On the December 12 edition of ABC Radio Networks' Imus in the Morning, while discussing Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee with nationally syndicated radio host Jay Severin, host Don Imus asked, “Why don't you like Huckabee? Because you're gay, or what?” Following Imus' comment, co-host Charles McCord exclaimed, “Oh, come on, what the hell was that?” Sound engineer Lou Rufino added, “Stand by for the drive-by.”
From the December 12 edition of ABC Radio Networks' Imus in the Morning:
IMUS: What do you like on the other side. Well, Huckabee, is he for real?
SEVERIN: I don't think so. First of all, full disclosure, I'm for Mitt Romney, always have been. I believe he'd be a great president of the United States, also a great candidate against the Democrats, and I believe Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee. That having been said, certainly Huckabee is making mischief, and he could make serious mischief such that he could throw the Republican thing back out into the, you know, completely up in the air.
The Huckabee surge in Iowa is attributable to a singe factor, and that is Iowa is unique in that the largest group of Republican voters, the largest discernible group of Republican voters in Iowa are self-described evangelical Christians.
IMUS: Why don't you like Huckabee? Because you're gay, or what?
McCORD: Oh, come on, what the hell was that?
RUFINO: What is that?
McCORD: Where did that come from? Jeez.
IMUS: I don't know.
RUFINO: Stand by for the drive-by.
IMUS: Charles made -- Charles made --
McCORD: Oh God.
SEVERIN: I would like to make another admission on the Imus in the Morning program. I am, I am very happy, yes. And no, I would think that would make me -- I would think that would make me like Huckabee, think a little different than what I see of this guy.
IMUS: Here's what you have to wonder, is here I am picking on poor Jay Severin, who couldn't be more loyal to me --
McCORD: No.
IMUS: -- unless he were Sean Hannity, who was magnificent in his support of me, and I don't know why I'm being mean to you. But, so I apologize.
SEVERIN: I knew I wasn't calling into, you know, C-SPAN.