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Mike Huckabee: I Take Full Responsibility
The nation was stunned by the senseless and savage cold-blooded murders of 4 young police officers in Lakewood, Washington. Whenever a police officer or soldier is killed, I feel the loss is even more profound for they are the ones who stand between our freedom and anarchy.
At the time I write these words, police are still searching for Maurice Clemmons who is believed to be the one committing these unspeakable acts. Nine years ago, that name crossed my desk. I commuted his sentence from 108 years to 47 years. Many news reports, talk show hosts, and bloggers have erroneously said that he was granted a “pardon.” Others speak of me “setting him free.” As one who now hosts a talk show and who does daily radio commentaries, I can attest to how easy commentary is compared to actually governing. I am not seeking to justify or defend my actions of nine years ago, but it’s important that I answer for my actions and give some explanation as to how and why his sentence was commuted.
I take full responsibility for my actions of nine years ago. I acted on the facts presented to me in 2000. If I could have possibly known what Clemmons would do nine years later, I obviously would have made a different decision. But if the same file was presented to me today, I would have likely made the same decision.
Each state is different, but in Arkansas, a governor doesn’t initiate a parole—the Post Prison Transfer Board does after it conducts a thorough review of an inmate’s file and request. The board then makes a recommendation to the governor, who decides to grant or deny.
If the decision is made to grant any form of clemency (the broad term for a commutation or a full pardon), the governor gives notice of intent and the file is sent to the prosecutor, judge, law enforcement officials, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State as well as to the news media. A period of 30 days is then started for there to be public input as well as response from the above named officials. At the end of the public response period, the final decision is rendered.
Between 1,000 and 1,200 requests for some form of clemency came to my desk each and every one of the 10 ½ years I was governor. Ninety-two percent of the time, I denied the requests. When I did grant them, it was usually based on the recommendation of at least five of the members of the PPTB, with consideration given to the input from public officials.
Maurice Clemmons was 16 years old when he was charged with burglary and robbery. He was sentenced to a total of 108 years based on the way in which the sentences were stacked. For the crimes he committed and the age at which he committed the crimes, it was dramatically outside the norm for sentencing. The PPTB recommended in 2000 by a 5-0 vote for his sentence to be commuted.
He had served 11 years of his sentence. A pardon would have set him free and cleared his record. A commutation to “time served” would have set him free and released him from any parole reporting. As per the recommendation, I commuted his sentence to the term of 47 years, still a long sentence for the type of crime he had committed, but it would make him parole eligible. It would not parole him, as governors do not have that power in Arkansas. He would have to separately apply for parole and meet the criteria for that.
Despite news reports to the contrary, the only record of public response to the notice to commute was from the trial judge, who recommended the commendation in concert with the board. There were letters of support, but no record of letters of opposition.
Following the commutation, he met the criteria for parole and was paroled to supervision in late 2000. When he violated terms of his parole by participating in additional crimes, he was returned to prison and should have stayed there. For reasons only the prosecutor can explain, charges were not brought forth in a timely way and the prosecutor ended up dropping the charges, allowing him to leave prison and return to supervised parole.
He moved to Washington state and had intermittent criminal activity that increased in violence and frequency. He was allowed to post bail in Washington state and while on bail from there committed the unspeakable acts of murdering four valiant police officers. I can’t explain why he wasn’t prosecuted properly for the parole violations or why he was allowed to make bail in Washington state and not incarcerated earlier for crimes committed there.
I wish his file had never crossed my desk, but it did. The decision I made is one that I now wish were different, but I could only look backwards at his case, not forward. None of this is of any comfort to the families of these police officers nor should it be. Their loss is senseless. No words or deeds by anyone will bring them back to their loved ones. Our system is not perfect and neither are those responsible for administering it.
The system and those of us who are supposed to make sure it works sometimes fail. In this case, we clearly did.
Mike Huckabee also penned an article for Human Events today. You may read it here.
Comments 1-50 of 87
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Lisa
12/07/2009 12:18 PM
I first heard about Governor Huckabee's connection to this case when I was on vacation last week. I was worried about how it would affect him (and his next campaign) until I heard all the facts of the case. Now I know that anyone who takes the time to learn the facts of the case will not blame Mike Huckabee for the deaths of the four police officers, and not believe the people who try to use this against him in the next election.
I was very glad to hear Huckabee explain the situation last week on the radio; and was also glad to see this post today while catching up on e-mail. I had also received an e-mail from someone who didn't have the facts of the case and I was able to send her this statement from Gov. Huckabee and the link to the O'Reilly interview. I'm sure it will clear things up for her; and, hopefully, she will stop spreading misinformation and start to realize what I've known for years -- that Mike Huckabee is a good, honest, honorable man of principles and we need him as our next President.
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Dr. David
12/06/2009 12:08 AM
Talk, Frank 12/05/2009 05:34 PM. You know that most, if not all, who write here have come to the conclusion that Mike Huckabee did the right thing when he commuted the 108 year sentence given to Maurice Clemmons. Certainly, Mike continues to believe that. And we know that those who would like to destroy Mike's career will use any dirty trick to pin responsibility for the Seattle murders on Mike.
It is unclear why you would insist on nitpicking the details of the case to death, unless you also believe that he shares some blame for the murders. I am not a civil rights crusader, never marched with Martin Luther King, etc. and have always opposed affirmative action. However, it appears to me that race must have played a role in the sentencing, because there is no way that a white man would ever have received that kind of a sentence for the same crimes, especially a 16 year old who weighed 108 lb. Mike was just correcting an injustice.
It is totally uninteresting to me whether this judge or that jury were supportive or non-supportive of Mike's commutation, because all involved had already forfeited their moral authority by such a sentence.
I just don't understand how you could come to any other conclusion.
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JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA
12/05/2009 11:31 PM
Dear Frank Talk,
It truly saddens me that you are choosing to solely blame Governor Huckabee for the murders that Mr. Clemmons committed. Even though the numerous mistakes made by prosecutors and judges, since Gov. Huckabee's decision to reduce his sentence, were far more devastating.
Gov. Huckabee, has said he takes full-responsibility for his decision, and has stated repeatedly how terrible he feels about what has happened. What more do you want from him? He can't change the past; anymore than you can change your past.
