Huckabee: CNBC Debate ‘an Insult to the American People’

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HUCKABEE: “You put enough helium in some of these balloon and you know, they’ll float. But you know, if you don’t get the time — I’ve got three question on the CNBC debate. Most of the candidate got 8, 9, 10. It’s, you know, tough to battle it. So I’ll go on that stage and give it my best and I’m looking forward to [indecipherable] everybody watches it. 
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HEMMER: So, that’s Mike Huckabee from over the weekend in Iowa, reacting to tomorrow’s Republican debates. Now, the former governor did not qualify for the prime time debate. He will be on stage for the first debate that starts at 7:00 o’clock Eastern time. The former governor is with me now, from his home in Florida. Sir how are you. Welcome back here to ‘America’s Newsroom.’
HUCKABEE: “I’m doing well.”
HEMMER: “I don’t think you are going to have an issue now based on time. There will be four of you in the early debate. Does that play to your advantage or does it highlight the fact that you did not qualify among the top 8 in prime time, governor?”
HUCKABEE: “You know Bill I think I should have been on that stage. In the Fox poll I was ahead of Carly, I was tied with Jeb. But the criteria set by somebody other than me, I have to live with what we’ve got. So I’m going to be on first stage. That’s OK. I think I’ll get more time which — my gosh in the first three debates  one of the challenges that I faced was I was near the bottom of being able to talk about social security and medicare protection, focus on tax policy. And I think what was frustrating about that other CNBC debate was — it was supposed to focus on business, the economy and jobs, wage stagnation that we’ve had. And instead we might as well as been talking about Cajun Casserole recipes. It was so off topic. And it really, I think, was an insult to the American people and the Republican voters.”  
HEMMER: “It might make for a good dish but it probably didn’t make for a good moment for you.”