Mike Huckabee just announced last week that he is officially running for president, so he’s now getting extra scrutiny. Bob Schiefer of CBS grilled Huckabee on his role in promoting a scam diabetes cure using cinnamon via an infomercial. And here was Huckabee’s response on national television.
“I don’t have to defend everything that I’ve ever done,” said Huckabee.
Actually Mike, you kinda do.
Sure, that can be youthful indiscretions or even choices made in early adult hood that can be deemed relevant. But CBS was specifically asking Huckabee to account for something he had done in just the last few years that put a lot of money in Huckabee’s pocket, that Huckabee was allowed to do because of the fame he generated from public service and as a Presidential candidate, and that is widely considered to be preying upon sick people for financial gain in a way that might make sick people even sicker.
If that isn’t fair game for a journalist to ask a presidential candidate, then I don’t know what is.
Huckabee started out poor in life, and now, after a lifetime mostly in politics, he is rich (he most assuredly has a network north of $10 million). Good for Huckabee, but why he seems oblivious to the notion that voters might be interested in trying to figure out his highest priorities: public policy or getting richer.
In my view, Huckabee could have won the 2012 GOP nomination for President. But in 2016, Huckabee is looking increasingly irrelevant, as a candidate who is simply looking for a larger audience to feed his vanity, wallet and belly.
TJ Walker is a crisis communicates expert. He is also the producer of an online crisis communications course. More here. https://www.mediatrainingworldwide.com/online-training.html