It is obvious how much this upsets you, and you are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, if you are only out for blood, you aren't going to draw any here!
Sincerely,
Juliee4Huckabee
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Wright, Thelma
12/05/2009 11:30 PM
Please keep being the person you are. I appreciate your statement that everyone should not concentrate on your political career, but on the police officers' families. I hope this backfires on the liberal media for sidetracking to you instead of the murder police officers and this man total criminal past.
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Los Angeles, Mike
12/05/2009 11:14 PM
Re: Simple Christmas
SarahAnn
12/04/2009 12:11 PMCool. Thanks for the humorous and encouraging words.
Yes, it sounds like Mike is convinced that the music thing can work. It's worth a shot.
I am going to send six out to family members. Glad to hear it is a good read. I bought them sight unseen.
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Talk, Frank
12/05/2009 05:34 PM
My last post responding to some of the criticism of the cold facts I earlier presented was not posted. I'll try again. There's no good reason not to post it. It doesn't attack anybody, and there is not name calling. It simply is true and important fact.
Hopefully, you are not trying to hide the truth.
Dr. David wrote this in response to me:
". Whether the judge did or did not support the commutation decision seems irrelevant to me, because he had already forfeited his moral authority. If a judge can arbitrarily throw someone into prison for a long time because of his fear of what might happen if he does not, we do not have a free society with a rule of law, but the law of the jungle where might makes right."In response to him, three points ....
1. My presenting irrefutable evidence that the presiding judge in the trial of Clemmons is not the judge who supported the commutation is most relevant because one of the main claims given (and probably the most effective one) in support of Mike Huckabee's commutation is the assertion it was supported by the judge who presided over Clemmons trial.
Obviously, that assertion is totally false. That alone is sufficient reason for its relevance.
2. The presiding judge didn't arbitrarily throw Clemmons in prison. Clemmons was tried by a jury for five felonies. The jury set the number of years for the sentence. Clemmons already was serving a sentence for other felonies. The judge had the option of having this new sentence run concurrently with the first sentence or run consecutively on top of it. He ran them consecutively, based on all the evidence he'd seen, based on his judgment and based on the law. There is nothing arbitrary about that. The appeals court ruled in favor of the judge, not Clemmons.
3. The proof is in the pudding. And in this case, the pudding is four police officers murdered in cold blood. Those four cold blooded murder is your law of the jungle, and that is what the presiding judge set out to prevent. -
Anderson, Scott
12/04/2009 07:10 PM
I know that Governor Huckabee is too gracious to say this but I was appalled, however not surprised, by the rapid pace at which certain country club, pseudo-conservatives jumped on this and distortrd it to suit their own agendas. I suspect they are Rom-ulans.
They were the usual suspects. It was like the GOP primaries all condensed into 1 week (when for several months these people took a 20 second video clip from a several hour video taped session out of context and of course, just like now, with deliberate mistatements and specious implications.)
This definitely woke me up to the underhanded tactics to come.
God bless.
TableOfWisdom.com
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JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA
12/04/2009 12:53 PM
Don't miss Gov. Huckabee's appearance on the View! Link is on the Home Page. This is the complete 8 min. interview.
Mrs. P, I think you would enjoy it as well!
God Bless!
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SarahAnn
12/04/2009 12:11 PM
Los Angeles, Mike...
I wanted to do something extra to show my support for Huckabee.. I decided to buy 5 more books ( A Simple Christmas ), and give to my grown kids.. They cost more than I paid at Costco, but I knew the extra money would go to buy muscical instruments for kids that could not afford them...
Before, I read the Christmas book I would have rather gave to other worthy charities.. I did not think I wanted to contribute to turning kids into a Michael Jackson, or a Elvis Presley.. They may have been famous but did not really seem happy .....
Gov. Huckabee gave his parents credit for buying the $ 99.00 guitar, that turned his life around and gave him more confidence.. I decided that our country could certainly use some more Huckabee's...
I know that 4 of my kids would vote for Gov. Huckabee , the 5th one would if she reads the book.. I loved the book, it was more than a Christmas book, it was about the struggles of life, love, patience, endurance....and a lot more....
May God Bless all of you, Bless our country. be with the families that have lost loved ones.. May he bless our brave soldiers and be with their families..
Huckabee for President 2012
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Mrs. P
12/04/2009 12:01 PM
My admiration for Governor Huckabee has actually grown since this tragedy has occurred. He has shown that he is a man of honor, integrity and character by accepting responsibility. And yet, he is not responsible. Considering the information he was given regarding Clemmons he acted correctly. Those who are attacking him disgust me. The crimes committed by then 16 year old Clemmons were not worthy of a sentence of over 100 years and he had already spent 11 years in prison. I believe the Governor's actions prove him to be a man who understands the balance between justice and mercy.
Thank you Governor for standing strong and for the outstanding example you set for us all. God bless you!
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gracepraying
12/04/2009 10:23 AM
This tragic event has given an opportunity to many enemies of Governor Huckabee (or, if not enemies, supporters of other past or future candidates) to attack him unfairly.
This also gives those of us who have supported him for a long time or just recently an opportunity.
We have an opportunity to stand up for truth. We can challenge others who are being critical just for the sake of being mean and angry. We can pray for Governor Huckabee and his family. We can pray for the slain police officer's families.
This is a time of mourning, not a time of recrimination (a retaliatory charge). As Hannity said, much to his credit, many people share the blame for Clemmons' crimes, but least of all Mike Huckabee. And as O'Reilly told Huckabee, "This wasn't your fault." I agree with them.
Also, I am very pleased with how Gov. Huckabee has explained the situation and focused needed attention back on the grieving families of the police.
Those who are fair-minded will read all about the part Governor Huckabee played and listen to his explanations. We all appreciate it when people do not pre-judge us because they do not like us or our politics or religion.
I'm continuing to pray for Mike Huckabee, our law enforcement and military protectors, our justice system, and our country.
May God revive America spiritually and morally so God can bless America.
