Interview With Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee

By: Tom Crabtree/News Channel 7 | News Channel 7
Published: January 09, 2008

Republican presidential front-runner Mike Huckabee brings his campaign to the Upstate.

After his rally at the Spartanburg Marriott I had an exclusive interview with Huckabee starting with questions you submitted to Voice of the Voter.

Stacy in Gaffney wanted to know what Huckabee will do to create jobs.

"The key to getting better jobs is better education. If you have a good education platform, you're able to get better jobs that pay more, that give you the opportunity to move up the ladder economically. And one of the things, I know I did this as governor when I was in Arkansas for those 10-and-a-half years we worked hard to improve the curriculum, to improve the opportunities, to make sure that the schools were built around the students rather than try to force the students to find out just what they could work with in an arbitrary system. Another thing is you have to go after industry. If you don't ask for the business, you don't get it."

"This one is from Rusty Shaver in Spartanburg. His basic question: what are you going to do to stop illegal immigration?"

"Well, nothing will happen until we do what I’m gonna do first, and that is secure the border with as real fence. This nonsense that we're gonna have a secure border, but we don't really patrol it and guard it and have any way to keep people from being able to just come at will is insane."

"You've got a win in Iowa, McCain gets a win in New Hampshire. Someone is going to have to build some momentum. Is South Carolina that state for you?"

"Without a doubt. We believe this is going to be the state where we really turn it full-steam ahead."

"What do you expect the spirit of this debate Thursday night to be?"

"Well I hope we get into some good opportunities to talk about our own records and talk about our views. What I hope we don't end up with is just a bunch of cheap shots across the bow, because that doesn't elevate the process. People need to know what I’m gonna do if I’m president, not what I think is wrong with the guy next to me."

Other steps Huckabee says he would take as president, to create jobs, make sure both sides live up to trade agreements. Huckabee tells me while he believes in free trade he also wants fair trade.