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Axed Huck Ad Highlights Rollins Role

Will minister Mike be tarnished by his new attack-dog adviser?

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 2, 2008 11:04 AM CST

(Newser) – One's a former minister who's taken the high ground in countering attacks from a better-financed rival; the other's a veteran political brawler who never saw a negative ad he didn't like. The Washington Post looks at the unlikely alliance of Mike Huckabee and Ed Rollins that resulted in the candidate's pulling an ad attacking Mitt Romney at the last minute on New Year's Eve—and the odd decision to show it to reporters anyway.

Rollins tells the Post their good cop-bad cop routine is a perfect partnership—Rollins says “knocking somebody down is a great feeling” while Huckabee says he's teaching Rollins "how to turn the other cheek.” But the New York Times speculates that the incident may have jeopardized the image of unvarnished “authenticity” that's propelled nice-guy Huckabee into the lead in Iowa.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, center, and actor Chuck Norris, right, listen to Huckabee's new national campaign chairman Ed Rollins, left, Friday, Dec. 14, 2007,... (Associated Press)

Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, right, listens to his new national campaign manager Ed Rollins, Friday, Dec. 14, 2007, during a news conference in Concord, N.H.(AP... (Associated Press)

Ed Rollins, the new national campaign manager for Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, not shown, listens to questions during a news conference in Concord, N.H., Friday,... (Associated Press)

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Huckabee says he won't air negative ad (part 1) (IowaPoliticsDotCom (YouTube))

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Axed Huck Ad Highlights Rollins Role