Opinion
Huck on Spike, Mitt and Chuck
By: Jeff Dufour
Editor at Large/Columnist, "Yeas & Nays"
11/20/08 12:05 AM EST
Gov. Hawk-a-book
Onetime Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has been back in the news recently, thanks to some tough remarks he wrote about former political opponent Mitt Romney and his staff in Huckabee's new book, "Do The Right Thing."But he's not shrinking from the heat. "The book is not a Mitt Romney book," Huckabee told reporters at the Capitol Hill Club Wednesday morning. "Mitt may be very disappointed that it's not about him. ... But there was obvious tension. It wasn't just me but with other candidates. ... People have come to expect candor from me. ... If I had written this book and totally overlooked the obvious issues that were there, then there would be no credibility." (Perhaps Huckabee best summarized his attitude to the latest dust-up when, on an unrelated subject, he blurted out, "If you think I'm a jerk, that's fine. So does my wife!")
We had to ask if Huckabee has heard from Spike Lee following the book's publication, since the director first arrived on the scene with his 1989 film of the same name.
"You know, I bet Spike actually called his film 'Do The Right Thing' in anticipation of the book I'd write almost 20 years later," said Huckabee. No, but really, Governor, no word from Spike? No. "It's not like he invented the phrase. ... It's not like he's got a copyright on it."
Huckabee ended the briefing on a more peaceful note, revealing that he and Chuck Norris -- who supported Huckabee's presidential bid — hope to travel to Israel soon.
"So is Chuck Norris what's missing from the Middle East peace process?" we had to ask.
"Look, you get Chuck Norris to sit down with the Israelis and Palestinians and there WILL be peace!"
