Mike Huckabee in CNN/Salem GOP Debate

On Energy & Oil: Become energy exporter to weaken Russia & Iran

HUCKABEE: I don't trust Putin. Do I think that we can hug Putin and have a wonderful relationship with the Russians? No, I don't. We ought to be challenging not only Russia but the Iranians and the Saudis on the point of energy. We ought to be drilling every bit of oil, getting all the coal out. We need to be going after our natural gas and biofuels and become the energy exporter to the world, and take the weaponry out of the hands of the Russians, the Iranians, and the Saudis by taking their money away, and let America become the number one energy exporter to the entire world. That enriches Americans and it destabilizes our enemies overseas. If you take away their ability to fund their weaponry and fund their terrorism, they don't have terrorism.

Sen. GRAHAM: Well, I agree with that. I'd like to stop sending $350 billion overseas to buy oil from people who hate our guts, wouldn't you? Wouldn't you like to export natural gas to cut Putin's legs out from under him?

Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican second-tier debate Dec 15, 2015

On Homeland Security: Americans are scared and don't trust government

Americans are scared when they go to a party and get shot at by somebody who had lunch with them an hour earlier. They're scared when they realize that our government can't even catch somebody after a third background check, who had posted things on social media clearly indicating she wanted to kill Americans. When Americans lose confidence in government, we're in a dangerous place. We're in danger because we have an enemy that is out to kill us, and we have a government that we don't trust. Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican second-tier debate Dec 15, 2015

On Homeland Security: FBI listening to sermons at mosques is constitutional

You can go to any church in America, it's a public place. If it's a public place, and people are invited to come, how does it violate anybody's First Amendment rights that somebody shows up because they might want to just listen in and see is there something that is a little nefarious? If there is, then you get a search warrant. That's all protected under the constitution. Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican second-tier debate Dec 15, 2015

On Homeland Security: 25% defense cuts have left us most unprepared since WWII

I think what we say is, we're gonna do whatever it takes. We never tell our enemy what our limitations are. The biggest mistake we've made militarily is letting Barack Obama cut our defense forces by 25 percent and leaving us at the least prepared position we've been in since before World War II. We have to get our Military rebuilt from the ground up. Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican second-tier debate Dec 15, 2015

On Technology: Monitor terror on Facebook & Twitter, not Americans' phones

Q: You said, "not one terrorist plot has been foiled by the NSA's collection of American's phone records." But the director of the CIA said that not having these programs makes finding terrorists "much more challenging." Are you taking away a potential tool to fight terrorists?

HUCKABEE: No. I'm not taking it away, I just want to make sure that everything we use is going to be effective. We're spending billions of dollars, let's make sure it's effective. Let's use every tool, but let's also check out the Facebook posts, let's look at Twitter accounts. My gosh, we were told we couldn't do it because it might invade somebody's privacy. This lady who came over here and shot up San Bernardino was posting things on Facebook, yet, we were restricted from looking. This is what I think a lot of Americans are frustrated with, it's the duplicity of our policy that is illogical and irrational. Our goal ought to be, "protect Americans and put Americans first not last."

Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican second-tier debate Dec 15, 2015

On War & Peace: When terrorists sign up abroad, they sign U.S. death warrant

Q [to Gov. Huckabee]: How would you defeat ISIS ideologically?

HUCKABEE: If their intent is to kill us, [then] our intent to use every means possible to get to them before they get to us. The rules of engagement have got to be loosened, because we have to make sure that we are not just going over and setting off some fireworks. We have to kill every one of them, to make it very clear that [if you] threaten action against the United States, and you've just signed your death warrant. We're coming to get you. And you won't be coming to our shores. You're going to be going to your funeral.

CRUZ: ISIS is gaining strength because the perception is that they're winning. And President Obama fuels that perception. That will change when militants across the globe see that when you join ISIS that you are giving up your life, you are signing your death warrant, and we need a president who is focused on defeating every single ISIS terrorist and protecting the homeland, which should be the first priority.

Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican second-tier debate Dec 15, 2015

The above quotations are from CNN/Salem Republican Debate at The Venetian in Las Vegas Moderated by Wolf Blitzer. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of Mike Huckabee. Click here for Mike Huckabee on all issues.
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Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018