This is Why I Would Never Support Huckabee He's Criminal-Friendly

[Aimeey7]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/30/AR2009113003928.html?hpid=artslot

I had heard of this long before the Washington State Police Killings, and personally written him off back then.
Gov.'s like him-- and Judges, Parole boards, etc.-- ned to think a whole lot harder before releasing criminals back amongst us.

[Aimeey7]

There is no "series of failures" to blame here, it was he, Mike Huckabee, who let this man out from a 95 year prison sentence, no one else did it.

[beeker]

I wasn't aware of these actions by Huckabee, since I didn't really feel comfortable with him I never looked into his past actions.  I have nothing against him but he just always seems way to easy going and that's a little scary.

[Wiener]

Huckabee takes full responsibility for his actions, at least he Manned up as they say.  More than anyone else that was involved with this criminal's long career has done.

[CadillacMatt]

Huckabee didn't act alone.  He followed the advice of parole board officials and other members of the legal community.  Accountability in this issue needs to be shared.

[oldster]

Willie Horton.....

[Aimeey7]

Huckabee takes full responsibility for his actions, at least he Manned up as they say.  More than anyone else that was involved with this criminal's long career has done.

I haven't seen where he "manned up" as of yet. Maybe he did, I just haven't seen it. What little I did hear of his reaction was that he supposedly said something like other aspects of the Criminal Justice System had the guy long after his sentence commutation and could have, maybe should have, incarcerated him. If that's all he said, that's hardly "manning up" and does not change the inescapable fact that, had Huckabee not commuted this sentence, the four officers would be alive to day. "Manning Up" would, in my opinion, be going to meet the families of the slain officers and explaining to them why he thought it was a good idea to release this guy from prison.

[Aimeey7]

Huckabee didn't act alone.  He followed the advice of parole board officials and other members of the legal community.  Accountability in this issue needs to be shared.

That's no excuse. As governor, the responsibility ultimately rests with him. It is becasue of his sentence commutation that the four officers are dead.

I sense a double standard here, as a conservative myself, it looks like many fellow conserves are willing to give Huckabee some sort of pass or mitigation on this- while on the  other hand, Dukakis was (rightly so) quite called to task for Horton.

[RobinQuillonsHair]

Those four officers are dead because they picked the wrong coffee shop that day. 

[redcap]

The four officers died because a maniac decided to execute police officers. The maniac should not have been a free man, but that is easy to conclude after the fact.

The maniac was also free because we want to believe all people are good. Andthen some want us to believe all policeman are bad, or all government officials are bad.

Neither is true. But then when have we ever let truth stand in the way of a good excuse.

[Wiener]

I haven't seen where he "manned up" as of yet. Maybe he did, I just haven't seen it. What little I did hear of his reaction was that he supposedly said something like other aspects of the Criminal Justice System had the guy long after his sentence commutation and could have, maybe should have, incarcerated him. If that's all he said, that's hardly "manning up" and does not change the inescapable fact that, had Huckabee not commuted this sentence, the four officers would be alive to day. "Manning Up" would, in my opinion, be going to meet the families of the slain officers and explaining to them why he thought it was a good idea to release this guy from prison.

The O'Reilly show yesterday, you can see it surely at BillO'Reilly.com   I think is his web site.

[pbal]

In 1976, after the MASS Supreme Court extended the right of weekend furloughs to convicted murderers, the MASS legislature passed a bill banning the practice. Dukakis vetoed the bill.

In 1986, convicted murderer Willie Horton walked away from the furlough program.

In 1987, after repeatedly beating, knifing and pistol-whipping her fiance for hours, Horton brutally raped an Oxon Hill, MD woman.

MASS legislators and other politicos demanded a review of the furlough system. Dukakis stonewalled.

The victim's parents came to MASS, testified before committees, met with legislative leaders, and told their story to the press. Dukakis refused to meet them.

In the spring of 1988, literally within hours of securing the Democratic presidential nomination, in the most blatantly cynical and shameless political manuever I have ever witnessed, in an attempt to deflect potential criticism, with no discussion and no rationalization, Dukakis rescinded the prison furlough program.

Our leaders make choices and support programs for licit and illicit reasons, but that one moment, that single act, revealed Dukakis for the total political sleazebag that he is, and THAT, to me, is the true Willie Horton story.

[redcap]

Thanks pbal.

[WDVE]

That could be said about a lot of political hacks.

Good points pbal.

[Aimeey7]

In 1976, after the MASS Supreme Court extended the right of weekend furloughs to convicted murderers, the MASS legislature passed a bill banning the practice. Dukakis vetoed the bill.

In 1986, convicted murderer Willie Horton walked away from the furlough program.

In 1987, after repeatedly beating, knifing and pistol-whipping her fiance for hours, Horton brutally raped an Oxon Hill, MD woman.

MASS legislators and other politicos demanded a review of the furlough system. Dukakis stonewalled.

The victim's parents came to MASS, testified before committees, met with legislative leaders, and told their story to the press. Dukakis refused to meet them.

In the spring of 1988, literally within hours of securing the Democratic presidential nomination, in the most blatantly cynical and shameless political manuever I have ever witnessed, in an attempt to deflect potential criticism, with no discussion and no rationalization, Dukakis rescinded the prison furlough program.

Our leaders make choices and support programs for licit and illicit reasons, but that one moment, that single act, revealed Dukakis for the total political sleazebag that he is, and THAT, to me, is the true Willie Horton story.

You stated it even better than Anne Coulter did. Good post.
But, it bothers me to see some conservatives supporting Huckabee.
This isn't new with him, just finally a high profile bad result blew up. There are probably many more lesser ones.