The heat on Mike Huckabee will be intense. As it should be. Can you image what the Republicans would do to a Democrat if the coin were reversed?
Trying to explain how such a man could be on the streets, despite five felony convictions in Arkansas that should have kept him locked up for life, Detective Ed Troyer of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said, “Some people have to answer to that.”
At the top of that list is Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and current host at Fox News. Huckabee granted Clemmons early release nine years ago, against the objections of prosecutors and victims.
If this case does not sink the presidential aspirations of Huckabee, a leading Republican candidate, it should. By the standards that Republicans launched almost 20 years ago, Huckabee will be Willie Hortonized. But this case also shows, as with an earlier episode in Arkansas, that Huckabee’s judgment is seriously flawed.
If Huckabee were a liberal and a Democrat, he would be a punching bag for right wing blowhards an example of clueless, soft-on-crime politicians at their worst. Fox News would be stalking him, as they have others responsible for letting criminals out early.
Instead, he’s been allowed to get away with issuing a passive, blame-shifting statement. In the release, issued Sunday night, Huckabee takes no personal responsibility for letting Clemmons out early. Instead, he cites “a series of failures in the criminal justice system in both Arkansas and Washington.”
Yes, a series of failures, resulting in the worst act of violence against law enforcement in the history of this state – four officers gunned down in “a targeted, selective ambush,” in Detective Troyer’s words.
A series of failures: starting at the top, with Gov. Huckabee.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
The Republicans know how to use this kind of thing to their advantage but when the shoe is on the other foot, someone else will take the blame and Huckabee will remain popular with the “law and order” crowd.
As the mother-in-law of a newly sworn-in police officer, my heart goes out to the families of those officers who lost their lives so needlessly.
Huckabee needs to be held strictly responsible here. Clearly, his judgement needs to be called into question, and he might want to think twice about any presidential aspirations.
I think Huckabee would make a great President. If the worst that can be said about Huckabee is that he erred by setting a man free, I can accept that. Just as I did with Willie Horton.
We have not yet heard of the motivation behind the killing of the four policemen. Did he just wig out? We will never know now that he is dead. Every day that man has seen policemen and that one day he killed four of them for reasons unknown.
Four times convicted, he knew what the consequences were of his actions and he did it anyway. What pushed him over the edge?
Whatever it was, it was not Mike Huckabee that set the wheels in motion.
I feel for the families of the victims in situations like this. Violence leaves shattered lives in its wake.
Huckabee’s political career is over…who would want someone with this bad of a track record to be running our country!
Ken
http://rvbirdsofafeather.blogspot.com
This is not a “left” “right” issue. This is simply a tragedy. Is anyone commenting here in a position to know what they would have done given the information the governor had at the time?
There have been many posts saying that the criminal justice system is unfair, particularly to African Americans, for “over” sentencing youthful offenders. this individual had served 10 years in prison prior to being released. Was that sufficient to atone for his crimes to that date? Looking back we would all say, No. At the time however we likely would have thought differently.
Admittedly, I was a supporter of Governor Huckabee for President for about 10 minutes, but I do think he is receiving unfair criticism from people on the left who will never have the responsibility to make decisions like this…
You wrote: …I do think he is receiving unfair criticism from people on the left who will never have the responsibility to make decisions like this…
I agree with this statement. We often forget that the loudest critics are those that have never had to decide anything more than what to wear in the morning.
Huckabee should have nothing. Look what his employer did with Bengahzi-they stand on the bodies of 4 Americans and try to make political points against the President like he had anything to do with it unlike Huckabee who did cause the police officers death.