As Huckabee Pulls Ad, Rollins, For Once, Must Pull a Punch
I suspected this to be the case over here… but I wasn’t sure since I don’t have “insider access” – I knew that this was not Mike’s MO in this campaign.
This was a poor move by Team Huckabee. I hope to be able to chalk it up to Ed Rollins giving bad advice – I hope I can.
The article starts up with a quote by Rollins:
“The negatives feel good,” says Ed Rollins, ….. “It’s like being a boxer when you’re young. To me, hitting somebody, knocking somebody down, is a great feeling. Firing out a negative ad just feels amazing.”
Ed tried to convince Mike that the negative ads were the best way to get out the message, and for a while Mike acquiesced.
“Anybody knows you can’t have millions and millions of dollars spent against you — particularly in Iowa — without it having an impact,” Rollins says. “I just said, ‘I’m going to give you the best counsel I can. We’re sliding back in the polls. We’re still up, but we’ve lost ground and it’s one of those things where people begin to question whether if you don’t respond, ‘Is it true?’ ”
This feeling ultimately led Huckabee — with Rollins and others in tow — back home to Little Rock on Sunday. The 30-second commercial was filmed in one day and shipped to stations across Iowa. Rollins loved the ad for the way Huckabee lashed out at Romney’s own record on gun control and abortion.
It is obvious that Ed is pushing the negative approach, but Mike is still calling the shots. After his jogging that AM, Mike made his decision:
Then came Huckabee’s morning run on Monday back in Des Moines. His head cleared from exercise and prayer, he told Rollins and others he’d changed his mind about the whole thing. He wanted it stopped.
The time frame was compressed since the conference room already had the press leaking in. Also, logistically, the mailers and video were en route…
But there wasn’t much time. One radio spot prepared in connection with the TV ads had aired early in the morning and a whole slew of them were set to start at noon. Television time had been purchased. Moreover, in order to get some related direct-mail pieces out in time, the campaign had used first-class stamps. Now, the campaign had to stop the truck set to deliver them to the post office.
Ed excepted the cynicism, (as would anyone) – but which is harder to do, follow your convictions, or roll with the plan?
“I told him, ‘As far as I’m concerned, governor, it’s your race. You’ve gotten this far. I’ve only been here two weeks,’ ” Rollins recalls. “But I also told him there’s going to be a definite reaction, a cynicism from the press. You didn’t have 100 reporters and 30 cameras sitting in a room because you’re putting up a commercial. They think they’re here to see Ed Rollins coming back to drop to the knees and fire at the groin of Mitt Romney.”
Rollins says it had been his idea to show the ad to reporters, the logic being that it was already in the hands of television stations. As for the gathering, Rollins says, “Now would I have loved to cancel the press conference? You betcha. Would I have loved to pull the signs down? Yes. But this decision was made about 11, 11:10 in the morning.” The news conference was scheduled for noon.
As president you have to follow your instincts – Mike did the right thing. This is the type of leadership that i want. I want someone who will scrap the plans if the right thing to do is a different direction.
Riding in the elevator afterward, Rollins says, he told Huckabee, ” ‘Governor, this is what it means to be president. The president gets lots of advice and makes a lot of tough decisions . . . But you made the decision.’ “
Ed still has a lot of pent up anger to Romney, (just see the Drudge Report this AM)
“I admire the fact he’s trying to change the environment,” Rollins says. “What I have to do is make sure that my anger with a guy like Romney, whose teeth I want to knock out, doesn’t get in the way of my thought process.”
one last point on Ed:
Asked about the brawling comment, Huckabee said by e-mail, through a spokeswoman, “He is! And I’m teaching him how to turn the other cheek!“
This was not an easy or cheap choice to pull the ads. I was very upset when I saw the whole performance as I didn’t have the full story – No one did except Mike, Ed, and possibly Vander Plaats and Saltzman.
It cost the campaign about $150,000 to pull the ads. No small expense for the Huckabee campaign.
But it turns out there is more to the story than Huckabee explained at his now-famous, had-to-see-it-to-believe it news conference Monday. Politico has learned that his campaign burned about $150,000 in scarce campaign cash on TV footage, radio spots and mail pieces that his strategists wanted to use -before the candidate decided he didn’t.
The campaign trail is a hard one indeed, and you must be willing to stick to your guns. Mike is the kind of man to do just that.
Interviews with Republican sources portrays a chaotic decision-making process inside the Huckabee campaign. Campaign aides urgently wanted to strike back at Romney and the candidate tentatively agreed. Minutes before facing the press, however, Huckabee stunned his own team by telling them he had changed his mind.
