Huckabee, Thompson Try To Spin Debate Answers

By Cernig

According to the AP, Huckabee is trying for nuance while Thompson is simply backpedaling.

Huckabee was one of three GOP candidates who raised their hand during Thursday's debate when asked if they don't believe in evolution - the development of organisms and species from a primitive state.

The other candidates were Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado.

Huckabee said if given a chance to elaborate on the question from MSNBC moderator Chris Matthews, he would have responded: ``If you want to believe that you and your family came from apes, I'll accept that....I believe there was a creative process.''

Huckabee said he has no problem with teaching evolution as a theory in the public schools and he doesn't expect schools to teach creationism.

``We shouldn't indoctrinate kids in school,'' he said. ``I wouldn't want them teaching creationism as if it's the only thing that they should teach.''

So now he's saying he's fine with evolution as long as it's God who is doing the tinkering at every step - which is a form of creationism too. And if you believe otherwise you're just a monkey. Can you tell the Republicans can't do nuance very well?

But Thompson is simply running like hell from the outcry over his most controversial debate statement.

Republican presidential candidate Tommy Thompson apologized for saying an employer should be allowed to fire a gay worker solely for being gay.

Thompson said he had misunderstood a question Thursday during a GOP candidates' debate in California. The question: ``If a private employer finds homosexuality immoral, should he be allowed to fire a gay worker?''

His response: ``I think that is left up to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be.''

Asked if his answer was yes, Thompson said, ``Yes.''

On Friday, Thompson told CNN he should have asked the moderator to repeat the question.

``I made a mistake. I misinterpreted the question,'' Thompson said in a telephone interview. ``I didn't hear, I didn't hear the question properly and I apologize.''

Thompson spokesman Tony Jewell said the former Wisconsin governor does not believe any form of discrimination in the workplace is justified.

Spin, baby, spin!