Governor Huckabee blew off the spin room to do an exclusive interview with Carl Cameron on At Large with Geraldo Rivera. Geraldo was live from Afghanistan, and upon hearing that Huckabee quipped, “is he there by choice or was he taken against his will and . . .should we pay the ransom?”

Carl spoke to the Governor about the Univision debate, his comments in 1992 regarding quarantining AIDS patients, and the former Arkansas governor’s surge in the polls. Huckabee pressed that it wasn’t just Evangelical Christians catapulting him in the polls, instead he has support from a wider electorate.

Click below to see the interview!

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He just called for “Weapons of Mass Instruction!”

The Univision Debate has been relatively peaceful thus far—without any of the sparring or attacks we saw last week in St. Petersburg, Fl. But the Fred Thompson campaign just sent out a reminder to reporters about Mike Huckabee’s more lenient attitude toward Fidel Castro.

The document is below:

Huckabee: Mr. President, Lift the Cuban Embargo

Summary: In 2002, Governor Huckabee strongly advocated lifting the embargo against Cuba saying it “harm[s] our own agricultural and business interests,” “has not helped the people of Cuba” and has “provided Castro with a convenient excuse for his own failed system of government.”

“Huckabee, the GOP governor of Arkansas, wrote to President Bush seeking action against the embargo.” (Jeffrey Birnbaum, “Business to Bush: Let Us Into Cuba!”, Fortune, 5/27/02)

“All four House members, both senators and Governor Huckabee strongly support doing away with the trade embargo.” (Kevin Freking, “Legislators Call For Ending Ban On Cuba,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 3/22/02)

“‘The United States’ policy of unilateral embargo against Cuba continues to harm our own agricultural and business interests here at home and has certainly not helped the people of Cuba,’ Huckabee wrote in his Feb. 14 letter [to President Bush]. It’s not right to continue to make American farmers bear the burden of a policy that hasn’t worked, he said. Huckabee cited a study by Texas A&M University reporting that the embargo hurt Arkansas more than other states, costing Arkansas lost farm exports of $ 167 million a year and a loss of almost 4,000 jobs.” (Michael Wickline, “End of Cuban Trade Embargo Benefits Children, Snyder Says,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 3/29/02)

“In a letter to President Bush, Mr. Huckabee wrote, ‘U.S. policy on Cuba has not accomplished its stated goal of toppling the Castro regime and instead has provided Castro with a convenient excuse for his own failed system of government.’” (Letters, “Time To End Embargo Against Cuba,” Washington Times, 2/27/02)

Today, Mike Huckabee hitched a ride in the Fox News Election Link vehicle. He gave a quick interview as he rode to his campaign headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa.

Huckabee has recently surged in the polls according to the latest Des Moines Register poll.

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Des Moines, IA

To commemorate World AIDS Day many of the presidential candidates are 
launching HIV/AIDS platforms. Today, the Romney campaign sent out a
 release outlining their plan to fight AIDS.

“As President, I will mobilize our civilian instruments of power to
 address HIV/AIDS, poverty and other challenges across Africa by
 empowering a single U.S. official with the responsibility and
 authority to lead all of America’s civilian efforts in the region. I
 will fundamentally transform our international aid efforts so that
 more of our assistance goes to those suffering rather than
 bureaucracy.  Today, only one-third of all foreign aid gets to the 
people it was intended to help.  That must change.”

The statement continues outlining their plan to fight the disease in
the United States:

“As devastating as HIV/AIDS has been around the world, we must not 
forget that over a million Americans are living with the disease here
 at home.  We should do all we can to ensure that America continues to
 lead the world in cutting-edge research and development into new
 medicines. I believe in supporting policies that foster innovation and
 get every American access to affordable, quality health insurance.  I
 also believe that government should work in partnership with our
 nation’s pharmaceutical researchers and manufacturers to advance the
 HIV/AIDS research agenda and move us toward a cure.”

Yesterday, Governor Romney was campaigning in Iowa and was asked about the AIDS crisis by two women, both in response to Governor Huckabee launching his HIV/AIDS agenda. Huckabee calls for expanding health insurance, increasing research funds and continuing his support for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

Romney seemed unsure of his plan at the time. The first questioner asked if the Presidential hopeful will make sure HIV positive people get the treatment they need before they get sick. He didn’t answer and instead took the opportunity to discuss his health care plan.

“I believe I am the only governor in America that’s actually put in place a plan that gets everybody health insurance. I’m pretty proud of the fact that everybody else is talking about it, but I actually did it,” he said.

He continued with a dig at politicians who want universal health insurance, presumably Senator Clinton: “Not by giving people government health insurance, but instead by helping people get private free market insurance and that’s what we did in my state…that will cover people not only with HIV/AIDS, but people with hypertension, people with diabetes, and with all the diseases and conditions we have in our country.”

The Governor was also asked what he would do to fight AIDS in Africa
 and increase worldwide funding. Romney didn’t answer the question directly — instead he pressed his commitment to America and garnered applause from the crowd.