GRACE, in Kansas, PRAYING
More than ever, we need Huckabee as President in 2012! -
Dr. David
12/04/2009 08:57 AM
Los Angeles, Mike 12/03/2009 05:44 PM. Thanks for your supportive comments. A number of us have been encouraging the Huckabee crusade and each other on this site for two years or more, and have each others' backs. It is great that you have become a regular discussant, and one who puts his money where his mouth is! Which reminds me that this would be a good time for me to send another check to HuckPAC. I think they could use our financial support now.
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Ben Dribus
12/03/2009 08:06 PM
Talk, Frank,
To be fair to you, the effort you have made to seek information in support of your viewpoint is more respectable than mere repetition of foolish opinions. However, even the strongest of arguments could not provide a bridge between the facts and your conclusions about them, and your arguments are very poor.
You cite the conflict of interest of the judge who married Clemmons, but you fail to mention the far more serious conflict of interest of the trial judge who apparently felt threatened by him, and whose desire to impose such a harsh sentence could easily be interpreted as an effort to protect himself rather than uphold his duty to justice.
The conflict of interest of the prosecutor is just as great, for obvious reasons. If Clemmons committed acts of violence during his trial, then it was the responsibility of the prosecutor to press new charges and obtain a conviction that may have justified a longer sentence.
You conveniently ignore the recommendation of clemency by the panel whose job it was to review such cases.
Your use of articles from newspapers in Seattle is laughable because it should be clear to everyone that Washington State would rather blame Arkansas than own up to their own much worse lapses in regard to Clemmons.
Because of its nature, Wikipedia is never an authority despite being a good source of information. As I hope you know, anyone can edit it. The Wikipedia article for Mike Huckabee was recently defaced and identified him as "the idiot that released Clemmons." Hardly an objective source.
The court records you quoted only prove that the trial judge had a conflict of interest and that the prosecutor failed to press the appropriate charges.
In summary, your arguments fall far short of being taken seriously, much less establishing your point of view. This tragic situation is too serious to indulge wrongheaded opinions such as yours in order to avoid hurting feelings. You gather evidence; the dung beetle gathers dung. Both support your point of view equally well.
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Los Angeles, Mike
12/03/2009 07:45 PM
Re: What to do next?
Thank you for the suggestions and support JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA 12/03/2009 02:10 PM ;CharlesLawless 12/03/2009 02:08 AM; SSC - Hardcore Texan 12/02/2009 03:03 PM,
Randy Davis12/02/2009 05:39 PM
et al.What to do at this time? Good question. I think Mike will make the right decisions like he has shown this week on who he talks to and why. Now might be a time to lay back a little.
As for CNN, Rush, Beck and all others who have thick skulls,thin skins and political agendas and axes to grind. sometimes you have to leave a "grinch" alone out on a cold mountain ledge with all her stolen presents to come to a personal realization that you cannot steal Christmas, even if you try.
As for rising to the occasion and supporting the families of the fallen, Randy Davis submitted a post suggesting if you would like to donate to the families of the slain police officers in Lakewood, Washington... please click on this link:
http://lpig.us/
What I have done already at this time is to simply buy multiple copies of "A Simple Christmas" this week. My hope in doing this is that the message of Christmas will not be lost in all this. My hope is proceeds will be used to help get musical instruments into the hands of even more kids around our country. I have been told that is how the proceeds are planned to be used. My hope in doing this is Mike and Janet Huckabee will get a chance to decide next year how to use the additional proceeds from the book. Given time to think they will do the right thing. And my hope is "Simple Christmas" will be a best seller well into January 2010 to send a message to our troops overseas and at home(Fort Hood) and our police officers at home(Lakewood, McChord AFB) that they too are the reason for the season. Do not bury the light under a basket.
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Los Angeles, Mike
12/03/2009 05:44 PM
Re: Ancient Chinese Wisdom
Thanks for the post Doctor David (12/03/2009 10:44 AM). Many here appreciate your wealth of historical knowledge and your ability to analyze fairly.
Thanks for the China post. Your note reminded me of a classic we must have all read the Chinese folk tale The Five Chinese Brothers (American children's book re-told by Claire Huchet Bishop and illustrated by Kurt Wiese,1938). If a smile comes to your face, you know exactly what I mean. If a frown comes to your face, continue reading:
Sadly the self-proclaimed enlightened and the local"judges" of our day have tried to bury such a tale in the back stacks of our libraries, but tales that attempt to capture broad truths have a way of being re-discovered,appreciated, and loved.
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Dr. David
12/03/2009 03:48 PM
Talk, Frank 12/03/2009 02:25 PM. Whether the judge did or did not support the commutation decision seems irrelevant to me, because he had already forfeited his moral authority. If a judge can arbitrarily throw someone into prison for a long time because of his fear of what might happen if he does not, we do not have a free society with a rule of law, but the law of the jungle where might makes right.
Clemmons seems to me to have been emotionally disturbed. You stated that he was 5'7 and 110 lb., hardly a brute. To make him a long-term inmate was to turn him into a hardened criminal. The injustice done to Clemmons would only have intensified his hostility to authority, and the subsequent shooting of representatives of that authority, the police.
When you have people who want to lock others up and throw away the key, because THEY will feel safer, you end up with a LESS safe society, because others will know they will not receive justice when their turn comes. I am more convinced that ever that it was the trial judge, and not Mike Huckabee, who made the mistake.
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mxnwilson
12/03/2009 03:42 PM
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mxnwilson
12/03/2009 02:34 PM
Hi Captain--
Thanks for posting the link to the Onenewsnow article! I don't get their emails anymore as I unsubscribed to them when they blasted Rick Warren with some inaccurate reporting.
I did however find a way to comment on this article when i clicked on "view comments", and then I accidentally scanned over the star ratings, and the option to post a comment appeared.
It is so good to see so many comments in support of Gov. Huckabee.
Juliee--Thank you for your interesting comments and for sharing your google search with us!
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Talk, Frank
12/03/2009 02:25 PM
I'm surprised my previous post was not posted. It corrects incorrect information given below. I will try posting it again. The information is important to the discussion and is well documented.
This was stated below:
"The trial judge in the case supported the commutation."
That is wrong. The trial judge in the case was Floyd Lofton. He did not support the commutation.
The Judge who did support the commutation ten years later was Marion Humphrey, who also is a minister who also married Clemmons (the killer).
