. >> mike huckabee is not going to be running for president, so, mike, enjoy the show, your ratings are terrific. you're making a lot of money. you're building a beautiful house in florida. captioning sponsored by comedy central captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org captioning sponsored by comedy central . >> (cheers and applause) >> stephen: thank you, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the report! folks. (cheers and applause) >> stephen: thank you so much. stephen, stephen, stephen! stephen, stephen, stephen! >> stephen: thank you very much, folks. that's very kind. >> stephen: who am i to fight that, i'm only one man. folks, and i need your love because folks, this is a bitter sweet evening. because saturday marks the end of an era. the era of caring whom mike huckabee is. (laughter) who is that? oh, that's huckabee. folks, think we'll all remember where we were when we stopped caring. i was-- [bleep] where was i. i don't care. doesn't matter. anyway, mike huckabee who just last week was leading in many national polls promised that on saturday night he was going to an

on march of this year i put mike huckabee on notice and at that moment huckabee knew it was huckaover. (laughter) >> stephen: because no one on my unnoticed board has ever been elected president. not jane fonda. not even flavor crystals. nobody. anyway, now he's gone. faster than a gop candidate gets a fox news show. and at the end of his show, he got a very special message from a fellow person on tv. >> mike huckabee is not going to be running for president. but a lot of people are very happy that he will not be running are. especially other candidates. so mike, enjoy the show. your ratings are traffic. you're making a lot of money. you're building a beautiful house in florida. good luck. >> stephen: a touching sentiment. (laughter) >> stephen: more of which you can find in donald trump's line of sympathy cards, i'm sorry for your loss, that new brick patio is something else, really terrific, trump. (applause) >> stephen: makes you think. what is that? i'm sorry, i'm being told right now just today there has been a huge development in the trump campaign. for more let's go to my colle

former governor mike huckabee makes his plans known. indiana governor mitch daniels is still on the fence. and mitt romney takes on gop critics over his support for universal health care as governor of massachusetts. >> my massachusetts health care plan was considered, at least by me, to be an asset politically. i hear some laughter in the room. that's not the case now. >> so, who will emerge as the most viable candidate to challenge president obama? and how vulnerable will the president be over the economy? our "political roundtable" weighs in. columnist for "the washington post," e.j. dionne, columnist for "the wall street journal" peggy noonan, senior analyst for "time" magazine, mark halperin, white house correspondent for "the new york times," helene cooper, and chief political writer for "the new york times" magazine, matt bai. captions paid for by nbc-universal television >>> good morning. another turn in the republican presidential field. former arkansas governor mike huckabee announced on his fox news program last night that he

if you were advising mike huckabee, giving what many people perceive as weakness in the republican fieldu tell him hey, mike, get in? >> i think that would, john. especially in a field that we have seen thus far thats a announced. one of the things that is really missing from the gop hopefuls right now is likability. and that is something that definitely newt gingrich lacks by a lot. and frankly, mike huckabee, you know, from what i've seen, and i've met him several times, he does have a likability there, and can make a personal connection. again, i do not agree on anything from a policy standpoint. but he does have likability. he does have credibility among his own base. i think that i would advise him to really take a look at this. this could be the chance for him. >> and yet all indications are that it's a no, right? >> i'm hearing that. he could surprise everybody tomorrow. i've had several friends who say they think he'll do it. but i think he won't. he has a likability issue that the others don't. people really like him. he speaks in a way the others don't and i think if he got in,

mike huckabee will announce tomorrow whether he intends to run.ewt gingrich announced his candidacy, he says the theme of his campaign will be that the right policies lead to the right future. he told an audience in washington today, this will be the most positive and fun campaign of his life. he gave another speech this evening in macon, georgia. >> the challenges we face are so large, it requires leadership of an unusual kind. i don't believe that any one person in the oval office can make a decisive difference. i believe there are 300 million americans who have to be recruited, educated, convinced, led to work together so that all of us putting our shoulder to the wheel can make a decisive difference. >> one big early question, are people ready to put him in the oval office despite his past. there are person ool issues that may be hard for some to set aside. joe johns reports >> reporter: his private life has been messy, on his third marriage, he got married to his first wife in 1962. she was his former high school teacher. he proposed to a sec

