(disclaimer: I know I missed a couple questions/responses so this is not a verbatim/complete transcript of today’s call with Governor Huckabee)

About a year ago, we were having monthly (sometimes weekly) blogger calls with then Presidential Candidate, Mike Huckabee. I have missed those chats with the former Governor of Arkansas, but today had the opportunity to join in another call as he embarks on a three week tour for his book “Do the Right Thing” which is being released tomorrow (November 18, 2008).

MH: Welcome everybody. I just did an interview with Sean Hannity for his radio show and I am taping “The View” tomorrow. Then starting a 56 city tour. This book is not about lamenting the past or where we are going, it is a book laying out a plan to get to work and build up our country. This book is honest and I take you behind the scenes of my campaign and letting you know the answers to questions you may have had about the campaign.

Chapters: The best government of all

The politically homeless (maybe the RNC elite don’t have room for us and what do we need to do to address that?)

The FOCONS (false conservatives)

Let them buy stocks

stories from the trail about the people who really made this happen

Open up for questions:

Jenn: does this book mark the start of your next campaign?

MH: Well, it’s a little early for that. I don’t think speculation at this point means a lot. I won’t say that I will or won’t, because I honestly don’t know. We did not lose elections because of our principles, but because we failed to govern by those principles.

Matt (Townhall): how does this book differ from the others?

MH: the content drills deep into the process of running for President, but more importantly the principles of the conservative movement, what did we do wrong and where do we go from here? This is not the end of conservativism, but an opportunity for us.

Tina: how do you get past partisanship and to discussion about the issues?

MH: we need to move the focus from what we believe to WHY we believe it and why it’s important.

Michael (Baptist Press): Comment on the role of conservative leaders in the RNC

MH: I’m convinced that they are writing the obituary while the body is still breathing. If it hadn’t been for the cultural conservatives, it would truly have been a landslide. It was the cultural conservatives that kept McCain in it as much as he was. This was not a landslide. We didn’t lose because we’re pro-life, but because we started acting like it didn’t matter anymore.

Scott (Texas): are you devoting much of the book to energy policy?

MH: I touch on it in the chapter “Big Ideas” and how it’s not about creating more regulation but that we turn the private sector loose to develop all forms of alternate energy sources.

Nick: Why didn’t you spend more time in SC which gave Thompson a foothold there?

MH: Maybe we would do it differently if we had to do it over, but one thing that was happening to us was that we were only able to play in the evangelical audience in SC and the media presented us as a demographically limited candidate – Michigan gave us an opportunity to play outside the evangelicals, and that if we didn’t play there at all, the media would have limited us even more. Why did Thompson stay in – was it a favor to McCain, I don’t know.

OneMom: Two questions … first what are your thoughts for the RNC chair? Second, what do we need to do to repair the fractured base of the republican party?

MH: Supporting Chip Saltsman for RNC chair …. the RNC needs to learn how to run a frugal operation, and he knows how to use technology to create a party of the future that nobody else running can do. Chip understands the media platform and we need to get in that game.

This was a tough climate for the republicans. As I look at the overall issue, I believe it was because we did not take strong stands on economic policy and on social issues. We should have come out strongly against the bailouts and shown clear difference between the republicans and dems. We got so caught up with issues that weren’t resonating with the people … they were worried about keeping their jobs, and we should have addressed that without supporting the bailouts.

Jason: Some are saying your book is very negative.

MH: There are times when I address facts  – such as why certain evangelicals did not endorse me – they can say those parts are negative, but they are facts, not bad feelings on my part. The campaign is over, I’m not reliving it, I’m just painting a picture of what we did that worked, what didn’t work, and especially how ordinary people with little money made this a spectacular campaign and carried us to number two.

Lori (Iowa): People think the social conservatives are not important anymore because they think we are just one-issue voters.

MH: Read my book and it will be clearly explained. I wrote the book to show that doing the right thing is the basis for all liberty – including fiscal. If we do not govern from a moral center, the whole thing will break down.

Closing comments:

I want to thank everybody for your time and get a chance to talk with you. I’ve missed these regular meetings with our bloggers that we had during the campaign. Please read the book and as you hear criticisms about the book, you can take on the role you did during the campaign of clearing up those misconceptions. These book stops are going to be very tight, but I do hope to say hello to as many of you as possible. Thanks to everybody to being here, God bless … and happy reading!

It was good to chat with Governor Huckabee again. I wish him well in his travels the next 3 weeks and urge all of you to get a copy of his book  “Do the Right Thing“.

OneMom