Here is a link to a court document proving that Floyd Lofton, not Marion Humphrey was the original trial judge.http://courts.state.ar.us/opinions/1998b/981008/cr98-296.html
Here is a relevant paragraph from that court document:
"The circuit court made its foregoing findings and decision to grant postconviction relief based on pretrial events that occurred at Clemmons's burglary and theft trial held before Judge Floyd Lofton. Clemmons's defense counsel, Llewellyn J. Marczuk, testifying at the postconviction hearing, related that, at the earlier trial, a security guard had reported to Judge Lofton that Clemmons had taken a hinge from one of the courtroom doors, hid it in his sock, and intended to use it as a weapon. The hinge was found and taken from him before he harmed anyone. In another incident, Clemmons extracted a lock from a holding cell, and he later threw the lock which hit his mother. During this second episode, Clemmons purportedly threatened Judge Lofton. In a third incident, Clemmons reportedly reached for a guard's pistol during his transportation to the courtroom. Based on these occurrences, Judge Lofton placed Clemmons in leg irons and seated a uniformed officer near him during trial. This court upheld Judge Lofton's remedial actions in Clemmons. 303 Ark. at 267-269, 795 S.W.2d at 928-929."
Here is a Wikipedia article on Maurice Clemmons. It has to do with the claim below that the prosecutor did not object. According to this, he did.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Clemmons
Mark Fraiser, an attorney who prosecuted early cases against Clemmons in Pulaksi County, argued Clemmons was extremely likely to commit further acts of violence in the future, and said for a teen to receive such a lengthy prison sentence without committing a murder, "you've got to be a bad little dude".And clearly the prosecutor was correct. That's why Clemmons was sentenced the way he was.
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JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA
12/03/2009 02:10 PM
Governor Huckabee was on the View this morning.
I just happened to see him while changing the channel. They asked him about his decision to commute Clemmons. (At first they said pardon) All I can say is that he did a fabulous job! Every time I see him I become more impressed....if that is even possible.
I agree with Charles Lawless, that Gov. H. needs to make as many appearances as he can to tell his side of the story. Whenever, he makes an appearance he wins people over. Whoopi, even gave him a fist bump! :-D
A DEFINITE MUST SEE!!! Hopefully, there will be a video so all can see it!
God Bless!
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Dr. David
12/03/2009 10:44 AM
Long ago, the Chinese emperor became deeply worried about all the uncertainties in his kingdom, and whether he could be sure of anything. So he called together his wisest counselors to consider if any statement at all was true at all times and in all places.
After long deliberation, they reported back that they had indeed thought of one. It was....
"AND THIS TOO SHALL PASS".
It is my opinion that the furor over the Clemmons case will die down soon, and have little or no long-term effect on Huckabee's political future. Mike has provided all the information any fair-minded person would need, and that information will win the day.
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Captain Obvious
12/03/2009 09:54 AM
Onenewsnow has an article smearing Governor Huckabee--I don't know how one gets to comment there, but they have a poll asking who we think is the best candidate for 2012, and Governor Huckabee is right now coming in a distant second to Sarah Palin, (definitely one of the good guys, but not up to Huckabee's stature).
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Core, Mike
12/03/2009 09:33 AM
Governor Huckabee,
I think I speak for many here in saying that we love you like family and we join you in grieving for the fallen officers and their families. From what I know regarding the facts of the case, I think you made the right decision at the time in granting the clemency and I think you've done a good job of taking responsibility for your share in this tragedy.I'd like to suggest that you donate all proceeds from your Christmas book to the families of the cops. I also think it would be good to reach out to the Clemons family in some way.
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CharlesLawless
12/03/2009 02:08 AM
Curious what everyone thinkgs what Gov Huckabee should do next.? I know Gov. Huckabee has handled this very well but there are still many media outlets attacking him unfairly and not bothering to check the facts. CNN Done a horrible peice on Huckabee that was very unfair. So What do you think Gov. Huckabee should do to get this behind him?
I think it would be good for him to do a media blitz. He should do a few shows on CNN, maybe anderson cooper and larry king a few on MSNBC. It would be nice if he could get on Rush and Beck, Im tired of them attacking him without all the facts. It would be much harder for these outlets to attack him if he could get on and tell his account. I know the veiw will be a good start. He has done well when given the opportunity to respond to this.
Its ashamed that the media is focusing all their attention on Mike, and falsely so. instead of on the victims.
I know Gov Huckabee is very wise, he always encourages me with his wisdom. a little brain storming session among his supporter cant hurt either.
What do you think about Gov Huckabee doing fund raising for the victims familys. Or do you think it would be veiwed negitively? What do all of you think? Any suggestions for Mike Huckabee?
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BDS
12/03/2009 01:19 AM
MINORITY REPORT
I think some of Governor Huckabee's accusers have been watching too much Minority Report.
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Ben Dribus
12/02/2009 08:21 PM
Talk, Frank,
In this country, we don't sentence 16-year-olds to life in prison because someone "knows" that they are "wired to commit crime." We incarcerate people for the crimes they have ACTUALLY COMMITTED, and the sentence should be proportional to the crimes for which the person was ACTUALLY CONVICTED.
The only justification for detaining someone for anticipated rather than actual crime is in the case where mental illness is suspected. In this case, law enforcement should have the subject examined by qualified medical personell, then turned over to the appropriate mental health services. Likely enough, appropriate mental-health intervention could have saved both Clemmons and his victims. But that is not the responsibility of the governor.
The difference between a justice system and a lynch-mob is that we do not simply get rid of people we "know are bad." Some tragedies result from this, but many more are averted.
I care less whether Mike Huckabee is ever elected President than I do that he follow his convictions and not his ambitions. Your judgmental Monday-morning quarterbacking is cowardly and is not welcome here.
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Novak, Alexander
12/02/2009 05:42 PM
To all,
First off - many thanks to JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA letting us know that other websites are copying our comments - i.e. Planet Romney.
I really do not appreciate my comments being copied over somewhere else.
Particularly by these worthless Romney supporters.
Let's remind ourselves about Mr. Romney.
