Finally, there’s the current press infatuation with the former Arkansas governor – a rare blessing for any conservative. They like Huckabee not only because he’s charming and funny, but because the media love a good underdog story. An under-funded candidate who comes out of nowhere (and Hope, Arkansas is just about nowhere) to challenge the big boys makes a great, inspiring yarn and helps sell newspapers or win TV viewers. The other contenders have all done something (or many things) to alienate the press: Giuliani made enemies of most national media during his tough-guy years as Mayor of New York, McCain looked like he betrayed his cherished “maverick” status when he reached out to conservative Christians, Thompson has delayed and dilly-dallied much too long before entering the race and facing the press, while Mitt Romney has begun to earn a reputation for smiling evasiveness in confronting tough questions.

Of course, the current press infatuation with Huckabee (even from the New York Times) probably won’t last, but the new Man from Hope needs to milk it while he can.

The big negatives the press will no doubt begin to attach to the surging Huckabee campaign involve the notion that he’s just too religious (and doesn’t believe in undirected, random Darwinism) and that he’s got no experience in foreign policy. In response, Huckabee’s defenders might cite a prior Governor of Arkansas who also had no foreign policy background but became a popular two-term president, and a recent Governor of Texas who also entered the White House without a resume of meaningful diplomatic encounters.

Moreover, when it comes to holding elective office, Huckabee served the people of his state for thirteen years – three years as Lieutenant Governor and ten as Governor – giving him more experience as an elected public official than Giuliani, Romney, Thompson, Obama, Edwards, Hillary – or George W. Bush. .

In other words, the arguments in behalf of a Huckabee candidacy remain potent and persuasive while those against his nomination seem easily deflected.

Does this summary of his flavor-of-the-week status amount to an endorsement?

Not exactly, since McCain, Giuliani and Romney also seem to me great and worthy contenders who deserve a chance to make their cases to the people.

But in one sense, I’m ready for an enthusiastic commitment to take one step forward with ‘Aw Shucks Huck: as far as I’m concerned, the former Governor of Arkansas has already earned an endorsement as a first tier candidate for the Republican nomination for the Presidency. His inclusion among the elite survivors of the early winnowing process can only strengthen the campaign, the party and, ultimately, the country.