Huckabee Flip-Flops on Cuba Embargo

Mike Huckabee vowed yesterday that he'll strengthen the embargo against Cuba—an about-face from a 2002 letter he wrote President Bush seeking to lift the ban for economic reasons, reports the Los Angeles Times. The change, presented in Miami to a Cuban audience, is just part of the candidate's recent toughened stance on immigration.

Huckabee's change of heart ahead of Florida's Jan. 29 primary leaves him open to attack; Fred Thompson accused him of reversing direction "on a dime to appeal to a particular group of people right before an election." But Huckabee pointed to "the simple reality that I'm running for president of the United States, not for reelection as governor of Arkansas." (More Mike Huckabee stories.)