>> well, you know, i think mike huckabee occupies two bits of space.st likable people in national politics. if you spent time with him in the last campaign, he's just a very warm, easy-going guy. there's a likability space that i think people underestimate. tim pawlenty i think could occupy that kind of space, except he's become a really much more hard-lined figure in order to get the conservative vote. and then there is the christian conservative vote, which was very solid for him in iowa, almost helped him win in south carolina. >> and this is your question, iowa and south carolina, then, who picks up that rope, in effect, that he would have been pulling? >> those are two huge geographical holes he left. i would add to e.j.'s excellent list of the likability and social conservatives is the downskill economic conservatives, people making below $100,000, where huckabee had great appeal. he's not a wall street republican. he's more of a populist republican. so, huckabee, you know, the way he went out i think was partly, he waed attention, he wanted peop

mike huckabee decides to announce his decision about a possible presidential 2012 candidacy on his show. of course he waits until the end of the program so first there was this. >> he is an outspoken rocker and a political commentator but above all he's a patriot. and a friend. ladies and gentlemen, please welcome ted nugent back to the show. >> jon: wait. what the... wait. what the... wait. what? there was just a three-day (beep) over a gentleman's rapper's controversial lyrics. >> this guy is a thug. >> violent gangster thug rap. >> who has a special affinity for cop killers. >> he does the usual rap stuff. touting guns. their anti-social behavior snop actually he raps about the opposite but whatever. you cap off barack obama is validating a threat to the nation week with a warm-hearted embrace of this? >> if you're obama, you might want to... ( cheers and applause ) obama he's a (beep). you might want to ride one of these. >> jon: if i'm common right now-- and i'm not-- i'm sitting at homeworking on a new song called what the (beep)? no rush to judgment. maybe this is a time perhaps

because everyone deserves a lifetime. >> alan: within the house mike huckabee is expected to announce whether or not he is running for president. yesterday huckabee e-mailed his advisers, promising things will get even crazier after he speaks tonight. republicans ron paul and newt gingrich have joined the 2012 race. other big names are still on the sidelines. >> reporter: will he? >> the fact is, i'm very much considering doing it again. >> reporter: or won't he? >> trying to give an honest answer, i don't know. >> reporter: mike huckabee is all over fox news. five appearance in two days, ending tonight with his own show, where he is expected to announce whether he is in it to win it in 2012. >> someone who sells well on television. whether he can make that show run in 2012 is still to be seen. >> reporter: even huckabee insiders say they don't know what he'll do the former arkansas governor will be the latest entry in a field that finally has some big -- well, medium name contenderred. ron paul declared on friday, he is in. >> i'm officially announcing i'm a candidate for president.

mike huckabee makes it official, he's out. and so, tonight, who are the republicans trying to get into the race? and who did laura bush call? >>> and, standing tall. with 15,000 people watching, including his devoted mom, the young man who was about to earn far more than that diploma. >>> good evening on this sunday. and we begin tonight with a high profile arrest here in new york. now sending shockwaves far beyond this country. one of the world's most powerful men, in fact, he hoped to be the next president of france, was marched off a plane here in new york moments before takeoff and charged with sexual assault. his nickname in france is the great seducer, and tonight, he is accused of chasing a hotel worker down a hall and sexually attacking her. bianna golodryga is in downtown manhattan this evening. bianna, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, david. it is quite a dramatic fall from grace for the man who you described as one of the most powerful figures in the world. arguably one of the most powerful financial leaders

mike huckabee still has plenty of clout but says he's not endorsing any of the candidates until he's had a chance to see how this race unfolds. brian moore, nbc news, washington. >> still to come at 5:00, closing the gap. state lawmakers are trying to balance the budget. we'll look at some of the options on the table that could include taxes, parks and teachers. >>> the shuttle is getting ready to launch after a month-long delay and gabby giffords plans to be there to see her husband off. a gps without batteries? coming up, the project that may be among the first of its kind in the u.s. that aims toge brin. >>> state lawmakers are trying to come up with a plan to about the budget and avoid a stalemate like the one that happens nearly every year, but republicans say there's new reason to be just a little bit positive about the state's financial situation. kevin riggs, former sacramento station, explains. >> hey, how you doing? >> good, thanks. >> reporter: governor jerry brown putting the final touches on a revised budget plan that according to capital sources pulls no punches. >> pre