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:51 am
And why Rollins wants to bust up some teeth, here’s what Huckabee “jokingly” told his supporters,
” “If for some crazy reason they’re not going to vote for me, you have a different job. Do not let them leave their homes. Tell them the Orange Bowl is going to be the most exciting football game in the history of mankind, shovel your snow into their driveway, let the air out of their tires, disconnect their battery cables,”
Somehow I just don’t get the joke.
http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7565258&nav=LotJC5tQ
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:56 am
Spunky,
You think it was a joke?
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
Brett, the new stations said they were called at 10 am and told to cancel the ads – that’s a full two hours before the press conference. Somebody is lying, and I don’t think it’s the new stations.
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
The fact is Huckabee led everyone to Little Rock, spent time and money to produce spots that were by far more dishonest than anything Romney has leveled against him, AND HE HAS YET TO RESPOND TO ROMNEYS CHARGES! Governor Huckabee, did you or did you not commute the sentences of 1033 individuals, including 12 murderers. It is true, or is Romney “dishonest.”
I found it hilarious that his ad shown at the press conference made the attack that Romney hadn’t had anyone executed (Massachusettes does not have the death penalty).
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 am
I really respect Huckabee for sticking to his original decision to stay positive. Even if it was calculated, it’s still good he’s going to stay positive here on out.
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 am
#1, Spunky
This was the entire context -
He is saying that if the people do not support him, then convince them to stay inside, or block their cars in the driveways, and such.
This was a joke – we are not advocating disturbing other peoples property….
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 am
Dave #2, I quoted the article which said that he said it jokingly. No I don’t think it was a joke.
A guy with that many ethical violations while governor has a reputation for destroying what hinders his plans.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
At least one station said they were notified at 10:01, Rollins said 11 a.m., and on the day of the event Huckabee said “five or ten minutes before the event (11:50). Are we to assume that Huckabee called the station personally and didn’t let anyone else know until just before the event?
Governor Huckabee: did you or did you not seek scholarships for illegal aliens? (is this a “desparate” attack, or does it reflect your policy stance as governor?).
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I quoted Huckabee’s full statement and said it was a “joke.” Perhpas you don’t think letting air our of tires or disconnecting car batteries is disturbing other peoples property, but I do.
Huckabee’s a master at telling jokes, but somehow this one just doesn’t sound funny to me.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
#5 – Daniel, the fact is that Huckabee continues to call Mitt Romney “dishonest” nearly every chance he gets.
Romney has simply pointed out aspects of Huckabee’s record that voters have not been aware of. They are not personal attacks (like “dishonest”) and Huckabee has had weeks to defend or clarify his record, HE HAS NOT! Instead he has lauanched personal attacks.
He has been given a pass by the press as the poor, upstart underdog. Even if he manages a victory in Iowa, which I doubt, he is not going to come close to the nomination.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
“The campaign trail is a hard one indeed, and you must be willing to stick to your guns. Mike is the kind of man to do just that.”
Mike Huckabee has switched on immigration. Not quite sticking to his the “compassionate” message he had whiele governor.
Mike Huckabee switched from a federalist position on abortion to support for a constitutional amendment in support of human life. And then lied on his website and said he ALWAYS supported it. Even though for the previous decade he said it was a state issue.
Those are just two major ways Huckabee has not stuck to his guns.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Brett:
“..must be willing to stick to your guns. Mike is the kind of man to do just that.”
I disagree there. If Mike would have stuck to his guns, he would have let the ad run. After seeing the ad, he should have let it run.
McCain is the smarter politician between the two when he stated:
“”Never get into a wrestling match with a pig. You both get dirty — and the pig likes it.”
That is something that Huckabee just did not understand. He made the decision to create the negative ad. He already called Romney “dishonest” on multiple occasions prior, then he cancels the ad giving the reason of not wanting to go negative just before showing it?
Mike has to own up for his choices. I think he should have let the ad run, or at the very minimum, the should have seen that it was too late to reverse himself after already letting the cat out of the bad. Poor decisions, this will hurt him tomorrow at the polls.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Brett, you are pathetic to believe that Mike is just sticking to his guns. He had been saying the same things about Romney for at least a full week prior to his press conference, and he continues to say he stands by every word in his negative ad. Just how did Huckabee change his mind not to go negative? The only thing he changed his mind on was that Iowa voters would finally see the true Huckabee–mean and nasty–and keep up his false persona. They guy is a piece of work. His decision to show the ad to a room full of supporters was an attempt to put some talking points ou tinto the media, and then not take responsibility for leveling those charges against Romney. You need to stop your blind fielty to Huckabee and realize that this was a dispicable act by a very dispicable character.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Mitt’s response nailed it. He observed that Huckabee was saying that he’s not going to call his opponent names….but if he WAS going to call him names, these are the names he would call him….
