Huckabee: 'I apologize that my comments were offensive.'

Absolutly. None of these "opps" statement are slips of the tongue they are aimed cleverly to discredit Obama. They do not dare discredit him openly because of the millions that are supporting him. So they will continue this kind of attack throughout the campaign and they will hit their mark on certain people lets hope that it is not enough to put McCain in because this Country needs a breather and McCain is going to continue the assault that it has been going through for the last 8 years.

I disagree that it was on purpose - I don't think they planned a chair fall, a loud bang then this comment. But what these offhand comments do show are their inner bigotry that they normally hide with more thoughtful comments. When they try to joke or say something offhand they speak with their guard down, and we get a bit of an insight into how they really feel. It's the same with the drunk who tries to blame his offensive comments on the alcohol. Those comments don't spring forth from nowhere.

Why is everything racist now? Had he said it was Hillary dodging sniper fire, it would have been hilarious. I understand that this is the first time there has been a black man in this situation, but by taking every comment, every statement made by the opposition and twisting it to be racist is just ridiculous. It was a joke, and the only thing wrong with it was that it wasn't particularly funny.

Do people here really think the joke was part of a right wing conspiracy to bring attention to the fact that Senator Obama is black? Guess what, the electorate already knows that, and he has won the Democratic nomination regardless. By jumping on these statements and decrying them as racist, it is the left that is playing the race card, not the right.

Joking about an assassination attempt on a BLACK presidential candidate by the governor of the state that needed Army paratroopers to allow for the integration of Little Rock's Central High School?

If not racist, then incredibly stupid.

If not incredibly stupid, then unbelievably low.

So either racist, stupid, or tearing a page from the Karl Rove playbook...not good whether you choose A, B, or C.

I think it was just a joke. Huckabee has been very nice and supportive of Obama, even refusing to kick him while he was down during the Jeremiah Wright scandal. And, I mean, let's face it Dennis: isn't that what every single Obama supporter like us is afraid of? Obama gets into office and he'll be the next JFK or RFK?

I'm not one to take these types of mis-speaks at face value either, but the only thing obvious to me is that he wanted to make sure he got a barb in against Obama. Now that this kind of sinister statement has been so publicly made part of the news cycle, similar musings will flow more freely from the mouths of the pundits as part of the national "conversation." Huckabee's apology means nothing at all, the damage is done.

I think this was a situation where Mike wasn't thinking. I think he just got comfortable and was speaking extemporaneously and inadvisedly made light of a fear that we all had. I think, being from Arkansas and knowing racism face to face, that he likely has the same fear for Obama as I think he has a certain affinity for him based upon what he has said about Barack and how he has treated the Obama in interviews and things.

Scott certain things are expected if you are going to stay in the party.

I'll actually give Huckabee the benefit of the doubt on this one. His political views personally scare the hell out of me, but I don't see him by his nature and mannerisms a bad human being. I think that was just a case of his mouth moving faster than his brain.

I'm going to repeat two comments of mine from another article because looks like it needs to be said here even more so:

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People sometimes make stupid jokes. I certainly have. I'm pretty sure everyone has. You need to look at the whole picture. It's possible if not likely that Huckabee was spontaneously merging a bunch of separate raw thoughts in his head in a stream of consciousness:

—I'm here to campaign for McCain who's running against Obama.

—I'm in a room of gun loving NRA members.

—They probably hate Obama, especially after that "cling to their guns" remark.

Sure it was stupid. But off-the-cuff stream-of-consiousness thoughts often are. But why is it stupid? Because the thoughts themselves are stupid, or because any smart politician knows you can't ever let anyone see the raw thoughts in your head because the reactions will be like the ones we see here.

Unless you have more evidence that Huckabee is a racist, I don't think this joke of his should impact your feelings for Huckabee, not unless what is important to you is his ability to filter raw thoughts for public consumption. Many people like Huckabee because of his candor and down-to-earthiness, because he isn't such a polished politician that reads from a script. Such people can't have it both ways.

And Obama supporters should remember how they felt when Barack or Michelle uttered a sentence or two that got spun into a judgment on their character that you knew wasn't true based on a much greater volume of words that said otherwise.

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Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a man during a quail hunt ... making 78-year-old Harry Whittington the first person shot by a sitting veep since Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, of course, (was) shot in a duel with Aaron Burr over issues of honor, integrity and political maneuvering. Whittington? Mistaken for a bird. — Jon Stewart

Over the weekend while on a hunting trip down in Texas, Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a member of his hunting party. He apologized. In fact, he told Brit Hume that he was actually trying to hit Cindy Sheehan. — Jay Leno

We can't get bin Laden, but we nailed a 78-year-old attorney. — David Letterman

None of these were off-the-cuff. Hardly anyone paid attention to Whittington in all this, certainly not his injuries. Presumably because Cheney is so hated (Believe me, Cheney makes my blood boil) and ambivalence is the best any hunting buddy of Cheney can get (I admit, I'm ambivalent, and if forced to think about it, emotionally respond with "what goes around comes around").