1. He raised taxes and fees in Mass.
2. Romney Care is the model for Obama Care and thoroughly ruined this state by raising costs and reducing services.
3. He appointed 27 democrats and independents and only 9 repubs to judgeships.
4. He had 50 dollar copays for abortion and is on video for giving money to Planned Parenthood.
5. He bought and dismantled companies – laying off people.
6. He started Bain Capital and was still receiving a ‘dividend’ from his company during the Primaries.
7. Bain Capital was in the process of buying Clear Channel – who is on all of these radio stations? Rush, Hannity, etc. – so there’s no bias, right?
8. He is a flip-flopper and frankly his worst offense is that Mitt Romney is synonymous with and created the Lexicon in America the term ‘gay marriage’ – if it wasn’t for him we would not have all of these states establishing gay marriage.
9. Finally I am a little fed up with Hugh Hewitt and his ‘love affair’ about how great Mitt Romney is – maybe they should have a rendezvous in Boston and consummate their love.
10. And on and onI know Mike Huckabee has made mistakes and I am critical when he does, but in 2000 he could not have known what type of monster this Clemmons would become – the true villains are the judges that let this guy out recently.
Question to the group here: Who paid the 15000 dollar bail for this guy?
I am not happy with this; all of these political/social figures make mistakes, i.e. Rush Limbaugh’s drug habits or Glen Becks alcoholism – let’s run them out of town or maybe let’s forgive them…when you make a mistake and you try to make it right, you should be given a chance for redemption.
I do not see Romney making any corrections…must be all the money he has and he doesn’t have to…
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Randy Davis
12/02/2009 05:39 PM
The Actual Facts"
Randy Davis
Human nature is very predictable. There has and always will be disagreements,
especially concerning political or religious topics. Those, who for whatever reason do not like Mike Huckabee (or any other public figure ), are going to "pile on" whenever they see or hear something that looks like it could be used as a weapon to inflict damage. This is human nature so I can deal with that, we all do because we're human.
However, in discussions surrounding the senseless and savage slaying of the police officers in Lakewood, Washington, it is vital that we recall an English language word sometimes used know as "facts." Fact simply means "reality" or "truth". I have noticed that in much of the media and in various postings on this topic, "facts" are often left out of the equation, or they are distorted beyond recognition into something we English speakers refer to as "lies."
Those easy to identify "Huckabee Haters" will most likely skip this post because reality and truth to them is like flashing a cross to a vampire. That's okay. There may be others, however, who are genuinely uninformed and are open to actually learning what I will call the "actual facts."
First of all, you no doubt have heard Mike Huckabee's name mentioned in many, if not all of the stories on this topic because he "commuted" or changed the 108 year sentence of Maurice Clemmons to 47 years back in the year 2000. He has taken full responsibility for the decision he made back then. However, a number of his fellow "conservatives" are not taking their responsibility for the "actual facts." I could list names here, but I might miss one or two and I think we all know who they are anyway.
The case before Governor Mike Huckabee nearly a decade ago was that of a 16 year old African-American youth named Maurice Clemmons, who had received a disproportionate sentence of 108 years for burglary and robbery charges. In his teen years he had burglarized an unoccupied home, stealing a cell phone and appliances. He also had stolen a purse from a woman without the use of a weapon and had been caught in possession of a firearm. Due to these crimes, he had already served 11 years of this lengthy sentence in an Arkansas prison and was now in his mid to late twenties by this time. Eleven years was already more time than most similar cases would have received for the entire length of their sentence.
Under Arkansas law, governor's do NOT parole anyone. It is done by the "Post Prison Transfer Board." That board can recommend "clemency" which simply means leniency or mercy. In this case, they recommended by a 5 - 0 vote that Maurice Clemmons sentence be reduced. Governor Huckabee reviewed over 1000 of these cases each and every year of the 10 1/2 years he was Governor. Ninety-two percent of the time over this period, any request for "clemency" was denied. Most of those that were granted were for clearing a person's record for a minor offense from 20 years previous.
The trial judge in the case supported the commutation. During the 30 day period legally required for "public comment", there were no objections registered by any authorities, despite claims of the local prosecutor that he "was afraid something like this would happen." If this were true ( which it is not) this prosecutor has failed to explain something very important. In 2007, Clemmons was back in prison for a parole violation. This prosecutor ( who likes to blame Huckabee) not only failed to pursue charges, he actually dropped them, which allowed Maurice Clemmons to go free. Clemmons then moved 2300 miles away to the state of Washington and there continued to avoid extradition back to Arkansas or be locked up by Washington authorities as he displayed signs of psychotic behavior.
Governor Huckabee is responsible for the commutation in 2000 and has openly admitted that on several occasions. Video of this is available almost any place you want to look on the internet. The Governor has also stated emphatically that he would obviously not have commuted his sentence in 2004 after Clemmons had been re-arrested or in any of the years following.
Huckabee has clearly and openly explained his decision in 2000, but obviously cannot explain the decision of the very vocal prosecutor in Little Rock. Now to some of those glaring "actual facts" often purposefully hidden by some of the radio "talking heads" and others, and again - I think we all know who they are.
1. Clemmons was NEVER "pardoned." He was not even considered for a pardon. Yet, that word is used all over the place to describe Mike Huckabee's actions.
2. The commutation didn't release him. It made him "parole eligible." Clemmons had to meet the conditions for the parole board. At this point, he was obviously no longer a teenager as he had already been in prison for 11 years. Since he met the conditions, the parole board did release him.
3. Despite what you may have read or heard, there are NO records that the prosecutor, law enforcement, the Attorney General, or victims objected in any way to the commutation. The only response Huckabee did receive was letters of "support" from members of the community and the trail judge himself !
4. Clemmons was back in prison by 2004 and would have stayed there until 2015 due to violating his parole. However, for whatever reason, the prosecutor did not properly file the paper work in order to keep him locked up.
5. The Maurice Clemmons of the year 2000 obviously did not exhibit the traits and behaviors that he would express years later during several arrests in the state of Washington.
6. "Religion" had nothing to do with the commutation. I have seen these charges mentioned in actual news stories and they are honestly laughable. The Governor's own personal faith or any claims of faith by inmates did NOT factor into any sort of decision making. Nothing in the record itself even suggests something so ridiculous.
