Huckabee: "We don’t want people to come here illegally, but the economy needs them to succeed."

Huckabee then expounded upon the need to secure the borders, know who the immigrants are, where they are going, what they are doing and how healthy they are. He also advocated eliminating the system that punishes only illegals and not businesses who hire them. 

Healthcare

His first major accomplishment was to provide healthcare for children. While some conservatives do not see this as a legitimate function of government, he argued that it is. Said Huckabee: "When the government foots the bill for the uninsured, why not preempt some of the problems? Why wait for a catastrophe?"

Marriage

Huckbee spoke at length on the issue of gay "marriage."  Huckabee believes marriage deserves a thorough and honest public discussion and is proud that his state passed an amendment in defense of marriage during his tenure. He argued that the government cannot redefine what marriage is, no matter what types of relationships adults choose to have. Said Huckabee: "Throughout human history, marriage has always meant one thing—one man and one woman." 

Abortion

Huckabee is concerned with the culture of death prevailing in establishment politics. "How can we say it’s perfectly okay to sacrifice our children for our convenience?" he asked. He pointed to the mine disaster in West Virginia in January: "We are calling upon this nation to pray because there might be a life in that mine…when at the same time, thousands stand before the steps of the Supreme Court to demand the right to end a life that might not only exist, but definitely does exist."

Differences Between Republicans and Democrats

Huckabee went on to describe the differences between Republicans and Democrats and why he doesn’t think the Democrats will sweep the 2006 election. First, he said, "The Democracts have nothing in the way of new ideas…they offer no particular plans or programs. [Republicans, meanwhile] are always trying to reinvent, to change."

"Democrats offer nothing but opposition," Huckabee continued. "[Republicans] offer a dream, they offer a nightmare." At which point I asked, "What is your dream for America?" Huckabee responded, "I hope that children will grow up knowing they have a chance to live the American dream."

Though Huckabee spoke on all of the right topics to move the base in South Carolina and stands on the right side on most of the issues, he is not mentioned in political circles as a presidential front-runner. Top-notch political operatives are not scrambling to meet with him and his staff the way they are with other potential candidates. However, as the governor said, a lot can change in two years. Should Huckabee prove he is able to raise significant funds and continue sounding the right themes, his chances for success in South Carolina will improve significantly.