four years ago this week, ten candidates, john mccain, mitt romney, ron paul, mike huckabee and a lot of others all turned out for the first debate. four years later, it is ron paul again, also herman cain and johnson, that's it. he may have stolen the show to legalize heroin, he was not, it should be noted, the biggest hit of the night. take a look at who won the focus group afterwards.

but mike huckabee is a master of suspense. it's a suspense he's expected to break, at long last, tonight. will he? >> the fact is, i'm very much considering doing it again. >> reporter: or won't he? >> trying to give an honest answer, which is, i don't know. >> reporter: mike huckabee is all over fox news, five appearances in two days, ending tonight with his own show, where he's expected to announce, once and for all, whether he's in it to win it in 2012. >> he's someone who sells very well on television. but whether he can take that show and make it run in 2012 is still to be seen. >> reporter: even huckabee insiders say they don't know what he'll do. the former arkansas governor would be the latest entry in a field that finally has some big -- well, medium-named contenders. texas congressman ron paul declared friday on "good morning america" he's in. >> i'm officially announcing that i am a candidate for president. >> reporter: so is newt gingrich. a conservative's conservative, who last held office when "seinfeld" was a hi

here's clayton sandell. >> reporter: after joining ted nugent for a bit of rocking out -- mike huckabee decided that when it comes to a presidential run he is staying out. >> my answer is clear and firm. i will not seek the republican nomination for president this year. >> reporter: huckabee is popular, ahead in many polls despite never being in the race. he's now the latest republican to say no to running against president obama. thinning the pool of candidates and leaving gop voters with no clear front runner. >> all of the factors say go but my heart says no. >> reporter: polls show 45% of republican voters don't like their current choices. speaking to abc's jonathan karl even house speaker boehner is lukewarm. >> are you satisfied with the field? >> it's a wide open presidential primary. i'm not sure that we've seen all of the candidates we're going to see. >> reporter: short list includes mitt romney and former house speaker newt gingrich, contenders with political and personal baggage. >> i have made mistakes in my life. >> reporter: the gop's desire for electable candidates led l

mike huckabee's problem, since 2008, a lot happened. first of all his record got scrutiny. even for tea party conservatives, the ones who are real fiscal conservatives, his record in arkansas does not fit. he's not a small government republican, then finally the money. >> there we go. >> that's right. that was not necessarily going to play well in the primary. >> let's talk about mitt romney. he gave a big speech on health care this week. he's having to run away from that program for obvious reasons, nobody likes republicans, obama's health care. many people expected him to apologize. let me play what he did say in this speech and we'll discuss it. >> a lot of the pundits saying, i should stand up and say, this whole thing was a mistake. it was a bone-headed idea and i should admit it and admit it was a mistake and walk away from it. but there's only one problem with that. it wouldn't be honest. i in fact did what i believe was right for the people of my state. >> so -- >> the people from the state think it's right for the people of the state. he's got that on his side. and

given the biggest names mitt romney sarah palin bridge mike huckabee and trump stay home as it's into throw themselves into a race against an incumbent like president obama so early on please join me in welcoming district and i'll take you up. like everything in american politics we're going to declare also comes down to money and i say that because of campaign finance donations to presidential campaigns twenty five hundred dollars politicians prefer to rake in money for political action committees before officially declaring we see today this charade of obvious candidates for the republican nomination pretending they're not candidates delaying their declarations of candidacy although he is dismissed by the mainstream media congressman ron paul is no underdog fund raising one. on one day alone his liberty pac didn't one million dollars compared with another two million raised by the campaign for liberty much of it coming from young voters god is smiling upon us it'll be run in two thousand and twelve republicans say president obama isn't unbeatable president obama is not . one right.