So, if you really get the Obama Movement's message, then you know that honesty and fairness come first. And the first of the first is being honest with ourselves. We can't expect our opponents to behave better than ourselves. Once we are honest with ourselves, understanding of ourselves, we can work toward applying that to others and replace hate with understanding.

I agree with vas and wish I could vote for his comment more than once.

Thanks Scott.

Just to be clear, when I said, "We can't expect our opponents to behave better than ourselves," I was not implying that the problem on both sides is the jokes, but rather the war footing taken by many on both sides, where anything can be turned into a weapon, no matter hypocritically or disingenuously. That's what pissed so many Obama supporters off about Clinton. It hurts The Movement when Obama supporters fail to recognize when they engage in the same, such as the way we react to Huckabee's bad joke.

Well said, vas.

vas:
Yes, but most particularly because of who said it. Mike Huckabee has been nothing but respectful to Barack Obama every time I have heard him speak about Obama so I don't think it is fair for we Obama supporters to take his head off over a joke that fell flat on its face. I've made a lot of jokes that went off the mark and totally missed the board.

Mike Huckabee has been nothing but respectful to Barack Obama every time I have heard him speak about Obama

Exactly.

Hilarious Mike, very funny video!

To joke about Obama and guns is a VERY big mistake.
The threat to Obama by racists is very real.

If it was Hilary it would have probably been taken as making fun of the Bosnia sniper "incident," which would be making fun of her...stretching of the truth rather than a real possibility of some crazy @!$%# shooting a canidate. It would have been unprofessional, sure, but we expect that level from the right-wing anyway.

Yes, your explanation is the most logical, yet.
This also makes his remarks a planned event.
Thanks for putting all the pieces together- they finally fit.

Especially Cheney who is more then capable of shooting back rather it be FRIEND OR FOE.

I too am a Democrat that comes from a hunting family of Democrats the gun doesn't kill its the person holding it.

I guess the real reason why I like Huckabee is because his stances are clear and to the point. Just like Edwards and McCain, we know exactly what they would do if they make it the White House. I have no idea what Obama or Romney plan for this country and that scares me a little. While I don't agree with Huckabee's views, I respect his openness to his stances. Kinda like when Malcolm X favored Barry Goldwater over President Johnson.

Sgt. Pepper:
Obama's general thrust is pretty clear since Edwards decided to endorse him and sign onto his anti-poverty plan. I don't think Edwards would have endorsed him if he didn't think Obama was the best person for the job.

Why not they would make a great comedy team and McCain would be the straight man.

Huck as VP would actually make me like McCain a little more. LOL

Huckabee might be able to make the rapture funny

Scott Isaacs

Here's a post I made for another article. I think it might pertain to what you're talking about.

Plain and simple, Edwards waited so long to make his endorsement so that there would be no chance he would pick a losing candidate. If Clinton was leading by this much, he would never be backing Obama.

Still, I'm hoping Edwards is considered to be VP for the General Election. I think an Obama/Edwards ticket is almost as good as an Edwards/Obama ticket (biased opinion: I was a HUGE Edward's supporter).

I agree that Edwards waited to choose the winner. His endorsement is confirmation that the nomination is out of Hillary's grasp.

That's how I feel also. You're right this ain't grade school. I would have liked if Gov. Huckabee had done a speech asking for the nation's forgiveness for invoking such bad memories from our past. His apology doesn't bring the closure I think many of us are seeking.

If I wanted it too offend the person would know up front that I am saying this becauses I do not like you, but very few hurting statements are made by accident.

You are correct, Sally, but do you think a person can say something that they think is o.k, but it turns out hurting another? It just happened to me that is why I am asking.

Better too you then behind your back. If there was something about you that offended me to the point that I would say something it would be too you first. Sorry that is how I was brought up.

I like that thinking. Definitely no apology needed.

Your right Bootie,

After all, every time I start my comedy routine with my "JFK Assassination" jokes, I never get the response I'm looking for.

I got to stop performing to Vietnam Vets.

Stupid is as stupid does. No joke no accident.

I think this mornings show with Tim Russet was my last viewing. Tim was someone I use to respect but he has lost that because he is playing for ratings not for information as his show us to be.

Or true to either.

thank you- the addition makes the statement complete.

Barry--20.0----there was simply nothing funny about it....not even close. It may have been a tiny bit funny if he had stopped after saying obama had dove under a chair---but once he mentioned the gun.....it was all over.

I've got a much funnier joke for Huckabee in the NRA.

"Sorry folks, but that was Senator Clinton. She saw people with sniper weapons, pretended she was fired on, and hid behind that wall."

That would be hilarious!