This transcript is automatically generated
Usually usually in the world of politics folks.
Politicians.
Art notoriously.
Late.
Other than George W.
Bush is only beginning to George W.
Bush she was always on time.
In one of the guy who certainly.
Governor Mike Huckabee to the studio hello governor.
Hey Tom I try I I do try you do -- I see your smiling mug and on a brand new book yet another scare people from buying I know look at that -- look at that nice nice handsome smile.
Mike Huckabee.
By the do the new -- best -- twelve things we really need from Washington -- trillion we don't a simple government.
Would it be nice if we had a simple government this is the new paperback edition of the book and you know I think it's more appropriate now than ever you have you've you've you've written a bunch of books one of them the and I thought so.
You have a book called a simple Christmas doubt there was a -- book -- so you get did you said you had a ball -- oh -- and it was non political on this one.
Political but it's written.
So that you don't have to be a policy want to get into it in fact it was written from people who don't.
All the weeds of detailed policy I don't a lot of government initials -- but they wanna ask this big question.
Is it possible to get America back on track again and if so how would we go about doing it.
And so when I set out in the book is to explain for example just in dealing with the death.
And most people don't understand what what are we talking about a trillion dollars -- -- all the time yes you -- then you get into public Denver's -- -- exactly it's nuts so why I show a picture.
You know pictures worth a thousand words and it's worth the trillion.
Toffler -- case.
Because I think when people think.
Trillion I think what -- a billion is a little more than a million trillion is a little more than a billion.
And when you see the illustration it's staggering and you realize the government is run at fifteen trillion dollars in debt yeah.
It's staggering fourth -- in a row we're gonna -- Just a deficit the of them the -- -- annual outflow vs inflow more than a trillion dollars -- you know we never in our history.
Not in this country ever exceeded our annual GD pre annual GP.
In the amount of the deficit we have now we do we've done -- for the first time as you know the Obama promised historic things and we have the the first credit.
Devaluation and the ever had the downgrade from the Tripoli why he's so nice and he smiles so nice and gives them good speeches.
Well you know -- certainly he's a hard guy to beat he is a heart he's a great campaigner.
He is a great campaigner and maybe that's what he should do his campaign for other people let him run the DR and the DNC -- some other organization but we really have to have some money who can leave.
And who understands that.
In a policy -- it it's hard work but you know that the state of the union the other night one of the most ironic moments.
In that entire address in May be in the history of a state of the union.
Was when he extols the virtue of the Hoover Dam and its construction.
And how.
Projects like that helped get us out the horrors of the deep depression right animus and William you know but mr.
Obama and think about this you're EPA would never let the Hoover Dam get built and everything.
There's other things that was we were thinking about building -- he's alone might lie or not.
But you know we might upset a steel panels isn't it -- -- are just did the Hoover Dam thing with a nice smile now.
Why don't let you know I don't like about -- ignited the at the congressman what is that.
I can't till -- -- for something or against something it's -- but I thought I saw an editorial cartoons on it said.
Where was Joseph Wilson when we need I know.
Nobody would but I don't even w.s -- area nobody was taken to I was gonna say I doubt he it if he did sit there I'm sure he was except.
Good to be while at a at a all right so here we are.
I've got to ask you the question a regular talk behind your back about you -- to California announced.
And ago under my cup of these.
In the quiet of an -- Looking around.
Them think -- only -- need to make the right decision you know I do get asked that a -- and.
The answer is no I don't second guess it in part because -- I see going on and our primary.
Is really not about.
Who can we get to lead and govern its who can be mean enough to go and -- out the eyes of the Democrat and Obama.
And you know that's not an adequate message.
That's that's not gonna do it in terms of Thursday looking -- -- lot of people who won.
-- for that purpose and that purpose primarily.
Is that he's a scrappy guy.
Well -- thinks -- people win there there's a point for scrappy there's a case for that and there's a need for that but it it.
Is more about can you win the center.
Because that's who will decide the election the primary voters are gonna vote for the Republican period.
And the democratic primary voters is really not a primary but the hard -- Democrats are gonna vote for a monitor the elections are going to be decided by 15% of the voters.
Who could do list either way depending on the way the waves are breaking of that particular moment in the election and the question is.