. >> i want to ask you about a guy who did quite well out in iowa last time around, mike huckabee. he's one we're all kind of waiting on. the conventional wisdom around here has been huckabee's probably not going to run. but now that you've had so many others, haley barbour, are you seeing any activity from huckabee out in iowa? is there any indication that he's ready to make a step? when was the last time you met with him? >> we haven't seen many indications on the ground. there is a group of his supporters around that has created a seemingly organic group, i believe, stuck on hurricane, is what they've called it and they're organizing events around the state. but a number his senior leadership team from the 2010 and 2008 caucus season has actually been spread across various campaigns. one has signed up with governor to lenty. another has signed up with congresswoman bachmann. a couple other of the leadership is with judge roy moore. it might be tough to assemble the leadership he had because as everybody knows here in iowa, it is a very retail-heavy process with about is,-- ,800

let me just say good for mike huckabee. he has a good thing going and recognizes it and is staying with it. i think -- i watched, too. i'm glad he gets to play base wi -- bass with ted nugent and everybody else. it was clear he wasn't going to run because fox kept him on air when it shoved santorum and newt gingrich out the door because they were thinking of running for president. i think we knew this would happen. you know, he -- used the situation. got everybody to watch for an hour. >> probably got a ratings bump. i'm watching michelle connell and no only playing bass with ted nugent, interviewing mario lopez, "saved by the bell" guy about a diet guy. after this he's going to say i declare my candidacy for president? i don't think so. >> he doesn't have to worry about anything. it was clever with his clip explaining why he won't run, this is a nod to evangelicals. basically what he is saying god told me not to run on some level. and i think that he is going to continue tearing it up on the tv. >> huckabee mentioned his b

s bathmat tap against president obama compared to mike huckabee and romney why would it take the first time on how to be a three contender. i do take it serious i don't want to give the idea that i don't take him seriously and i would say i don't know that run or gary johnson really did the most sterling performance as a performer any guide to sweep the room apartment aside big picture of what is this you know where could this go and what would it take per someone with different views that's not the traditional republican or democrat mainstream candidate to have a real chance in a presidential race the absolute you can have a mild mannered man or person as president calvin coolidge was a great president and it was extremely mild mannered and quiet i think these are viable candidates i don't think i mean there's something wrong with the media that for that because huck and trump and bachmann weren't there that somehow views this as not a serious debate on do you agree are these by of i mean at eight inches we've had. before and fundamentally if there is a large number of americans who l

is beth match up against president obama compared to mike huckabee and romney why what would it take different first i want to be a fairy contender. i do take it serious i don't want to get the idea that i don't take immigrants all seriously and i would say i don't know that ron or gary johnson really the you know most sterling performance performance or any diet industry in the room but there are farmers decide big picture what is this new you know where could this go and what would it take for someone with different views that's not the traditional republican democrat mainstream candidate to have a real chance in a presidential race. actually you can have a mild mannered mannered person as president calvin coolidge was a great president that was extremely mild mannered and quiet. i think these are viable candidates i don't think i mean there's something wrong with the media because hockey and trump and bachmann weren't there that some held views this is not a serious debate re hyundai you agree are these viable mandate and should we should you know that even take on the pakistani f

john mccain and giuliani competed to be the moderate candidate in 2008, and mike huckabee and others -- huckabee and mccain who basically became the survivors. this is a test of whether in fact there is a moderate wing and an independent wing is still there. jon huntsman is laying claim to that. mitch daniels will also compete for that if he comes into the race. the real action and intensity and energy right that seems to be exclusively on the conservative side, and that is the case, it will be a problem for democrats from 1972 when all the action and energy was on the left side of the party and they nominated george mcgovern, and an admirable man who carried one state. >> a republican nominee who is a squished -- he will vote against him anyway. >> mike huckabee -- i take him at his word that he backed off, but i think they will be clamoring for him in the future. >> also grumbling about rick perry in texas. >> and michele bachmann. >> sarah palin. we reached the debt limit, and the gang of six is now a gang of five. >> the worst thing you do is bang your head against the wall until

