Friday, March 4, 2011

Huckabee clarifies his Natalie Portman comments

Mike Huckabee has been making quite a bit of noise lately.  First, there was that slip of the tongue about where Obama was raised and now he has gotten into a row over comments about Natalie Portman.
Huckabee:"You know Michael, one of the things that's troubling is that people see a Natalie Portman or some other Hollywood starlet who boasts of, 'Hey look, you know, we're having children, we're not married, but we're having these children, and they're doing just fine,'" Huckabee said. "But there aren't really a lot of single moms out there who are making millions of dollars every year for being in a movie. And I think it gives a distorted image that yes, not everybody hires nannies, and caretakers, and nurses. Most single moms are very poor, uneducated, can't get a job, and if it weren't for government assistance, their kids would be starving to death and never have health care. And that's the story that we're not seeing, and it's unfortunate that we glorify and glamorize the idea of out of children wedlock [sic]."

Huckabee made this comment during the same interview where he misstated where Obama was raised. Huckabee has now issued a clarifying statement.
 "In a recent media interview about my new book, A Simple Government, I discussed the first chapter, 'The Most Important Form of Government Is a Father, Mother, and Children,'" Huckabee said in a statement obtained by CNN. "I was asked about Oscar-winner Natalie Portman's out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Natalie is an extraordinary actor, very deserving of her recent Oscar trophy and I am glad she will marry her baby's father. However, contrary to what the Hollywood media reported, I did not "slam" or "attack" Natalie Portman, nor did I criticize the hardworking single mothers in our country."
 I think Huckabee is correct in his original statement about there being a  risk of glamorizing single motherhood.  Time and time again we witness the struggle single mothers must endure and not always successfully.  That being said, I think if Huckabee is seriously considering running in 2012 then he has to watch out for getting into big battles over social issues.  


I am not saying that social conservative issues are not important [they inevitably ties into economic issues], but anyone looking to beat Obama will have to have "focus like a laser" on economic issues.  Big battles over social issues will only help to create distractions for the left to muddy the waters.  In just one interview, Huckabee has now created two distracting topics for the left.


Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Fix
Via: CNN

6 comments:

Lisa said...

I happen to agree with him about Natalie Portman. Coincidentally, I blogged about this exact topic several weeks ago... there seems to be a plethora of stars getting pregnant without being married. I don't get it.

Anyway... it's definitely not enough to make me vote for him and as you said, I'll be laser focused on who can run this country from an economic perspective in 2012.

Just a conservative girl said...

I agree with what he said. He in no way bashed Natalie Portman, he was talking about single mothers who don't make the money she does. I am with Lisa, I am not voting for him in the primaries, but he didn't owe anyone an apology.

FIREBIRD said...

Back in the 90's Dan Quayle was excoriated for condemning Murphy Brown for her 'TV pregnancy' because it glamorized single parenthood. Today, girls in high school have babies and bring them to school with them - the schools provide day care! It's a moral, social problem that perpetuates poverty - very few young women have the resources of a Hollywood actress. Having said that, conservatives need to make their 'social' views known but they must realize they are giving the leftist press ammo to divert attention from their other non-social views - AND - the right needs to know and prepare for the press to take out the front runners - they have destroyed Palin, they took out George Allen in 2008 - and they will take out anyone in order to force another McCain down our throats. There is NOTHING the right can do to win over the press - the sooner they realize that and FIRE BACK AT THEM the better we will all be. As for Huckabee - I don't think this country will ever have a president with a country bumpkin name like 'Huckabee' - but then, I never thought we would have one named Hussein either! (sorry for the rambling!)

Fuzzy Slippers said...

"I am not saying that social conservative issues are not important [they inevitably ties into economic issues], but anyone looking to beat Obama will have to have "focus like a laser" on economic issues. Big battles over social issues will only help to create distractions for the left to muddy the waters. In just one interview, Huckabee has now created two distracting topics for the left."

/this

Lorraine said...

Huckabee said "and if it weren't for government assistance their kidss would starve to death and never have health care"
The problem with this comment is that Huckabee is a stealth socialist who does support government programs...I know, I live in Arkansas.
I will not vote for this man. He can bash BHO all he wants, he is just a version of Obama-lite

Anonymous said...

If I remember, Huckabee said Portman being pregnant and not married was "troubling". I thought he was out of line because she's no teen and he doesn't know the circumstances under which she got pregnant. It could have been contraception that failed. If so, she obviously chose to keep it. If you don't the details in the case of a woman who is not in the poverty level and not in her teens...who are you to pass judgement ? How is it any of Huckabee's or anyone else's business ?

SB Smith
TX

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