Will they vote to unseated incumbent president if the only choices just you know some some guy who's really really man -- that Michael -- -- that's not going to be enough.
The push them.
Especially when you consider the level of organization that Obama's gonna -- The money unprecedented in the American industrious and that the media is going to be with him yes and they will be shredding whoever the Republican -- yes absolutely shredding him.
Other than that it's going to be a lot of -- would just at the end of the throne.
But you know it's it's it's still possible and I think any of our Republican candidates could be elected president.
And it -- Unplug the economy numbers getting better we get we get the job programs discovery launch and -- jobs report looks good.
There's questions about it which don't get into with the audience but there there's a sense out their governor that there's a lot of the economy starting to to to deal.
I -- the numbers are.
Better -- two bit but one of the factors is that the the actual unemployment rate is probably closer to sixteen to seventeen based on the fact that.
So many people just have given up looking for work anymore -- but I'm not gonna take away from the fact that hopefully these numbers are gonna continue let's hope so you know I don't want.
The economy to stay stagnant just so that we can elect -- republic though but it does make a big difference in hidden in Obama's camp think is that is the number one issue absolutely.
And he'll be able to talk about that under his leadership we got rid of Osama bin Laden and under his leadership we got rid of Gadhafi.
And and.
You know I will obviously lavender and the state of the union it but it is he mentions one more time.
By the way get though -- -- that I thought I was gonna make -- drinking contest out of the F a cup I think a we have been falling down I draw money into the -- speech but that's.
You couldn't have -- then good for him -- it was on his watch and he absolutely pulled the trigger and -- the.
Operation had been botched he would have been blamed I -- I think sometimes Republicans have got to step back.
And let's give him credit for the things that have happened under his watch the -- and that's fair it's fair to him to say that because.
If it happened with bush we would have all said won't give him credit and and we have to be fair and that and I don't I don't take that away from him.
I don't think his economic policies.
Really are driving improved numbers and I certainly don't think it's the stimulus bill.
I think any improvement is in spite of some of the ridiculous spending and indebtedness that we have we've had.
You know the Donald did his big endorsement yesterday I didn't.
And you get you get a big thing in -- lined up to do yours.
You know I'm not gonna make an endorsement in the race -- just -- Now don't plan to a minute I've said all along -- reserve the right if there was some compelling reason -- It's given me a great deal more capacity.
For -- an honest objectivity.
If I have a candidate on my show I can ask him hard questions.
And it's not because on helping someone else because I'm not I know all these guys personally.
Leon had relationships -- them I like them I'm gonna support any of them against Obama.
But I don't wanna make it so that one of them is an in great and the other three hate my guts messed up -- the first time.
So you know my attitude is whoever earns it.
That's great in the novel go out and do everything I can't help them.
At this point.
You know getting into the weeds of campaigning for president.
It it seems like there's a lot of states quite bluntly that don't matter.
They're going to go -- rather go to go recalled and it doesn't matter so why spend a lot of time there -- other than you know trying to get the nomination and so forth but.
-- how many states will really make the difference 35.
They'll be maybe half a dozen Ohio Pennsylvania Florida.
Virginia.
Missouri.
And you know Texas is not gonna vote for Democrats it's not gonna happen -- California's.
Not gonna vote for or Republican is just that neither is New York -- So there are some swing states that are gonna really really matter and -- and whoever's going to be president has got to get.
Not all of them that's got to get several of them are they won't get elected it's as simple as that.
Which gets down into -- Electoral College question again.
Of -- of those numbers so.
Well it's all fascinating.
The book is called a simple government.
Good read twelve things we really need from Washington and trillion we don't.
Mike Huckabee is the author and always great to see governor thank you -- McDonough here had a great weekend you to join the Super Bowl weekend yes indeed.
No and I look at once a cowboys -- -- -- and I didn't care very very best content and -- We'll take a break when we come back we'll talk it we'll talk about won't get into the weeds on those jobs numbers deserves a big.
One big question everything else looked pretty good to point one out of all want to share with you.
Phone -- joined the program today is 866859.
2788.
Comment lines open at 8778877518.
Both numbers plus my email address.
And the links to my Twitter FaceBook and Google+ accounts all those links all the numbers all the phone numbers everything you need.
Is on my website at Tom Sullivan dot com.