He has mentioned many times in public and/or in writing that he values soldiers and police officers VERY highly with fireman and schoolteachers a close second. I know he regrets commuting his sentence making him "eligible for parole" more than any of us can even begin to imagine. For just 30 seconds, put yourself in his shoes an hour after he realized what had happened. He has repeatedly stated this was HIS responsibility and it was based on the evidence at that time. He can and has taken full responsibility for HIS actions, but it is an impossibility for him to take responsibility for the actions of other people nor for the misinformed words of commentators. Mike Huckabee is not only a "once in a lifetime" political candidate. In my view, he is a "once in a lifetime" sort of a human being. In or out of politics, he has more character and class in his little finger nail than most of his "haters" do collectively.
Again, Governor Huckabee publicly took responsibility on the O'Reilly Factor November 30th for what HE did. He can not take responsibility for what he DID NOT DO. That would be like blaming this killers parents for the murders because they did not raise their son properly. Or--for a suspect to admit to crimes he did not commit just because newspaper headlines said he may be guilty.
Any focus on other human beings, other than the murderer himself (now deceased) would have to be be directed to the judges who most recently set him free. They had his entire (and recent ) record in front of them in which they could base their decisions on. Governor Huckabee obviously could not do that years ago in Arkansas because the most heinous by far of all the crimes HAD NOT BEEN COMMITTED YET ! A 4 year old could figure that out.
This is a bad situation and I really mourn for these family members as any caring person would, but blaming Mike Huckabee for this makes zero sense, unless you are in the GOP group who hated Mike before this happened anyway, and feel this can be twisted into nasty sounding headlines to de-rail any possible future Presidential aspirations. There's a verse in the O.T. that says "Remember Lot's wife." I would suggest...." Remember Trent Lott."
Will this ruin Mike's political future, I don't know. I'm just saying it shouldn't. If it does, it is wrong and incredibly stupid beyond belief. I believe this tragic situation would make the Governor an even BETTER President, rather than a more flawed one.
All the false and hateful comments about Mike are "natural" because we all possess a "human nature." However, believers have been called to a "super-natural" way of life. My request would simply be that if you are a "Huck Hater", at least consider looking at the "actual facts" with an open mind. The truth might just set you free.
Randy Davis
www.chalkartist.com
If you would like to donate to the families of the slain police officers in Lakewood, Washington... please click on this link:
http://lpig.us/
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Talk, Frank
12/02/2009 04:55 PM
Andrew Patton
You said. "To you who would take away pardon and clemency power, . ."I don't see anybody here who said that. I said, and will reitereate again, that Governor Huckabee made a mistake using it on Clemmons and on Wayne Dummond, an probably others. A lot of innocent people were killed in cold blood because of it.
The Clemmons case is not like Dr. David believes:
"I understand that an overly zealous white judge gave an overly severe prison sentence to a young Black man convicted of burglary in a southern State. At the recommendation of others in a position to know, Governor Huckabee approved a reduction in the length of the sentence from a ridiculous 100+ years to 47."In the Clemmons case, the original judge and the prosecutor knew Clemmons was wired to commit violent acts and they knew he should be kept off the streets for good. That's what they did. They were right, obviously. Commuting the sentence, against the objections of the prosecutor, was a serious mistake by Mike Huckabee.
Another judge wrote in support of Clemmons, but that judge was a black minister who had just married Clemmons. It was not the original judge who sentenced him.
Here is an account of Clemmons' behavior and why he was sentenced as he was:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010385617_webmansought29.html"Long history of trouble in Arkansas
News accounts out of Arkansas offer a confusing — and, at times, conflicting — description of Clemmons' criminal history and prison time.
In 1990, Clemmons, then 18, was sentenced in Arkansas to 60 years in prison for burglary and theft of property, according to a news account in Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Newspaper stories describe a series of disturbing incidents involving Clemmons while he was being tried in Arkansas on various charges.
During one trial, Clemmons was shackled in leg irons and seated next to a uniformed officer. The presiding judge ordered the extra security because he felt Clemmons had threatened him, court records show.
Another time, Clemmons hid a hinge in his sock, and was accused of intending to use it as a weapon. Yet another time, Clemmons took a lock from a holding cell, and threw it toward the bailiff. He missed and instead hit Clemmons' mother, who had come to bring him street clothes, according to records and published reports.
On another occasion, Clemmons had reached for a guard's pistol during transport to the courtroom.
When Clemmons received the 60-year sentence, he was already serving 48 years on five felony convictions and facing up to 95 more years on charges of robbery, theft of property and possessing a handgun on school property. Records from Clemmons' sentencing described him as 5-foot-7 and 108 pounds. The crimes were committed when he was 17.
Clemmons served 11 years before being released.
News accounts say Huckabee commuted Clemmons' sentence, citing Clemmons' young age at the time the crimes were committed."
If Mike Huckabee continues to say he didn't make a mistake commuting Clemmons' sentence and continues saying he'd do it all the same again, he likely will not win the Presidential nomination.
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Nunez, Armida
12/02/2009 04:28 PM
Governor Huckabee: I am honored to join those who are praying for you and for truth and light to prevail. I could not believe that the first news reports of this murderous rampage were used to attack you, with minimal factual information at hand. However, I shouldn't be surprised given the past treatment the news media and so called "conservative leaders" have given you. Leadership in any field has consequences, sometimes undesired ones, that are not always within one's control. In medicine I often have to make decisions based on what I know at the time. Sometimes, there are poor outcomes in spite of good decisions. I believe this is what we are dealing with in the Clemmons case. Good decision by you; poor outcome overall. I have contributed to HuckPac today to show you my support. God bless you, your family and the families of those officers who lost their lives in this tragedy.
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SSC - Hardcore Texan
12/02/2009 03:03 PM
What can we as supporters do to help Mike Huckabee now -
-Pray for Mike, his family and advisers for God's guidance and strength
-Refute the lies, distortions and criticism with facts, truth and civil comments
-Give a "vote of confidence" to Mike by making a contribution to this PAC, no matter how small, he will notice and appreciate it.
-Remain loyal and give encouragement to others who want to protect and support Mike.
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Gonzalez, Bob
12/02/2009 03:03 PM
Thank you Gov. for setting the record straight on Clemmons. Also thank you for confronting some of the so called conservative commentators. They should all be ashamed of themselves.
