"Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and defeated contender for the GOP presidential nomination, is currently at the top of John McCain's short list for a running mate. At least that's the word from a top McCain fundraiser and longtime Republican moneyman who has spoken to McCain's inner circle."

"... let the 'anonymous' sources either show the courage to stand up and be accountable for their comments or shut up and leave commentary to people who aren’t afraid of their own shadow."

... credible activists are spreading the word that Huckabee secretly allies himself with the bitter-end opposition. That hardly seems possible considering his public backing, but critics of Huckabee's 10 years as governor of Arkansas say he is all too capable of playing a double game.

... One experienced, credible activist in Christian politics who would not let his name be used told me that Huckabee, in personal conversation with him, had embraced the concept that an Obama presidency might be what the American people deserve. That fits what has largely been a fringe position among evangelicals: that the pain of an Obama presidency is in keeping with the Bible's prophecy.

... "The truth of the matter is just as I said, that he doesn't have a record of accomplishments in the private sector or in the governmental sector ... hasn't pushed a major piece of legislation.

"He seems like a charming guy who's very well-spoken. But in terms of actually having led, actually having accomplished something, actually having a kind of leadership that America needs at a critical time with our economy ... he's untested. ... Frankly, Sen. McCain is someone who is tested and very proven ..."

Obama later fired back, saying this was the same kind of argument Romney had used against McCain.

Meanwhile, writing in the Buffalo News, Curt Smith makes the Huck for Veep case, arguing McCain needs Huckabee's voters:

Specifically, Huckabee would clinch what McCain aides wrongly “believe that he has already won,” the Wall Street Journal says of bornagains. Despite his recent “guns and religion” gaffe, Barack Obama could loosen such evangelical states as Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and even Mississippi. Recently, Houston TV megachurch pastor Joel Osteen lauded Hillary Clinton for “all you’ve done for America.” Kennedy’s fire wall was LBJ. Huckabee would be McCain’s. Overnight he would make the Republicans’ largest block a GOP pro, not con.

"... that Huck is still drawing votes this far removed from having dropped out of the race is a reminder of his lingering appeal among Christian conservatives.  He got 12% of the vote statewide in Carolina, but out in Billy Graham country near the Tennessee border he was well into the teens in county after county.

Do these folks know Huck has withdrawn?   Are they just voting for him to register their support for a fellow believer?  

"Former Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee said Wednesday Barack Obama's bid for the White House is not being derailed because he is black, but because his former pastor does not want him to show the country's race relations have progressed.

Obama, a Democrat, has struggled in recent weeks to distance himself from incendiary comments made by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

"His (Obama's) campaign is not being derailed by his race, it's being derailed by a person who doesn't want him to prove that we have made great advances in this country," Huckabee told reporters.

... "Jeremiah Wright needs for Obama to lose so he can justify his anger, his hostile bitterness against the United States of America," Huckabee said."

In recent weeks, McCain has campaigned with both Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. While there was a lot of VP buzz when the AZ Senator was joined by Romney and Huckabee, expect a lot less around Fred—the former TN Senator even told Fox News last week that a number 2 slot is “not in the cards.”

"... It was OK for kids to believe in God, they said the pledge of allegiance each day and prayed before lunch.

"I don't think that any kid really got warped from that,' he said."

"McCain responded to that speculation by offering his "standard answer," saying he didn't want to mention any names because that quickly leads to an invasion of privacy for anyone being considered.

But McCain was quick to volunteer that "millions of Republican voters voted for Governor Huckabee" in the primaries, and that he wanted the former Arkansas governor to play a prominent role in his campaign. McCain noted Huckabee still has a 65 percent approval rating in Arkansas.

When reporters asked Huckabee if he planned to campaign for McCain, it was McCain who jumped in to answer with a ready "yes."

Huckabee, for his part, deflected a question about becoming McCain's running mate by saying, "The main thing is getting Senator McCain elected."

Attacks by the Mitt Romney supporters are unwarranted and unnecessary. Making comments such as "[Mike Huckabee's] blatant actions forced America to re-think it's bias against the LDS people, and the country found out that it was neither fair, nor warranted" and "the Evangelical Taliban are those evangelicals who think they are the only people worthy to decide who can or cannot be considered Christian" or "He only attracts a small group of evangelicals who cannot stomach a Mormon in the White House, and who base their vote on religion" are highly offensive and sound as if they came from the Radical Left. Comparing Americans who classify themselves as Evangelicals to a murderous regime is a tactic of desperate individuals and should immediately draw a retraction from Governor Mitt Romney and members of his staff. There is absolutely no place in the political discourse for this kind of hate speech by supporters of Mitt Romney. We ask that Governor Romney repudiate these kind of statements.

Huckabee is running for 2012

He knows McCain can't choose him so he's sowing as much division as possible, and trying to stay in the spot light. Think about it.

 

The continuing snarky Romney comments.

The anti-Romney ad petition.

The book to be released in Nov about his campaign.

The Huck4America website.

His "new and improved" website with a countdown!

HuckPAC.

Pep rally for himself.

Speaking engagements all about himself, not McCain.
Read More...