Marathon Pundit: "I like Mike": Glenn & Helen podcast with Mike Huckabee

Almost a year ago, I unleashed a series of tough posts, including this one, on then-Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. What caught my eye was that Huckabee and his wife--they've been married for many years--appeared on a "bridal registry" at Target and the department store Dillard's.

The couple didn't set up the registries, but they took their time in distancing themselves from them.

Since that misstep, Mike Huckabee has grown on me as a candidate for the Republican nomination for president. This is not an endorsement--it's still too early for that--but I'm going to say right now, "I like Mike."

This being marathon week in Chicago, it's important to mention that Huckabee is a four-time marathoner. As for myself, I will be running in Sunday's Chicago Marathon. I'm in terrible shape: Too little running, too many late night dinners, and too much late night blogging.

In the latest Glenn & Helen show, Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds and Dr. Helen Smith interview the second-most famous man from Hope, Arkansas.

Discussions about health care take up a significant portion of the podcast. The slim former governor lost 100 pounds after his doctor warned him that barring drastic lifetstyle changes, Huckabee was facing the final decade of his life. That's how Huckabee got involved in marathon running.

Huckabee favors changing the health-care system, which he calls a "disease care system," but is opposed to Hillary-care and its latest incarnation. Huckabee, in explaining his position, quotes P.J. O'Rourke's famous comment on universal health care:

If you think health care is expensive now, just wait until it's free.

"Huck" also dishes out a lot of common sense on taxes, an issue I've been paying close attention to of late on this blog. Scroll down for more on that.

Listen to or download the podcast here. Or if you have an iPod, do what I did, download it here, and if you're in the mood, listen to the podcast during a 10 mile run.

Huckabee is also a prolific author, his books include, From Hope to Higher Ground, his weight loss tome, Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork, and Kids Who Kill, among others.

The podcast is sponsored by Volvo Cars.

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