Last night, Mike Huckabee spoke at the Salvation Army's Annual Appreciation Dinner and, before his address, told the press that he's like to do away with the federal government's emergency response system in favor of relying of charitable foundations and donations because that would provide "hugs" and "spiritual support" to those impacted by national disasters:
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee used his address at Salvation Army's annual dinner in Jackson last night to criticize the role of government in assisting in emergencies such as Hurricane Katrina. "Frankly, I'd rather see the kind of help that people need come through a relief agency than necessarily just come in a check in the mailbox from the government," Huckabee told reporters before the dinner.
"Because behind every bit of help that the Salvation Army gives is not just sterile, cold and indifferent," Huckabee said. "It is also being delivered by somebody who has a heart filled with love and who wants to share more than just the basic human needs, but also the emotional support and the spiritual support. It's one thing to just give a person a sandwich, but sometimes a sandwich plus a hug means a whole lot more and makes the sandwich taste better."