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JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA
12/02/2009 02:59 PM
I found this on a Google search looking for a completely different topic. What I came away with was that people are paying attention to what we are saying on Huck*PAC. Of course, "readers" can twist our comments to suit their personal perspective and bias.
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PLANET ROMNEYHuckPac: Apologists R Us
from Solid PrinciplesWhile Huckabee has fallen on ‘the political hand grenade‘ over Maurice Clemmons, his supporters over at HuckPac are still standing behind their man.
Novak, Alexander
12/01/2009 05:31 PM
Dear Governor,
Great job getting out in front of this and explaining what a ‘commutation’ and ‘pardon’ are. We still support you as we also pray for the 4 police officers and their families.Paulo
12/01/2009 04:39 PMThank you Governor Huckabee for your candor and sincerity! You are not to blame nor are responsible for this weekend’s tragedy.
JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA
12/01/2009 04:07 PMDear Governor Huckabee,
I appreciate you taking “full responsibility” for your actions. However, that is where your responsibility ends! You are not in the least bit responsible for the future choices Mr. Clemmons made during his life.Lori Jungling
12/01/2009 02:48 PMThank you Governor. You are and always have been head and shoulders above other politicians and this proves it. You have nothing to gain by saying you take full responsibility except that you are doing the right thing. Other politicians take action in response to what is in it for them. Thank you for owning up to it. My prayers for the victims’ families and prayers for Gov. Huckabee that he may be strengthened in this dark hour.
Also, thank you for setting the record straight. It is bad enough that the liberal media is running with this but the fact that conservatives are using it to push their own agenda and candidates is sickening and embarrassing. Four lives have been lost, please think of that first.SSC – Hardcore Texan
12/01/2009 11:07 AMI sent an email to O’Reilly thanking him for allowing Mike to explain his role in the commutation of the criminal. It was a beneficial interview. I hope the media and pundits (left and right) will obtain ALL the facts and be fair to Mike in their coverage of this terrible tragedy. I pray his future political career will not be damaged.
Read more at HuckPac
Craig Edwards**********************************
This is a small excerpt from this same blog (also, on the Clemmons story). I did not have the stomach to post the rest! All I can say is that he completely underestimates the loyalty and truth-seeking of Huckabee's supporters! We're not going anywhere!!!
************************************Lessons from the Huckabee Flameout, and The World According to David Frum
Two cents from John
Huckabee has been striking out at his critics over this, even when he admitted he was unlikely to run just 24 hours before the story broke. Therein may lie the problems for future politics. Huckabee has been the standard bearer for many Evangelicals and as he plays this so are they likely to go. Slipping into defensive “You don’t get it”s and “I told you so”s will not be productive for that group. -
Bond, Jill
12/02/2009 01:43 PM
First of all I'd like to say I don't understand why the post I made last night has not shown up by now. Why screen the comments here? My post was mostly favorable too, and I like Mike and sent him hundreds of dollars of money I could ill afford to spend as a stay at home wife and mother. Why not let the comments run their course, pro and con? That seems more open and above board than overly screening everything.
Second of all I have to say that if you want any chance to redeem Gov. Huckabee in the eyes of millions on the right you're going to have to get out there on the blogs that are hostile to him and calmly point out the real facts of the case and what the private agendas are of people like Glenn Beck who attack Huck viciously and with malice, simply so it can benefit an opponent (i.e Mitt Romney) who happens to be the same religion as Glenn Beck.
You can't just come into these protected waters of this blog and hope to circumvent the escalation of the viciousness. You need to go where the sinners go and stick up for Gov. Huckabee. That's what Jesus would do.
I have been doing my part on Free Republic, but sadly I am a lone voice over there defending Huck and I could use some help.
Thanks for letting me say my peace, and I hope THIS POST is published.
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JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA
12/02/2009 01:04 PM
Voter
12/02/2009 12:24 AMI am very happy to hear that Hannity was being supportive of Gov. Huckabee on his radio show. That is not always the case with him. Two small examples: when he was covering the Value Voters Summit, he gave Huckabee very little coverage and failed to mention that he had come in First Place. He, also, usually fails to mention Gov. H. as a potential 2012 Presidential Candidate.
I agree with you about Glenn Beck. I have never heard him say one positive thing about Gov. Huckabee. He has called him everything from a "big government conservative" to a "christian facsist". I stopped watching his show along time ago!
God Bless!
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BDS
12/02/2009 12:48 PM
I'll second John Brewer: "I plead with you not to make any hasty decisions about your future."
Here, here!
Julie: Very kind of you to give props to other people's comments.
As for Mark Levin, I don't know what you all heard him say, but I happened to catch just a few minutes near the end of his radio program yesterday, and he said something along the lines of: "I cannot bring myself to say - it would not be fair to say - that what happened is Governor Huckabee's fault."
I would caution you all that although a conservative commentator (and there were several) may have rushed to judgment, and as much as our loyalty causes us to feel angry at them, that should not mean that person has nothing important to say, e.g. I consider Levin's "Liberty & Tyranny" to be one of the most important books of the decade.
Malkin, on the other hand, had already played judge and jury on Gov. Huckabee within minutes of the story breaking. I didn't see her provide any expose' on the Washington judges who let that piece of trash walk for $15,000 after he was indicted for rape and had otherwise done a lot worse than what he had done in Arkansas. I think that represents an agenda on Malkin's part.
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Telkov, dlvga
12/02/2009 12:45 PM
The notion that it is Mike's false in this horrible killing because he gave pardon to the man, is ludicrous. In the same way we may say, it is the killer's mother's false, because she had gave birth to him, or it may be God's false who had created him, otherwise no body would be killed. My Dad use to say: "There is only one group of people who never made any mistake - people who do nothing!"
