Mike Huckabee’s next book, “Do the Right Thing,” will be in bookstores on Tuesday, Nov. 18, so if you need to stop reading this and go get in line at Barnes and Noble, I’ll understand.
The book tells in part the remarkable story of his insurgent presidential campaign. Time Magazine dishes some of the dirt, with what appear to be some withering score-settling shots at social conservative leaders who declined to support his bid and at his rivals, especially Mitt Romney:
He notes that Romney declined to make a phone call of congratulations after Huckabee beat the oddsmakers to win the Iowa caucuses, “which we took as a sign of total disrespect.” He mocks Romney for suggesting, during one debate, more investment in high-yield stocks as a solution to economic woes. “Let them eat stocks!” Huckabee jokes.
But “this is more than just a campaign memoir,” according to the promotional blurb:
It’s a vision for a smarter, fairer type of politics–“vertical politics”–that focuses on common-sense solutions for education, health care, the economy, and many other issues. It’s not about right versus left; it’s about taking America up rather than down.
Oh, goody, more of that “vertical politics” business. Perhaps if I read this book I’ll be able to figure out what the hell he’s talking about.
Huck also takes off on a book signing tour that will take him to 18 states. Noted: Of the 18 states listed, Huckabee came in first or second in the primaries of all but two, by my count. Hmmm. What a coincidence that his book tour would take him mostly to places where he has political organizations in place. (Admittedly, some of those “second place” finishes occurred after Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and other also-rans had departed the race.)
In other Huckabee news, Jason Tolbert reports that Huck will be on “The View” on Tuesday as well.
Update: Per Jonathan Martin at The Politico, the Romney camp responds thusly:
…Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Huckabee was acting small.“This type of pettiness is beneath Mike Huckabee,” Fehrnstrom said. “If we’re going to move the party forward, we need to offer more than personal recriminations. Unfortunately, in this book, Mike Huckabee is consumed with presumed slights, and he seems more interested in settling scores than in bringing people together.”
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