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Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee (Reuters) Top Republican candidate says supports dialogue with Iran By Shmuel Rosner, Washington Tags: Mike Huckabee, primaries  RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE: A new daily series by Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner. This article is part of the new assessment and ranking by The Israel Factor panel of Huckabee's views on Iran. Read the Panel's analysis here. Bottom line: The panel doesn't believe Huckabee's pledge to 'stand by Israel'. Ten days before the start of the primaries, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is a hot item. He is leading the polls among Republican candidates in Iowa - the first state to cast its votes - and is increasingly gaining in the state that will follow, New Hampshire. Moreover, he is neck and neck in national surveys with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. Huckabee could be the next president. He is one of seven candidates with realistic chances: Huckabee, Giuliani, Senator John McCain, and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for the Republicans; senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and the former senator and vice presidential candidate, John Edwards, for the Democrats. That is how open this race has become. Advertisement Earlier this summer, Huckabee was a candidate who appeared to have no chance. Romney had a sound lead in Iowa, and Giuliani was confidently ahead in the national polls. McCain's campaign - he the backer of staying in Iraq - appears to be done. Fred Thompson was a candidate people believed would steal the votes of the Christian right. How fast the wheel has turned: Giuliani is in a free fall, and it is not clear what, if anything, will stop it; McCain, at least in New Hampshire, is on the rise, and Romney is falling. Thompson appears to have become a non-factor. But Huckabee, with his friendly sense of humor, his compassionate conservatism - which at times reminds you of the promises of George Bush - and mostly his religious message makes him the hero of the moment. On Christmas eve, Huckabee's message resonated among Iowan voters the most: "I know this is probably a very controversial thing, but may I say to you, Merry Christmas!" He was referring to the ire the politically correct greeting "happy holidays" has stirred among many Iowan voters. Huckabee wears his Christianity on his sleeve unapologetically. In his holiday broadcast - which upset not a few liberal commentators, but also some conservatives - he referred to "the celebration of the birth of Christ." This is a catchy message in Iowa, where 37 percent of the Republican voters identify with the Christian right, compared with 16 percent in New Hampshire. But more significantly perhaps, is that the message is helping Huckabee - a Baptist minister - remind voters that Romney, his main rival in Iowa, is a Mormon. "Many evangelicals won't vote for a Mormon for president of the United States for the same reason that almost all Jews would not vote for a candidate, for any office I expect, who is a member of Jews for Jesus," explained political analyst Stuart Rothenberg. Regarding the conduct of Huckabee in the White House, there is a lot we do not know. Like another governor from the same state, Bill Clinton, Huckabee has little experience in foreign affairs. Nonetheless, last week he dropped a bomb in an article he published in Foreign Affairs, where all the other candidates have contributed articles. He wrote of "urgent concerns" regarding Iran's nuclear program and its support for militants, saying that he does not discard the military option. But he was critical of the Bush foreign policy, which he described as "arrogant bunker mentality." In the Iranian context, his policy is being interpreted as a change, calling for bringing to the table non-military options as well. Huckabee is of the opinion that relations with Iran deteriorated following Bush's "axis of evil" speech. In many points his message on Iran is more akin to that of the Democrats: there is a need for dialogue with Iran, and more diplomacy is needed. He quoted the Chinese strategist Sun Tzu, who authored The Art of War 2,500 years ago: "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Huckabee has vowed that "Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons on my watch," but that does not assuage Israeli observers who are not too pleased with his stance. In regard to "the Israeli point of view," Huckabee's statements received a score of 2.75 on a scale of 1 to 5 from the "Israel Factor" panelists, and most were not absolutely convinced of his ability to ensure that Iran would not acquire nuclear weapons on his watch. The panelists also expressed doubt in Huckabee's ability or willingness to stand by his promises, giving the candidate a score of only 1.87 out of 5 from panelists on the issue. The Republican figures from Iowa, according to pollster.com, show Huckabee at 32.6 percent, Romney 23.8 percent, Thompson 9 percent, Giuliani 8.7 percent, McCain 6.8 percent, and Ron Paul 5.8 percent. