McCain Troops Mad About Huck Rally

"We told you earlier that some of John McCain's troops weren't happy to learn that Mike Huckabee had a Promote Mike Huckabee rally at the Capital Hotel less than a week in advance of McCain's visit to Arkansas tomorrow. This is the meeting first reported by columnist David Sanders.

Why unhappy? Because many of the remarks at the meeting were built on a generally held assumption among many present that McCain would be beaten this fall (or at best, be only a one-term president), leaving the way open for a Huckabee run for president in 2012. Huckabee himself did not speak these precise words at the session, I'm told, though supporters did.

Nobody's surprised that The Huckster would put his own interests first. But the timing and appearances were terrible. There was a big crowd. Word was sure to get out. And Huckabee is co-host of the McCain fund-raiser tomorrow, not to mention that Huckabee's main money man, Little Rock banker French Hill, is co-chair of Arkansas financial efforts for McCain. Whose side is he on?"

... News: In addition to his new PAC, Huckabee plans to create a 501-c4 nonprofit organization, something of a think tank that, in addition to giving him access to more cash, might be used to burnish his foreign policy credentials.