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
mike huckabee is still a tool, and one way or another i can stop paying attention to him on friday.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Great post, Brett. Don’t mind all the folks who are desperate and scared about the caucus tomorrow. Huckabee did good and showed himself a leader with conviction. You don’t blow $150,000 on a stunt.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Mike F. – Just take a deep breath and go check out the facts: Huckabee has NOT called Mitt dishonest, other than to say he has said dishonest things about Mitt’s record, Mike’s record, and McCain’s record. That’s not personal, that’s campaign -oriented. Did the NRA endose Mitt, as he claimed? No. As for “seeking scholarships for illegal aliens,” that’s another “mitt-speak” sound-bite you’ve fallen for. Take an hour to look at the deeper truths beneath all the cheap talk, and I think you’ll be in better shape to talk about the issues. You’re obviously smart, and you care.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
“You don’t blow $150,000 on a stunt.”
You do if it’s not your own money. Huckabee is “profoundly thankful” to be given the opportunity to take other peoples money and spend it for them.
Oh and by the way, I’m not desperate or scared. Desperate and scared people want to let the air out of tires and take batteries out of cars to keep people from voting for someone else.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Mike Huckabee (paraphrased): “Romney is a #@! liar and an evil %$! but I refuse to go negative. Vote for me because I’m not a rich Mormon.”
Huckabee Supporter (paraphrased): “I love Huckabee, he is so inspiring and positive!”
Reporter: “Mr. Huckabee, why did you show the press the ad and create the ad in the first place if you are so amazingly positive?”
Mike Huckabee (paraphrased): “The devil made me do it”
Someone is living in an alternate reality and its not the press or the “elite”
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
From The Nation blog: HUCKABEE’S LAST LAUGH…DES MOINES — There is nothing quite so amusing as the media’s struggle to wrap its head around the campaign of Mike Huckabee.
There’s nothing complicated about the former governor of Arkansas. He knows exactly what he is doing. And he knows exactly how to get the media to play his savvy — if exceptionally cynical — game.
When Huckabee held a New Year’s Eve press conference in Des Moines to declare that he would not use a negative ad attacking his chief rival in Thursday’s Iowa Republican caucuses, reporters rushed to dismiss the former governor of Arkansas as a bumbler.
Candidates are supposed to leak the news that they have cut a negative ad but not actually bring the commercial out and discuss the soil-searching associated with whether to run it.
So, suddenly, broadcast and print reporters were going on and on about how Huckabee provoked laughter in the press room.
But it is Huckabee who may have the last laugh.
Being the butt of the jokes of reporters such as Fox News’ Carl Cameron — who delighted in explaining on air how he and others guffawed at the hick from Little Rock — does not necessarily hurt a candidate who is mounting an anti-establishment campaign. And it certainly does not hurt a candidate who is lampooning the secular values and the cynicism of our political and media cultures.
Huckabee, who is actually a sly operator with his own cynical side, closed the campaign exactly as he wanted to — as a victim of attacks from the Romney camp who appeared to turn the other cheek. He’s even paraphrasing the Bible, declaring that, “We’re going to do unto others as we wish they would do unto us.”
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Here is a link to the reports that a TV station knew at least one hour before Huckabee and Rollins said the decision was made. I am not buying Huck’s story.
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZDg3OTJjOWRjOTQ3MmQ1ZGM4ODMzMjRlOTM1ZTlkMWI=
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
#15…Huckabee DID call Romney dishonest – quote:
“If a man is dishonest to obtain a job,” Huckabee says in the ad, “he’ll be dishonest on the job.”
That is a PERSONAL attack, much worse than Romney’s comparison of positions on issues.
Note, too, that in his “non-ad,” Huckabee made it sound like Mitt approved of a $50 copay for abortions in his state.
Fact is, the courts have mandated that abortion MUST be paid for in Massachusetts; Mitt had no choice on that point.
He doesn’t get the luxury of besmirching others while doing worse himself. It doesn’t work that way.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Apologies….last post was directed at #17, not #15…
January 2nd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Did you all hear Rush Limbaugh today? He said that both Huckabee and McCain are definitely NOT conservatives!
January 2nd, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Social-conservative heavyweight James Bopp just revealed why Bill Clinton, the DNC, and the liberal media all love Huckabee: not only would he be easy for Clinton to beat, he would destroy the social-conservative movement.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZDIzMTM5MDExNDJjYzY2NDY5YzhmNDY2MTJkN2Q2OGU=