Outside the Beltway

Huckabee Email Hinting That He’s Running?

Doug Mataconis · Saturday, May 14, 2011 · 2 comments

Political junkies are dissecting a leaked email from Mike Huckabee to a select group of advisers like it was the Rosetta Stone in a effort to determine if it provides a clue as to whether he’s actually running or not:

Mike Huckabee emailed a select group of advisers Friday evening to explain that he couldn’t say what his 2012 plans are because of a “sworn obligation” to reveal it first on Fox, adding that “once I pull the trigger…things will get even crazier.”

One source said the email appeared to have gone to roughly 10 people. Yet while it sparked widespread intrigue among political watchers, several sources close to Huckabee still remained unconvinced he will run again for the presidency, citing his approach to making a decision.

Others privately expressed concern that, if Huckabee does run, his approach so far has had an overly theatrical quality that hasn’t screamed “presidential” and has been comparable to the way developer Donald Trump has gone about his potential candidacy.

(…)

Speculation among reporters and political watchers that Huckabee was not going to run almost immediately started to tilt the other way once the email’s contents were reported.

But Rollins, who had said on Friday he believed Huckabee’s lack of advance warning indicated a no-go by Huckabee, said simply, “I don’t know what’s going on here.”

His comments mirrored other advisers who received the email, and who remained skeptical that it means he’s in for 2012.

Former South Carolina Gov. David Beasley, a Huckabee adviser who received the email and was traveling through the Middle East Saturday, told POLITICO, “The thing about Mike (is) he is savvy, you know. And when you read that email it definitely leaves a very serious question that he’s going to surprise everybody and announce an exploratory committee, that’s my takeaway from it.”

He said, “But based on traditional strategy and decision-making processes, I would have told you that he’s not running….(but) I don’t know what to tell you. And I know a couple of his closest advisers don’t know.”

Beasley added that if Huckabee does run, “I’ve got some questions – (like) why did you take this route??”

Via Time, here’s the email itself:

Tomorrow night (Saturday) I will announce the next step in my plans for 2012 during my show on the Fox News Channel. I would like to be able to call you or email you personally and in advance of the announcement, but due to the fact that the decision was not finalized until today and that I committed to Fox that I will absolutely not release it prior to doing so on the channel, that became impractical.

A lot of information and speculation was already rampant in the press today, and it frankly isn’t fair to you to tell you the details and then put you in the awkward position of saying you didn’t know (which at that point wouldn’t be true) or saying you did know, but couldn’t reveal or discuss it.

It was this afternoon before I could even get word to all of my own children and even now, the executive producer of my show and the staff and crew of the show don’t know and won’t until I actually do the final preparation literally minutes before I share the decision live Saturday night.

I will look forward to speaking with you soon and once I fulfill my sworn obligation to Fox, I will be free to discuss things that I can’t now due to promises to them and to some possible legal considerations of the announcement.

Many friends have said, “how can we help you in the decision?” My answer has consistently been, “Pray that I have clarity.” I have it and will share it Saturday night during the show. Please be patient if I don’t respond immediately to an email because I expect that once I pull the trigger Saturday night, things will get even crazier, as if that’s possible.

My heartfelt thanks for your friendship, prayers, and support,

Mike Huckabee