahead of himself a little bit. If you're going to critique the president's policy from your own party you would generally wait until after you secure the nomination, not before.

QUINN: So if I can ask you to kind of get in his head a little bit more. Why do you think he did it? Is it to try to present himself as the agent for change in Washington?

SAMMON: That could be part of it. I also wonder whether, you know, I mean, his opponents are saying that it shows a sort of a lack of nuance when it comes to foreign affairs, it was a little heavy handed to say the least, it was a little over the top, because it was so strident, and you can be a little bit more subtle. In other words,, the other Republican candidates have generally supported the president's foreign policy, but have acknowledged that there have been shortcomings and that there have been, you know, things in Iraq that haven't been handled properly, but for Huckabee to just launch a full frontal assault, shows that he might not have the sort of deft touch that you need on foreign policy. Remember, conservatives are already a little but worried about Huckabee on taxes, on spending and maybe on ethics and what Huckabee doesn't need at this time is to have him worry about them on foreign policy as well.

QUINN: I mean, he really goes after the president also on Tora Bora saying we've played briar fox to briar rabbit and talking about Osama in Laden, we threw Osama into the perfect briar patch, accusing the president of letting him get away. I've got to say Bill, not to criticize Huckabee, but when I read this I thought I was reading the words of John Kerry from the last campaign.

SAMMON: That's similar to what Mitt Romney said a couple of minutes ago. He said when he read it he had to read it twice today because he thought it sounded like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and I went back and looked at quotes that the Democrats have said and it really looks like a page ripped out of the Democratic play book, so what he's doing at the very least is giving political aid and comfort to the opposition party, namely the Democrats, because you know the Democrats are going to jump on this and say, ‘See, we told you Bush's policy is wrong and even their leading front running Republican presidential candidate says so,’ so I think he overreached a little bit on this one.

QUINN: Bill, before I let you get away, Rudy Giuliani is supposedly giving a couple of big speeches in Florida, what's your sense of the race in general among Republicans? Could Huckabee be sort of the media darling, media creation somewhat, right now. And is Rudy still the man to beat?

SAMMON: I think Rudy Giuliani is very, very worried about the Huckabee surge and here is a guy who, for many, many months, was the presumed the front runner on the Republican side and now he's in trouble so he's giving a couple of speeches today to try to reassure his supporters and the Republican base that he really is the guy that should be getting the nomination. Romney's worried, the others are worried, Huckabee has come out of nowhere and I don't think it was a media creation because he wasn't getting that much media attention. I think he did it on his own and we have to give him credit, but the question, is he ready for prime time? And Rudy is going to try to tick away at that question.