I joined a Mike Huckabee conference call about his upcoming book, “Do the Right Thing.” Among the highlights:

• Huckabee said it’s too early to declare for 2012. Was anyone expecting different?
• Regarding the controversy over Huckabee’s statements on Mitt Romney, Huckabee stated the book is not a slam piece on 2008. He does discuss Romney, Thompson, and others to set the record straight as to what happened behind the scenes. However, Huckabee said the book is not focused on “lamenting the past” but ideas for the future as well as being an overall positive book focusing on the achievements of a remarkable group of people who with little money and resources achieved great results as well as a vision for conservatism’s future.

I don’t know how you’re really and truly shocked that Huckabee would have a discouraging word about Romney. It seems Inspector Reneauesque:

 This was a book that discussed the campaign. There’s been a lot said about Huckabee and his effort. The Huckabee-Romney dynamic was a huge part of that. There have been many explanations for what happened in the campaign that have been offered up by De Facto Romney surrogates. I give Huckabee credit for putting his name to his criticisms. I think it’s particularly relevant that people understand some of the whys of this campaign as well as what’s happened with some Christian Conservative leaders who are off-track.

Huckabee stated his belief that adults could handle the truth, and I think they can. Huckabee noted Romney’s spokesman didn’t deny Huckabee’s claims, merely got ticked at Huckabee for making.

• Some interesting Huckabee chapter titles, “Politically Homeless”, “Welcome to Washington, DC: Roach Motel” and “Big Ideas Not Just Big Government,” “Elections by Ebay.” Good titles, I pre-ordered the book in July and look forward to reading it. 
• Huckabee made the case for Chip Saltsman for RNC Chairman, and went beyond Saltsman being Huckabee’s campaign manager, but rather pointed to Saltsman’s ability at new media, along with his  success running a shoestring effort.
• How hard did Huckabee campaign for McCain? He lost his voice on the last day of the campaign. Not even McCain did that.
• Huckabee when asked why the GOP lost was careful not to blame McCain personally, but he said the GOP lost not because of our principles but because we failed to articulate them and failed to govern. High federal spending and the bail out belied conservative talk of fiscal conservatism. He also thought that articulating a message woiuld have been more effective than the time spent on issues like Wright and Ayers that obviously didn’t connect with the American people.
• Regarding the last campaign, Huckabee stated he would have done his campaign differently in terms of where time was spent. He opted to go to Michigan after New Hampshire rather than camping out in South Carolina as Fred Thompson did. This allowed Thompson to surge to third and led to Huckabee’s narrow loss when combined with a snowstorm in a Huckabee stronhold in Greenville, SC.
• Huckabee’s main message of the book, “Do the right thing” is the centrality of cultural conservativism.  “It’s impossible to seperate the morality of a country from the economics of a country. “Over 10 1/2 years as Governor, Huckabee learned, “The cost of government is tied directly to the breakdown of the family.” To those who would like to just talk economics, Huckabee says that as a practical matter, “You can’t reduce government, if people are irresponsible.” He challenges critics who believes the issues are seperate to answer his argument and to “Tell me how there is no connection” between the moral and economic states of the nation.