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CharlesLawless
12/02/2009 12:28 PM
I am going to make a donation to HuckPac just to show my solidarity with Gov. Huckabee.. I sugest others do the same. Huckabee name should not even come up in this mess. This is sickening. Huckabee has no more blame in this then do the mans parents or high shcool teachers. What Huckabee done was an act of kindness for a 17 yr old kid. Which didnt even free the boy, just made him eligable for Parole. Huckabee was also acting on the Judges wishes. Huckabee was being a good commander in cheif of Arkensaw by listening to his "commander in the feild" ie the judge. This is a smear attempts and I assume it will go away within a month or two just like all the other smear attemps they try to slide by on Huckabee. Remeber the Joke Huckabee made, which was blown out of proportion- They would of had you believe that would of ruined Huckabee forever at the time. But it didnt, didnt hurt him a bit. Baseless claims fade quickly. My support for Huckabee has only broadened during all of this. So im going to put my money where my mouth is.
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KingOfCosmania
12/02/2009 11:36 AM
I still support you Gov. You did the right thing. We're counting on you to run in 2012.
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SheppardFamily
12/02/2009 10:42 AM
Governor Huckabee,
My wife and I, continue to stand by you and are praying for you. We hope the lies of the media, bloggers, and your other enemies will not keep you from a run for the Presidency in 2012. We need men of honesty and integrity like you in public life.
May the Lord Jesus Christ Himself be your everlasting strength! The truth will be victorious!
"The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment." (Proverbs 12:19)
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SSC - Hardcore Texan
12/02/2009 09:54 AM
It is appalling how some "right wing" pundits are going after Mike like vultures attacking road kill. These holier than thou people are after him because of their own political motives.
What can PAC members do to prevent this from happening?
1. Pray for Mike, his family and advisers for discernment and wisdom
2. Refute the lies and distortions with factual data and truthful information on the blogs, media and among our associates. Most of the public only hear and remember the sound bytes and do NOT know the full story.
3. Show our "vote of confidence" in Mike by giving a contribution to the PAC, no matter how small it might be, Mike will take notice.
4. Keep the faith and give support and encouragement to everyone who is a HuckPAC member and Huckabee supporter.
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Brewer, Rev. John
12/02/2009 01:05 AM
My heart aches for Gov. Huckabee.
I told my son, being a rather astute follower of politics, that this was very bad for the future aspirations of the Governor. That was before I saw the savagery on the Internet and various "news outlets".
But wait just a moment...
What does the Bible say about mercy? Plenty. Perhaps this is most appropriate:
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. (James 2:13)I submit that the Governor showed that he absolutely was qualified for leadership by exercising mercy.
Is our justice system "whacked"? You bet. I worked for over a year with a victim advocacy firm, and my sensibilities were shocked beyond words. What happened in this case happens with regularity across the nation. Here is an eyeopener: do a search for sex offenders in your zip code.
But government cannot rehabilitate souls. When 1 in a 100 persons has been incarcerated, I think there is sufficient cause to judge the degraded state of society and not seek a scapegoat. Perhaps the taxpayers themselves (meaning all of us)should get a clue. Immorality is not only a bad thing for the religious, it is also an absolute economic blight on prosperity.
I digress.
Governor, if you read this, you are the ONLY national candidate that I am convinced understands the implications of our nation's drift AND who would have the intestinal fortitude and wherewithal to lead us to repent if the opportunity presented itself. For that reason among so many others, I plead with you not to make any hasty decisions about your future.
As always, you have our prayers.
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Voter
12/02/2009 12:24 AM
I certainly agree Glenn Beck should be avoided, along with Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingram, Mark Levin, and the whole gang. The exception is Sean Hannity. This afternoon, Hannity had Huckabee on his radio show and he was extremely fair. Before he was on, Hannity said, the person getting all the blame is Mike Huckabee, and he is the least responsible. Then he gave Mike uninterrupted time to tell his side of the story. After Mike left, Hannity got three calls from listeners favorable to Huckabee and one quoting Mark Levin's misinformation. Hannity immediately interrupted him and set him straight.
As for Glenn Beck, after his despicable display today mocking Mike, I really believe every Mike supporter should immediately stop watching his show. The drop in ratings would be more dramatic than any words.
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Greiner, Sayrah
12/02/2009 12:12 AM
Stewart,Wayne:
My 4 sentences to you had nothing to do with what you spewed back at me. I am angry at YOU. Not your "camp" whoever they may be. I have every right, just as you do, to voice my feelings. Your views are full of hatred and sound very uninformed. You attack a person (Mr. Huckabee) for something you know nothing about. You talk of God as if you have Him wired. You are sadly mistaken. I was angry before with my comments. Yes, I stick up for Mike Huckabee, but as a caring person, not a puppet.
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Walter, Gary
12/01/2009 11:54 PM
Lets keep it simple- Mike Huckabee didn't pardon a cop-killer (as the headlines would say)- He commuted a sentence given to a 16 year old unarmed robber from 107 years to 47 years. Who would have done any different? Lets pray that we can all keep it simple and elect Mike Huckabee President in 2012.
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JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA
12/01/2009 11:42 PM
SarahAnn,
I will be praying for your grandson, and I hope he will be able to come home very soon. It must be very hard to wait! Your comments were very good! God Bless You!
Also very good comments by: Doctor David 12/01/2009 08:39 PM, Los Angeles, Mike 12/01/2009 08:22 PM, Alan4Huck 12/01/2009 07:47 PM,
Schwab, Bonnie 12/01/2009 07:04 PM,
akprayingmom 12/01/2009 06:47 PM, and Randy Davis 12/01/2009 05:51 PM
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Patton, Andrew
12/01/2009 10:47 PM
To you who would take away pardon and clemency power, do you believe Border Agents Ramos and Compean should still be in jail? Do you believe we should do away with Senate confirmations of executive appointments, or veto override powers? How about judicial review? Or impeachment? Each of these is fundamental to our system of checks and balances. When one branch of government is out of line, the others can rebuke and overrule them. That's what happened here. You must judge a man based on what he has done, not on what he may do in the future.
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Ben Dribus
12/01/2009 08:43 PM
SarahAnn,
Regarding Glenn Beck: as you know, I and several others on this site have carried on a long debate with those who like Beck and company; we were trying to convince people to judge by actions, not words. His actions prove Beck is poison, and the same is true of Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Mark Levin, Michelle Malkin, etc.
The current situation would provide the opportunity for a huge "I TOLD YOU SO" on this subject, but the point was never to win an argument. The point was (and is) to free people from being fooled by these folks again. And again. And again...