“Well there is no question we care about the conditions of the world. Of poverty and sickness and disease. But, I have to be honest with you that my first priority is with Americans and caring for our citizens here and that will be my first responsibility as President of the United States and I will also as a member of a generous nation work hard to alleviate suffering and pain and poverty around the world,” he said.

Senator McCain also released a statement today offering his prayers to 
those affected and committed his support to the President’s Emergency
 Plan for AIDS Relief, a U.S.-funded, five-year, $15 billion plan to 
fight HIV/AIDS in developing nations. The program, which launched in
 2005, is going to expire in 2003. It has come under fire because one
 third of the funds spent on disease prevention abroad must go to
 abstinence education. McCain also called for transparency from the
 countries America assists in the fight: “Afflicted nations with whom
 we partner to fight this disease must also know that we expect a level
 of governance, transparency and effectiveness from them in order to
 make the fullest use of AIDS assistance so we can make the greatest
 impact on people’s lives.”

The Giuliani campaign also shared his thoughts on defeating the disease: “As President, I will continue America’s life saving role as a leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS until the day humanity can declare victory against this deadly disease.”

This week Senator Clinton launched an HIV/AIDS platform at Rick
 Warren’s Saddleback Church in California. Her plan to fight the disease includes increasing funding, guaranteeing health insurance for patients, escalating commitments to research and providing at least $50 billion for global HIV/AIDS by 2013, among other initiatives.

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St. Petersburg, FL — Following tonight’s CNN/YouTube debate, the usual group of campaign advisers and political supporters converged on the Spin Room to speak to media on behalf of their candidates. But would they be whistling the same tune when Mike Huckabee supporter, Chuck Norris, entered the room and told them who won?

Rudy Giuliani supporter Rep. Peter King (R-NY), Mitt Romney spokesperson Kevin Madden, and Fred Thompson supporters Rich Galen and former VA Governor/Senator George Allen all try to stand their ground and prove their toughness. We also catch an exclusive glimpse of Allen and Norris greeting one another and admiring each others’ boots…seriously.

GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson made his fifth visit to Iowa this week since announcing his bid for the presidency. Stopping in places like Orange City, Sioux City, and Ames, he touted his conservative credentials, particularly his tough stand on illegal immigration and the need to appoint judges who “abide by the Constitution.”

Mr. Thompson’s appearance in the Hawkeye state comes at a critical time. With the Iowa caucuses just seven weeks away, the most recent Washington Post/ABC News poll shows Republican rivals Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee nearly tied for first place in the state—while Thompson has slipped from second to third. But that doesn’t seem to concern the Senator, who described the political climate in Iowa as one that continually fluctuates, and reassured voters of his plan to make up for lost time.

When I asked the Senator on Wednesday for his reaction to Huckabee’s rising popularity among Iowans, he said they probably don’t know the former Arkansas governor very well—adding with a smile, “that’s a situation that will be cured shortly.”

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Council Bluffs, IA — While his chief strategists discounted Iowa’s role in the presidential primary process on a Monday conference call, Rudy Giuliani returns to the Hawkeye State Wednesday for the third time in nearly three weeks. The quick stops come after Giuliani spent more than two months away between August and October.

He plans to hit two events in the Western part of the state today with scheduled stops in Council Bluffs and Rock Rapids. Giuliani’s visit also comes as two new polls show him in third place–continuing to lag behind Mitt Romney and now trailing a resurgent Mike Huckabee. The Giuliani camp sees the Huckabee uptrend as very positive as it splits the social conservative vote in IA and punches a hole in Romney’s argument that he is the true conservative in the race.

–A Strategic Vision poll has him at 12%, behind Mitt Romney with 30% and Mike Huckabee at 19%. Fred Thompson comes in fourth place with 11% and John McCain takes 7%.

–And the latest New York Times poll has similar numbers: Romney 27%, Huckabee 21%, Giuliani 15%, Thompson 9%, McCain 4% and Ron Paul at 4%.

Some fast facts that from the NYT poll that show a race that is still very much up for grabs: (c/o Corbett Riner–the FNC polling guru)

After the jump: (more…)

Can anyone say no when all-around action movie star and Black Belt Hall of Famer Chuck Norris asks you to donate money to a candidate?

While the other GOP front-runners may have stronger poll numbers, larger organizations and millions of more dollars in the bank, besides Mike Huckabee can put a “Chuck Norris Approved” stamp on their fundraising emails.

Norris, the former star of “Walker Texas Ranger,”who endorsed Huckabee last month, sent out his first fundraising appeal today on behalf of the former Arkansas Governor. While Huckabee has seen a recent boost in Iowa polling, he is still trailing in the $$ area to the frontrunners and even second-tier candidate Ron Paul.

Norris asks recipients for three things:

-A financial contribution between $1 and $2,300
-Tell a friend to also contribute to the campaign
-Ask your family and friends to sign up for email updates

He closes, “I will check back with you again in a few weeks to tell you a little more about why I am supporting Mike Huckabee. In the meantime, help me support him today with a contribution of whatever amount you can afford. I am doing the three things I am asking you to do, so please do the same.”

And Norris is asking politely this time around. Don’t make him come back and check in….

Full e-mail after jump…

(more…)