JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on Friday urged religious conservatives to judge the personal behavior of Republican presidential candidates, or risk being labeled hypocrites.
‘‘If you said during Bill Clinton’s tenure that his personal behavior mattered and his character mattered and his activities in office and all of those things, if that mattered, you can’t come along now and say it doesn’t matter to Republicans in 2008,’’ Huckabee said.
While he didn’t mention any of his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination by name, his remarks clearly targeted former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has been married three times and is estranged from a child.
‘‘I’m specifically referencing Christian evangelical leaders who were the most vocal in saying back during the Clinton era that personal behavior, personal responsibility and character were the key factors in a president’s criteria,’’ Huckabee said.
He spoke during a taping of Iowa Public Television’s ‘‘Iowa Press’’ program airing later in the weekend. His appearance launched one of the most hectic political weekends of the year, with a total of 10 GOP presidential contenders descending on Iowa for the state Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Dinner, scheduled for Saturday.
Huckabee said religious conservatives must be consistent in judging the behavior of political leaders.
‘‘That’s my challenge to Christian leaders — either be consistent, be Christian leaders or just say I’m a political boss and it’s really about the power,’’ he said.
What’s at stake, Huckabee said, is the credibility of religious conservatives.
‘‘Christian leaders need to be Christian leaders, not Republican leaders,’’ he said.
Despite his personal issues, being pro-choice and favoring gay rights, Giuliani stands atop most polls of Republican voters.
Though Huckabee has close ties to social conservatives who are important in Republican politics, he’s been just a blip in the polls. Giuliani is joined by Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney atop most polls of GOP activists.
Huckabee said that will change as activists begin to focus more tightly on the campaign.
‘‘The reason there is a top tier is because of two things,’’ he said. ‘‘Right now it’s celebrity, people who have name identification. The other is money. Money and celebrity are the two things that are driving the so-called front-runner status.’’
Eventually, voters will get past that, Huckabee said.
‘‘When this becomes a campaign about ideas and issues and message, that’s when you’re going to see a lot of changes,’’ he said.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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