While the media is involved in a general love fest with Mike Huckabee, it seems they are ignoring his rather dubious reign as governor in Arkansas. Specifically, they just can't seem to bring up the Wedding Register Affair. It seems that while preparing to vacate the governor's residence (and after a failed attempt to take the furnishings of that residence with them) the Huckabees set up a wedding registry for themselves at Dillards and Targets.
Gov. Mike Huckabee and his wife, Janet, apparently are registered for home furnishing gifts at Target and Dillard’s department stores as they prepare to leave the Governor’s Mansion and move into a house (below) they recently purchased in North Little Rock.
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Arkansas law prohibits public officials from receiving gifts worth more than $100, unless the office-holder can prove that the gift came via a relationship “independent of his or her official status.” To ascertain the nature of the relationship, the Arkansas Ethics Commission may examine “such factors as when the relationship began (i.e., before or after the public servant obtained his or her office or position), the prior history of gift giving between the individuals, whether the gift was given in connection with a holiday or other special occasion, and whether the same gift was given to other public servants.”
http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2006/11/huckabees_registered_for_gifts.aspxThis report set off a bit of a shit storm down in Arkansas:
Gov. Mike Huckabee on Tuesday ripped news reporters for writing about gift registries in his and his wife's names for a housewarming party for their recently purchased halfmillion-dollar home in North Little Rock.
The registries are on the Internet at Target and Dillard's Web sites under "weddings."It's the "Janet Huckabee and Michael Huckabee's Club Wedd Registry"at Target and "Welcome to the wedding registry of: Janet Huckabee and Michael Huckabee"at Dillard's.
The governor accused news media of being "tools"for Arkansas Times Editor Max Brantley, who runs a blog that discussed the registries and who has been a longtime critic of Huckabee.
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/173040/And eventually did make it to the national news:
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Gov. Mike Huckabee on Tuesday angrily defended a gift registry that was set up to help furnish his new home, and said the registry was put together by his wife's friends for a housewarming party.
"My wife has friends; she has lifelong friends. They wanted to do something for her," the Arkansas Republican told reporters after speaking at an event in downtown Little Rock. "It has nothing to do with who she is, other than she's their friend."
Huckabee has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination and has made trips to several important primary states.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/14/AR2006111400724.htmlOdd though, haven't heard a peep out of the
False Noise Machine while the national press corpse is having its love affair with Mike. I Heart Huckabee indeed.
That said - Media Matters (NPR Sunday Morning) did give a brief heads up on this issue this morning. 30 seconds is better than nothing.