LITTLE ROCK, AR – Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee released a video Friday titled “Nailed Shut” that will be used to introduce him at his official presidential race announcement in Hope on May 5.
The video (embedded below) highlights Gov. Huckabee’s political record, which a news release issued Friday says includes defeating the “Clinton machine” in Arkansas and governing effectively in an overwhelmingly Democratic environment.
“Nailed Shut,” the release says, also reinforces Gov. Huckabee’s commitment to defending Social Security and Medicare for seniors, helping every American earn his or her maximum wage, and leading with moral clarity.
Transcript of video is as follows:
Rex Nelson, Arkansas Democrat Gazette:
“On his first day in office, Governor Huckabee’s door was nailed shut.”
“It was in Bill Clinton’s Arkansas.”
“You had huge Democratic majorities in the House, in the Senate…”
“You had all the apparatus of the Democratic party aligned against Mike Huckabee.”
“And all of a sudden this Republican comes out of nowhere and wins.”
Gov. Mike Huckabee:
“Every day of my life in politics was a fight and sometimes it was an intense one. But any drunken redneck can walk into a bar and start a fight. A leader only starts a fight that he’s prepared to finish.”
“As governor of Arkansas – I cut taxes and welfare, balanced the budget every year for ten years, and raised average family income by 50%.”
“We didn’t slash, burn, hurt people, leave people impoverished. We empowered people to live a better life.”
“I’m not a Republican because I grew up rich, I’m a Republican because I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me.”
“One thing that has to happen in America is moving the power away from Washington, where people are so disconnected from the way that so many ordinary Americans live. It’s a disaster. Power needs to be local and limited, because the closer government is to the people, the more accountable it is to the people who are being governed.”
“Instead of fighting over the minimum wage, I’m going to focus on solutions to help every American earn his or her maximum wage.”
“I’ll protect Social Security and Medicare. Washington has done enough lying and stealing. I’ll never rob seniors of what our government promised them and even forced them to pay for.”
“And I’ll lead with moral clarity in a dangerous world.”
“There’s a difference between right and wrong. There’s a difference between good and evil.”
“I’ll keep all the options on the table in order to defeat the evil forces of radical Islam.”
“We believe in some things. We stand for those things. We live or die by those things!”
“Let’s win the fight for what matters most.”