ROGERS, Ark. (CNNMoney.com) - Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee came to Wal-Mart's defense before a gathering of reporters Tuesday and generously praised the world's largest retailer for not only being good for his state's economy but also for helping to "empower millions of consumers" all over America.

Huckabee's speech marked the start of Wal-Mart's two-day media conference in Rogers, Arkansas. The governor told the gathering that he wasn't afraid to be perceived as a "lackey for Wal-Mart."

"I am very proud that Wal-Mart is headquartered in Arkansas for a host reasons," he said. "Wal-Mart employs 46,000 people in this state alone. Wal-Mart pays $9.64 an hour to its associates in this state which is significantly above the minimum average wage in Arkansas. It's the largest tax collector for the state and also contributed $22 million in charity in the same year."

Huckabee said he was glad to be an advocate for a company that he felt has become a "whipping boy for critics that have really demonized it."

"When a company is getting criticism, one thing to ask is who's throwing the criticism and what's their motives," he said. In Wal-Mart's case, he said the detractors were either competitors or folks that have been unsuccessful in unionizing Wal-Mart employees.

"The secret of Wal-Mart's success is that 138 million people must like it because they shop there every week. They wouldn't shop there if they didn't." he said

At the same time, Huckabee cautioned that Wal-Mart needs to always be mindful of the consumer.

"The reason Wal-Mart is getting large is because it is satisfying its customers. Wal-Mart has empowered the consumer and has made it possible for them to have more disposable income. But if Wal-Mart gets too large and doesn't satisfy its customers anymore, then others will drive Wal-Mart's customers away from it."

Huckabee also took issue with critics who maintain that Wal-Mart provides inadequate healthcare coverage for its 1.3 million employees in the United States. Wal-Mart offers insurance to 81 percent of its employees. The average for the retail industry is 61 percent. So compared to other retailers, Wal-Mart looks pretty darn good."

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Wal-Mart, detractors spar for spotlight.