Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee again attacked the mainstream liberal media bias that led to inaccurate reporting of his remarks about government-funded contraception this week, saying he was "offended by their misinterpretation."
"If the Democrats want to patronize women, that's their business," Huckabee said at the outset of his Fox News program Saturday night. "But the public deserves professional and accurate journalism, whether it's reported by men or women . . .
"Some of the media could've used a little assistance in trying to be a little more accurate," the former 2012 GOP presidential candidate added to applause from his studio audience. "A lot more accurate, in fact."
Huckabee was responding to the maelstrom surrounding his comments in a speech to the winter meeting of the Republican National Committee on Thursday.
"Women I know are smart, educated, intelligent — capable of doing anything that anyone else can do," he told the Washington gathering. "Our party stands for the recognition of the equality of women and the capacity of women. That's not a war on them. It's a war for them."
He added: "And if the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each month for birth control because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of government, then so be it."
But Twitter posts from CNN reporter Dana Bash and NBC's Kasie Hunt
distorted Huckabee's remarks — saying that the "Uncle Sugar" and "libido" remarks were his opinion.
"The trouble is, what they tweeted was the exact opposite of what I said," Huckabee said on his Fox program, noting that his RNC comments were the same as his opening monologue on previous week's show.
Huckabee again credited Bash and Hunt for correcting their tweets, even though they had not come before White House spokesman Jay Carney was asked about them at a news conference Friday.
"I haven't seen the report, but whoever said it — sounds offensive to me, and to women," Carney said in response to a reporter's question based on the earlier remarks.
Carney "was reacting to a completely phony story," Huckabee said on his program. "I didn't say that. The reporter said it. And, like you, I am offended by their misinterpretation."
He noted that Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz "went off like a bottle rocket, amped up the lie and immediately begged for money off it.
"It's impossible for women to be equal and then be characterized as helpless victims dependent on the government to survive," Huckabee added. "Of course, facts don't get in the way of liberals who'd rather shout than talk.
"For the Democrats to believe that women can’t make it without dependence on a government program or giveaway is disgusting."
The former governor then reiterated his basic position: "The Republicans don't have a war on women but a war for women. We want them to have the power to choose their children's schools and not be forced to accept the government's choice for one that fails.
"We want them to be treated with respect for the decisions they make, whether it is a decision to raise children or enter the workforce."
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