AARP Eye Center
Huckabee Gets In Tune with Christian Voters In West Michigan
By Jill Greenberg, January 14, 2008 11:43 AM
In Michigan, AARP Associate State Director Stepheni Schlinker, is criss-crossing the state tracking the Presidential candidates. Here's her weekend dispatch:
Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee spent several hours in Grand Rapids, MI on Saturday, January 12, starting the day at 8 a.m. with a prayer breakfast with about 100 pastors at the Amway Grand Hotel, focusing on social issues. Immediately following the prayer breakfast, also at the Amway Grand Hotel, Huckabee told a crowd of approximately 600 people about his modest upbringing in Hope, AK and about his father, who held two jobs to support their family. Several Divided We Fail volunteers attended the rally.
"I understand the workers in this state," Huckabee said. "I can see the fear in their eyes. They know that any day could be the day when they are told their jobs are headed to Mexico or the Middle East, and when that happens they will wonder how they are going to put food on the table."
He also talked about industries building tanks and planes during World War II, pointing out President Franklin D. Roosevelt referred to the state as "the arsenal of democracy."
"Michigan helped save America, and now, America needs to help save Michigan," he said.
Huckabee told the crowd that if he were elected president Michigan would get help from training programs for displaced workers and fair-trade policies protecting employers and consumers.
He closed the rally by picking up a bass guitar and joining students from the Belding, MI High School jazz band to play "Mustang Sally," reportedly one of Huckabee's favorite songs.