Huckabee ignites firestorm around Portman

>>> she won the oscar for " black swan " but natalie portman is now making news for her greatest role, one that is taking place off-screen. and one that's put her in the middle of a firestorm over family values , thanks to former and possibly future presidential candidate .

>> reporter: natalie portman won an oscar for best actress . but she's being called a bad example by mike huckabee .

>> one of the things that's troubling is that people see a natalie portman or some other hollywood starlet who boasts, hey, look, we're having children. we're not married but we're having these children and they're doing just fine.

>> reporter: his remarks set off a firestorm online. some wondering why huckabee hadn't singles out bristol palin's unwed motherhood. in fact he called it shameful for the media to criticize her daughter. we all mess up, the issue is how we respond to it. his latest comments stirred memories of dan quayle .

>> all right, all right --

>> reporter: and tv's fictional character, murphy brown .

>> i know it's not fashionable to talk about moral values , but we need to do it.

>> reporter: today huckabee defended his remarks about portman.

>> when you have unwed mothers, you have a high propensity toward lack of education, lack of ability to get a job, and their children are going to live their entire lives in poverty.

>> reporter: he leads the latest nbc/ wall street journal poll of republican presidential candidates . primary voters want to hear about economic rather than social issues.

>> he's trying to get headlines, you know, be provocative, and it's not what's important for a serious presidential prospect.

>> reporter: he's still considering whether to trade life of a well-paid media celebrity to the grind of another campaign. choosing caution over controversy.