By: Joe Strupp Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee's past dealings with local newspapers during his Arkansas governorship came back to haunt him in a new report from The New Republic, which offers not-so-positive views from a number of local news people there.
The story, posted Thursday, offers copies of letters Huckabee sent to several news outlets, as well as anecdotes from journalists about his often anti-press approach. "I was just astounded at how vindictive he was," says Joan Duffy, who covered Huckabee for the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "He took it all so personally. You're either with him, or you're a mortal enemy."
One set of letters sent to a local paper are described as "multi-page, rambling, and highly personal attacks that Huckabee wrote while in Arkansas office," adding he refers to "the [weekly] Arkansas Times as 'a local version of the National Enquirer,' a 'collection of carping columnists,' a 'newsletter for the Democrats,' an 'irrelevant irritant' and the 'Theater of the Absurd,' among other sobriquets."
In one correspondence to Max Brantley, the Times editor, Huckabee reportedly writes, "I frankly don't give a rat's rear as to your regard for me as a public official, because you apparently will never overcome your boorish behavior toward those whose opinions you cannot challenge on a responsible or intellectual basis."
The entire New Republic story is found at:
http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=0f9a4c7e-8215-47ca-8847-4beeaf747b8e
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