All three morning shows on Tuesday fretted over Mike Huckabee's comments about Iran, dismissing it as a "desperate" move to boost his poll numbers. On Good Morning America, co host (and Clinton donor) George Stephanopoulos complained that "former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee [is] stirring up the latest firestorm."
In a radio interview, the candidate assailed Barack Obama as "naive" and said of the nuclear deal: "[Obama] would trust the Iranians and he would take the Israelis and basically march them to the door of the oven." GMA reporter Tom Llamas lectured, "Many saying there are just some things that are off the table and any comparison to the Holocaust is one of them."
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The journalists on GMA, Today and CBS This Morning all promoted Obama's attacks on Huckabee. Llamas alerted, "President Obama even weighing in from Africa." On CBS This Morning, Nancy Cordes "[Huckabee's] comments elicited a rare condemnation from President Obama traveling in Ethiopia."
On Today, Peter Alexander informed, "President Obama agreed. Traveling in Africa, he insisted Americans deserve better, scolding Republicans like Trump and Huckabee for a series of campaign trail attacks."
Cordes condescendingly offered an explanation of the Arkansas governor's remarks: "Candidates like Huckabee may feel they have no choice. Mired in the largest primary pack in modern history, they're trying desperately to boost their poll numbers in advance of the first GOP debate next week."
On the evening newscasts, Monday, the networks praised the President for "scolding" Huckabee. In 2008, they bashed Bush for criticizing Obama.
A transcript of the July 28 GMA segment is below:
7:07
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We have the race for president now. Your voice, your vote and what it takes to get noticed in this already heated race. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee stirring up the latest firestorm by suggesting the nuclear deal with Iran could cause another holocaust. President Obama, so many others hitting back hard and ABC's Tom Llamas is here with all the fireworks. Good morning, Tom.
TOM LLAMAS: George, so far this has been a campaign of shock and awe sound-bites on the Republican side. Many saying there are just some things that are off the table and any comparison to the Holocaust is one of them. But when Huckabee got a chance to respond, he kept going.
MIKE HUCKABEE: Thank you.
LLAMAS: This morning, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, the latest Republican presidential candidate grabbing headlines. First comparing President Obama's Iran policy to the Holocaust.
HUCKABEE: He's so naive, he would trust the Iranians and he would take the Israelis and basically march them to the door of the oven.
LLAMAS: Then, standing his ground, Monday, defending his comments on Fox News.
HUCKABEE: Three times I've been to Auschwitz. When I talked about the oven door, I have stood at that oven door. I know exactly what it looks like.
LLAMAS: Refusing to apologize.
HUCKABEE: I will not apologize and I will not recant and no one loves Israel more.
LLAMAS: President Obama even weighing in from Africa.
BARACK OBAMA: In 18 months I'm turning over the keys, I want to make sure I'm turning over the keys to somebody who is serious about the serious problems that the country faces and the world faces.
LLAMAS: The President saying presidential hopefuls seem to be trying to outtrump Trump who's been dominating news cycles and polls.
TRUMP: And he's probably the worst president in the history of our country.
OBAMA: Maybe this just an effort to push Mr. Trump out of the headlines. But it's not the kind of leadership that is needed for America right now.
LLAMAS: And we're now nine days away from the first Republican debate. The top ten candidates from the five most recent national polls would make the main stage and right now let's take a look. That's Trump, Bush, Walker, Rubio, Paul, Cruz, Huckabee, Carson, Christie and Perry. Lara, it looks like a crowded field but there are six people that won't qualify for the main event.