i should have known because mike huckabee had gained 25 pounds since 2008.and if are you going to run for national office, you get a personal trainer. and you lose that 20-- . >> lehrer: i thought you were a trained observer. >> i know it it hit me when i saw him last saturday night announce, i said mike, you have been in the refrigerator and haley barbour has not. exactly. >> newt gingrich now suing his personal trainer. >> lehrer: did you just ruined my segue. i was about to say david, speaking of president obama, what did you make of his speech and what happened today with netanyahu in the middle east? >> yeah, i thought the speech, parts that concerned the arab spring were very good, very strong, put us on the right side. i was less impressed with the parts concerning israel and for this reason. it is obviously true in the abstract that the final settlement will have to involve the '67 borders with land swaps. so to that degree, what the president said was blindingly obvious. but we're not talking about the situation in the abstract. we're talking about

they're going to need that money because this is going to be a very expensive race, a race mike huckabee and donald trump will not be running. the race for the republican presidential nomination is down another contender. >> i will not be running for president as much as i would like to. >> after months of flirting with a bid, donald trump announced monday he's sticking with the world of business. while the billionaire insisted he could have beaten president obama, analysts say his departure won't make much difference. >> i don't think it changes how people think because i don't think anybody believed he would get in the race. >> trump is the second to bow out in a few days, former arkansas governor mike huckabee joined the sidelines over the weekend. for those planning to make a run for the white house, the focus now is on raising votes and cash. some political observers expect next year's election to cost a staggering $3 billion. >> thanks for your help. >> reporter: former massachusetts governor mitt romney worked the phones at a las vegas fundraiser monday. with the help of hundreds

. >> i want to ask you about someone who did quite well last time around -- mike huckabee. the conventional wisdom is that he is not going to run, but now that you have had others step out, have you seen any indication he is ready to make a step? >> we have not seen many indications on the ground. there is a seemingly organic group, stuck on huck, organizing events around the state. but a number of his team from the 2008 season has been spread across various campaigns. one has signed up with governor pawlenty. it may be tough to reassemble the coalition he had from leadership perspective. as everyone knows here in iowa, is a retail-heavy process with 800 precincts where you need someone organizing in those precincts. even though gov. huckabee starts with a little bit of a head start, i don't think he can put off the decision that much longer because we're seeing other campaigns start to organize and have town hall meetings and sign up precinct chairs. >> one was the last time spoke with him? >> i have not recently spoken with governor huckabee. >> do you believe mitt romney

former arkansas governor mike huckabee is expected to announce tonight whether he will run for president. huckabee told his viewers to tune in to the fox news show tonight for an important announcement. and he has not given any clues as to which way he will go. he has been in the lead or near the top of virtually every poll of republican primary voters. just a few days ago, former house speaker newt gingrich announced his bid for the white house. >>> the shuttle endeavour is set to blast off monday morning. it will be nasa's next to last shuttle flight. endeavour will fly to the international space station under the command of astronaut mark kelly, husband of representative gabrielle giffords. the congresswoman is in the hospital recovering from her gunshot wound but is expected to be at cape canaveral for the second launch attempt. >>> tomorrow marks the 100th year of a rowdy san francisco tradition. what the city is doing to crack down on the chaos known as beta breakers. >>> many of us may be done with the rain. but the rain is not done with us just yet. nor rain tonight. maybe some t

one of those republicans, former arkansas governor mike huckabee is about to make an announcement about the 2012 campaign. is he in or is he out? who else is running? tonight, the field is worried that it's not deep enough. >> reporter: mike huckabee is the alfred hitchcock of politics. a master of suspense. >> i plan to make a little news with some announcements at the end of the show. >> reporter: the arkansas governor has dragged out his flirtation for months. >> not even my executive producer knows what i'm expected to say. >> reporter: tonight he's expected to announce on his own fox news show if he's in it to win it in 2012. many republicans could use a new face. the more they know the candidates, the less they like them. an associated press poll finds 45% of republicans now say they are dissatisfied with the gop field. that's up from 33% two months ago. >> republicans believe that there is a candidate out there that is going to be the perfect candidate. they just haven't found that candidate yet. >> it's the 2012 republican presidential undeclared candidates debate. >> it's a poi