Tonight's cuppa: Mystic Monk decaf chocolate mint coffee
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his syndicated feature isn't technically scheduled to run until the week of Dec 21, but the good folks at the Buffalo News just couldn't wait that long, and since former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's talk show airs every weekend on Fox News, they didn't have to.
Click here to see an edited version of my conversation with the 2008 GOP presidential-primary contender, conducted as he crossed Texas in late November on his recent book tour.
And just as a bonus, here are a few more excerpts from the interview, starting with a chunk of the story at the end that was edited out for length:
...And even though fellow GOP presidential contender Gov. Mitt Romney comes in for some sharp criticism in "Do the Right Thing," Huckabee still hopes his former rival will stop by.
"I'm not sure he wants to," Huckabee says. "I'd be happy to have him."
As for other political guests, Huckabee says, "We have tentative commitments, when they arrange their schedules, from both Bill and Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, Al Gore. I'd love to have Henry Kissinger. I'd love to get Colin Powell.
"They know they're going to have a civil interview. It's not going to be, 'Hey, let me show you some videotape of something totally embarrassing to you,' because that's not my point."
Asked who he thinks are the up-and-comers in the GOP, Huckabee said, "(Alaska Gov.) Sarah Palin would certainly be on the list, just by virtue of the position she was able to have by being the Veep candidate. (Louisiana Gov.) Bobby Jindal would be on that list. (Gov.) John Huntsman of Utah is an exceptionally bright and very underappreciated talent in the Republican Party, very thoughtful and effective governor.
"(Gov.) Mitch Daniels is another person with broad and vast and deep experience. There are many others."
I mentioned Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, whose name was often brought up during the campaign as a contender for the Veep slot on the GOP ticket.
"He's a very good guy," Huckabee said, "very good. Tim's a good friend as well."
As to what Huckabee would like folks to know about him, he said, "You know, maybe that my goal is to have a whole lot of fun myself and figuring that if I'm having a good time, the audience would as well. I'm always wanting to improve the show and my own capacity to do it, but I want to get the kind of guests on where I'm sitting there thinking, 'I want to hear what that guy has to say.'
"By the time the interview's finished, I want people to say, 'I sure am glad I listened to that, because I learned something I didn't know."
UPDATE: 12/21 -- Turns out the Buffalo News isn't the only paper jumping the gun on Huckabee -- click here to see the story in The Oklahoman. Thanks, NewsOK!
UPDATE: On 12/21, the Journal-Gazette shows the Huck some pickup love.
my God, i thought you were going to chip in with some decisive insght at the end there, not leave it with �we leave it to you to decide�.