All that was missing was the sand and rake.

Still don’t see how Huckabee stands a chance, but is he really hurting anything at this point?

Isn’t it nice when everything just works.

For the record, Huckabee has repeatedly ruled out a third-party run.

keepinitreal on February 16, 2008 at 1:59 PM

Yeah, but did he sign a pledge?

For the record, Huckabee has ruled out a 3rd party run

So has Dobson & everybody else. I don’t know why AP would speculate like that, other than trying to stir up more anger against conservative Christians.

This is exactly right. The media would have absolutely ZERO reason to talk about McCain if Huckabee dropped out.

And all you people here talking about he’ll get the ‘animosity of the GOP’ for staying in the race, I doubt he’ll be sent roses if/when he gets out either. He’s been facing the ‘animosity of the GOP’ since he won Iowa.

Why should he quit? He won lots of contests last week and he has nothing else to do. He has already gotten millions of people to vote for him.

I don’t think he expects or wants a VP position. I don’t think he wants anything. He’s campaigning and the campaign isn’t over yet. He has plenty of supporters who would be just as disappointed if he quit as you people here are disgusted that he won’t quit.

McCain used a cross too, but he’s not derided as ‘Satan’. I don’t much like the tone of this blog and its commenters anymore.

No way Romney gets the VP spot either. As for the commenter who keeps on losing but finally says he’ll be proud to vote for McCain against Huckabee – it’s great you finally get a victory out of all of your defeats (ruDe, Romney, now just anti-Huck = victory for you). I’ll bet that 2 months ago that attitude would have been determined a win by the Huckabee camp.

Should be pretty good with some humor.

Huckabee can go Huck himself. He’s too mean spirited to be president; seems to me moreso than that old coot, McCain.

tballard on February 16, 2008 at 3:19 PM

McCain isn’t going after Huck now because he needs Huck’s supporters in the Fall. But I don’t see where this competition right now is helping McCain any.

The other advantage of keeping Huckabee in the race is that it give disaffected conservatives someone to vote for in the Republican primary, keeping them involved in the political process so that there is a good chance that they will not stay home in the general election.

I think all of the above is why McCain is not going after Huckabee and instead extending platitudes about Huckabee being welcome to stay in the race as long as he wants. I expect McCain knows that free MSM publicity is good for him now, because they are sure going to turn on him in the general.

bnelson44 on February 16, 2008 at 2:29 PM

I think it was Krauthammer that saud Huck is not running against McCain, but against Romney at this point. He just wants to come in a clear 2nd place, so he can become the socially conservative heir to the throne, if McCain doesn’t win in November. He’ll stay in the news for a couple more months, and make his name as the clear leader of religious conservatives in the Republican party. After that, maybe he’ll run for Blanche Lincoln’s Senate seat in 2010, if it looks like he can win, and gear up for a 2012 run at the White House again. Romney will have very little chance to get back into the national political spotlight before then, unless McCain appoints him to a major cabinet position like Secretary of the Treasury, so Huck just might have a shot at grabbing the torch if he does well enough in the remaining states.

bnelson on February 16, 2008 at 2:40 PM

Perhaps you are right, but I think there is more to it because this is the political world we’re talking about. There is always some quid pro quo at stake in politics, especially true when big egos are involved!

Like you said, maybe the simplest explanation is what is, but I guess I’m just too cynical to believe it.

So what is Gov Huckabee holding out for?

Weebork on February 16, 2008 at 2:39 PM

I think it is an ego thing now. He’s getting votes and people are turning out for his rallies, so he stays in.

There must be some pay off that Gov Huckabee sees in the future by holding out. He won’t have the delegates to barter any position, especially since Gov Romney has dropped out — so what’s the big pay off? Now whether he actually gets the pay off, whatever it is, is a different story, all I’m wondering about is what Gov Huckabee is aiming for by staying in.

On a completely different note, here is a map of the universe of Star Trek. Yes, somebody not working for Paramount Studios made it.

The ‘animosity’ assumes that he upsets a few who want him to concede. While Huckalong cannot possibly win the delegates from here on out, if he wins a few more in the south, McCain cannot get to the threshold either.

The most entertaining part of it, while I have never liked Huckabee, his mere presence forcesMcCain to the right, painfully so.

If McCain’s candidacy was so conservative, then Huckabee would not get the votes he is getting even if he loses. Aaaaaaa, do you think that has occurred to McCain?

Starlink on February 16, 2008 at 2:24 PM

He hasn’t forced McCain to go right. Huckabee himself is a tax-raising nanny-stater. McCain knows damn well he’s got the nomination, so if anything he’ll tack more moderate.

Huck is a preacher and former president of the SBC. Much of the support he has comes from people voting for him because he’s a good “Christian Leader”.

McCain will get to the threshold, it’s just a matter of time.

The ‘animosity’ assumes that he upsets a few who want him to concede. While Huckalong cannot possibly win the delegates from here on out, if he wins a few more in the south, McCain cannot get to the threshold either.

Starlink on February 16, 2008 at 2:24 PM

With Mitt’s delegates, there is no way Huck can stop McCain now. So all Huck is doing is making the presumptive nominee spend time and money fighting another Republican instead of attacking the Democrats. Huck is waisting valuable Republican capital. That is why the GOP will and is turning against Huck right now.