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Pre-Iowa Israel Factor The panel is certain that Clinton is the better Democratic candidate for Israel. The Jewish connection Jeremy Goldberg works to connect Barack Obama with Jewish voters.   1.   The USA should cut funding to Israel 15:43  |  * BEN JABO 25/12/07   2.   Interpreting Huckabee 16:22  |  Brod 25/12/07   3.   CAlling a spade a spade 17:06  |  Yonatan 25/12/07   4.   Bravo! 17:54  |  Mark B. 25/12/07   5.   "Top" Republican Candidate? 18:31  |  Dovy 25/12/07   6.   Novel idea 18:31  |  Natallie Durson 25/12/07   7.   It seem the only Qualification candidates needs to me is Israel 18:53  |  El-Birawi 25/12/07   8.   #2 Tell me, el-Birawi 19:09  |  Yonatan 25/12/07   9.   THEY DON`T DARE TO SEE ISRAEL IN THE EYES 19:26  |  indrajaya 25/12/07   10.   All Options on the Table 19:58  |  Shlomo 25/12/07   11.   "Israel Factor" panelists?! 20:48  |  Spinoza Machievelli 25/12/07   12.   Top Republican candidate says supports dialogue with Iran 20:50  |  Martin List, M.D. 25/12/07   13.   Isreal Doesn`t want the US to attack Iran? 20:56  |  Druid 25/12/07   14.   Republican 20:56  |  Gary Sutton 25/12/07   15.   republican`s 21:31  |  yossy hershkop 25/12/07   16.   huckabe, aboration & the holocaust 21:39  |  Susan 25/12/07   17.   Huckabee on Iran 22:37  |  David Anderson 25/12/07   18.   Sounds like appeasement to me. It never works with dictator-run 22:50  |  Marwan مروان خوري 25/12/07   19.   holocaust 23:00  |  rsmith 25/12/07   20.   Huckabee is Top Supporter of Israel 23:02  |  Mark 25/12/07   21.   Huckabee or Ron Paul Have something in common 23:08  |  Chick 25/12/07   22.   Huckabee Taking Heat 23:21  |  Pete 25/12/07   23.   Republican 23:33  |  rsmith 25/12/07   24.   Chick 23:39  |  rsmith 25/12/07   25.   appeasment 23:43  |  rsmith 25/12/07   26.   The Israeli Factor panel does not believe Huckabee??? 00:19  |  Boris 26/12/07   27.   Huckabee a liar 00:23  |  Chris 26/12/07   28.   Wagging the dog: Warmonger Rosner is at it again. 00:44  |  peacelover 26/12/07   29.   Huckabee 00:56  |  George B. 26/12/07   30.   aid to israel 01:08  |  david 26/12/07   31.   El-Birawi 01:30  |  Barry 26/12/07   32.   Evangelical 03:19  |  Steve 26/12/07   33.   To R Smith 04:01  |  Susan 26/12/07   34.   a Jewish state with no Jews 04:08  |  Susan 26/12/07   35.   dialogue 04:50  |  Shmuelshachor 26/12/07   36.   Huckabee Speaks at Pro Israel Christian Church 05:00  |  Alex 26/12/07   37.   JEWISH DISLOYALTY 05:27  |  AVI 26/12/07   38.   to Susan 06:27  |  rsmith 26/12/07   39.   Mike Huckabee 06:29  |  george 26/12/07   40.   to Chris 06:42  |  rsmith 26/12/07   41.   to Susan 06:51  |  rsmith 26/12/07   42.   to steve 07:11  |  rsmith 26/12/07   43.   usa must cut funding to atheist Israel 08:58  |  tomdawg 26/12/07   44.   dialogue 09:05  |  saho 26/12/07   45.   Huckabee Can`t be Trusted 10:50  |  Blue 26/12/07   46.   Huckabee visits Hagee who is no friend of Israel 11:16  |  libertyman 26/12/07   47.   Top Repub. candidate supports dialogue with Iran 12:54  |  zqll 26/12/07   48.   #47 Zqll 14:59  |  Brod 26/12/07   49.   # 45 Blue You Got IT!!!! 16:54  |  Petra 26/12/07   50.   # 22 Pete Lima 16:59  |  Petra 26/12/07   51.   # 44 re: yOU`RE PREACHING TO THE WRONG CHOIR HERE. 17:16  |  Petra 26/12/07   52.   Ron Paul - the next American President 18:43  |  Jack 26/12/07   53.   # 52 Next Prez? Care to place a wager on that? 19:06  |  Petra 26/12/07   54.   from the American point of view 21:22  |  Andrew Jackson 26/12/07   55.   ron,the wRONg paul to this #52 21:41  |  Shmuelshachor 26/12/07   56.   Laughing out loud. 00:27  |  Colin Wright 27/12/07   57.   Funny, that 00:31  |  Colin Wright 27/12/07   58.   Sounds like he is all Geobells 00:35  |  Yechiel 27/12/07   59.   #43 00:38  |  Yechiel 27/12/07   60.   Maybe its the panelists 01:53  |  Yussef Gideon JI 27/12/07   61.   Governor Schmuckabee 05:47  |  Harry D 27/12/07   62.   And Maybe its the wacko warmonger 07:22  |  Bob 27/12/07   63.   Re; Colin Wright #57 10:30  |  Jack 27/12/07   64.   Cut Funding? 16:18  |  Michael 27/12/07   65.   nu, clear die a logggg 01:15  |  wanna bee 28/12/07   66.   Huckabee 01:19  |  Win 28/12/07   67.   #48 Brod 03:45  |  zqll 28/12/07   68.   Huckabee 15:07  |  David 28/12/07   69.   Zqll #67 22:42  |  Brod 28/12/07   70.   # 69 Brod 14:57  |  Petra 29/12/07   71.   Huckabee best for Israel and the Jews 09:47  |  JWeiss 30/12/07   72.   # 71 They did vote repub and got brainless Bush 17:59  |  Petra 30/12/07   73.   #69 01:38  |  zqll 31/12/07

Today Online Amos Harel: Israel is not the only one exercising restraint Responses: 24 Ramon: Crackdown on outposts likely to start after Bush visit Responses: 19 Wiesenthal Center calls on UN to focus on suicide bombings Responses: 24 Editorial: The IDF is an army that has ceased to function as an army Responses: 18 Rosner: Turning the Green Line red, one settlement at a time Responses: 10 Rosner's Domain Iowa caucus: Here come the tribal leaders The green line is turning red Guest: Is it important for American Jews to learn Hebrew? Obama, Huckabee widen leads in Iowa, but anything could happen WTR Des Moines edition: If McCain goes up, down goes Giuliani