This candidate plays to the ‘bass’
Huckabee joins high school jazz band for jam session
By Tim Gallagher Journal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, October 27, 2007
MOVILLE, Iowa -- Between statements about illegal immigration and Iran on Friday, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee found time to jam. The former Arkansas governor played bass guitar with the Woodbury High School jazz band in a stop at the school in Moville.
"Great job, jazz band," Huckabee, clad in jeans and cowboy boots, said. "They (the band) did a better job than me! "
When Huckabee was governor, he said, he was the only governor in the United States who was in a band. That oddity, not the band’s skill necessarily, allowed the group to land gigs opening for such marquee acts as Willie Nelson and the Charlie Daniels Band. As a candidate, he keeps his hands on the strings as a way to keep things fresh on the campaign trail.
"He was very good," said Woodbury Central High School senior Lance Platt, who stepped aside from his bass position to allow the guest artist the spotlight. "He asked me what key the songs were in, and he played them. A lot of what he did was improv. I was very impressed."
So was Mark Cripps, the school band director, who lauded Huckabee for having the nerve to march in and play with a high school group before a crowd. There was no rehearsal.
"That takes some guts," said Cripps. "I was worried about him doing this, but he’s a good listener. It showed."
Huckabee joined the band for "C Jam Blues" and "Summertime Blues."
"It was a lot of fun," Huckabee said.
The candidate also fielded questions from students, who celebrated the culmination of Red Ribbon Week, a week during which programming is dedicated to preventing drug and alcohol use.
"One sure way you’ll never be a drug addict or alcoholic is to never try it or experiment with it," said Huckabee, adding that nobody starts life with the ambition to end up in rehab.
"The body has a natural aversion to inhaling smoke," he said.
Huckabee took questions about immigration and Iran, among others. He supports building a wall or fence along the country’s southern border. Otherwise, he said, the U.S. may someday be home to 50 million illegal immigrants. He also said that bankrupting Iran is a necessary step in pre-empting that country from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Even in his question-and-answer session, Huckabee returned to music. The question about illegal immigration came from junior Jacob Polkinghorn, who sported a Pink Floyd T-shirt.
"Pink Floyd? You like Pink Floyd?" Huckabee asked as Polkinghorn nodded. "It excites me that the groups I liked when I was young are now being listened to by kids like you."
"Great job, jazz band," Huckabee, clad in jeans and cowboy boots, said. "They (the band) did a better job than me! "
When Huckabee was governor, he said, he was the only governor in the United States who was in a band. That oddity, not the band’s skill necessarily, allowed the group to land gigs opening for such marquee acts as Willie Nelson and the Charlie Daniels Band. As a candidate, he keeps his hands on the strings as a way to keep things fresh on the campaign trail.
"He was very good," said Woodbury Central High School senior Lance Platt, who stepped aside from his bass position to allow the guest artist the spotlight. "He asked me what key the songs were in, and he played them. A lot of what he did was improv. I was very impressed."
So was Mark Cripps, the school band director, who lauded Huckabee for having the nerve to march in and play with a high school group before a crowd. There was no rehearsal.
"That takes some guts," said Cripps. "I was worried about him doing this, but he’s a good listener. It showed."
Huckabee joined the band for "C Jam Blues" and "Summertime Blues."
"It was a lot of fun," Huckabee said.
The candidate also fielded questions from students, who celebrated the culmination of Red Ribbon Week, a week during which programming is dedicated to preventing drug and alcohol use.
"One sure way you’ll never be a drug addict or alcoholic is to never try it or experiment with it," said Huckabee, adding that nobody starts life with the ambition to end up in rehab.
"The body has a natural aversion to inhaling smoke," he said.
Huckabee took questions about immigration and Iran, among others. He supports building a wall or fence along the country’s southern border. Otherwise, he said, the U.S. may someday be home to 50 million illegal immigrants. He also said that bankrupting Iran is a necessary step in pre-empting that country from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Even in his question-and-answer session, Huckabee returned to music. The question about illegal immigration came from junior Jacob Polkinghorn, who sported a Pink Floyd T-shirt.
"Pink Floyd? You like Pink Floyd?" Huckabee asked as Polkinghorn nodded. "It excites me that the groups I liked when I was young are now being listened to by kids like you."
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Oscar wrote on Oct 28, 2007 12:05 AM:
Big Dave wrote on Oct 27, 2007 6:20 PM:
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