Mike Huckabee

====Vice presidential candidate speculation====

Even though Huckabee had signed a television contract and a book deal with a pressing deadline, he was mentioned by most to be on then-presumptive Republican presidential nominee [[John McCain]]'s short list for his vice presidential [[running mate]]. The late pundit [[Tim Russert]] even referred to Huckabee as "Vice President Huckabee" several times when he appeared on ''[[Meet The Press]]'' on May 18, 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/24693653 |title=Russert: Vice President Huckabee |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=May 18, 2008 |access-date=June 13, 2010}}</ref> Huckabee was eventually passed over for [[Sarah Palin]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/25970882/ns/politics-decision_08/t/vp-pick-palin-makes-appeal-women-voters |title=VP Pick Palin Makes Appeal to Women Voters |date=August 29, 2008 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |access-date=January 18, 2015}}</ref>

Former president [[Bill Clinton]] has praised Huckabee and stated that he is a rising star in the Republican Party. Clinton and Huckabee have collaborated on initiatives such as the fight against childhood obesity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://communities.canada.com/shareit/blogs/theelephant/archive/2008/01/03/bill-clinton-at-des-moines-starbucks-talks-up-huckabee-downplays-hillary-expectations.aspx |title=Bill Clinton at Des Moines Starbucks – talks up Huckabee, downplays Hillary expectations – The Elephant |publisher=Communities.canada.com |access-date=June 13, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607065351/http://communities.canada.com/shareit/blogs/theelephant/archive/2008/01/03/bill-clinton-at-des-moines-starbucks-talks-up-huckabee-downplays-hillary-expectations.aspx |archive-date=June 7, 2008 }}<br />{{cite web |url=http://usliberals.about.com/od/presidentbillclinton/ig/Clinton-Foundation-Photos/BClinton---Mike-Huckabee.htm |title=Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee Announce Partnership to Fight Childhood Obesity – Clinton Foundation Photo Archives – William J. Clinton Foundation |publisher=Usliberals.about.com |date=October 20, 2005 |access-date=June 13, 2010 |archive-date=December 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091224184452/http://usliberals.about.com/od/presidentbillclinton/ig/Clinton-Foundation-Photos/BClinton---Mike-Huckabee.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Former Tennessee Republican Party chairman and Huckabee's former campaign manager [[Chip Saltsman]] has called Governor Huckabee, "The most successful failed presidential candidate in the history of our country".<ref>{{cite web |last=Allocca |first=Kevin |url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/the_most_successful_failed_presidential_candidate_in_the_history_of_our_country_146678.asp |title=The most successful failed presidential candidate in the history of our country. |publisher=[[Mediabistro (website)|Mediabistro]] |date=December 21, 2009 |access-date=June 13, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211073110/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/the_most_successful_failed_presidential_candidate_in_the_history_of_our_country_146678.asp |archive-date=February 11, 2010 }}</ref>