Quote of the day: Of course nobody could touch Chimpy the Prez, but Mike Huckabee gave it a shot

"I understand the issues."

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QOTD RUNNER-UP--former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee:

"Huh?"

Faiz at Think Progress tracked the story last night:

Huckabee Clueless On Iran NIE: Never Heard Of It

The Politico's David Paul Kuhn asked former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) [at "an on-the-record dinner" with "a group of reporters" in Des Moines Tuesday night--Ed.] what he thought of the new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. Huckabee's response? Hasn't heard of it:

Reporter: I don't know to what extent you have been briefed or been able to take a look at the NIE report that came out yesterday …

Huckabee: I'm sorry?

Reporter: The NIE report, the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. Have you been briefed or been able to take a look at it--

Huckabee: No.

Reporter: Have you heard of the finding?

Huckabee: No.


UPDATE: The Chicago Tribune also has the story:

"I don't know where the intelligence is coming from that says that they suspended the program and how credible that is versus the news that they actually are expanding it," [Huckabee] said. "And then I've heard the last two weeks supposed reports that say that they are accelerating and could be having a reactor in a much shorter period of time than originally they thought."

UPDATE II: Hotline adds: "Huckabee's ignorance of the news of the day, which not only dominated the Democrats' debate here in town but also prompted a presidential press conference in response, came as Huckabee faced questioning about his foreign policy credentials on Don Imus's new show. Huckabee joked that he's 'not an expert… but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night'--a play on a current silly ad for a motel.”

UPDATE III: The National Review's Byron York suggests Huckabee's inability to afford "teams of advisers" and develop "carefully-thought-out policy positions" are to blame.