Agreed. The only thing McCain and his inner cabinet know how to respond to is a foreign-policy critique, which instantly generates a response from McCain and his crowd of "how dare you criticize a POW -- why you're diaparaging a war hero" if anyone ever thinks to raise questions about his Iraq or Iran policy. But on any other issue, McCain just kind of yawns and shows that he just doesn't want to lower himself to such an unpleasant business. What a disaster of a candidate he is.

Now if only Obama in San Francisco had said something about small town people in PA being bitter about the Iraq War, why McCain would have jumped in the fray immediately and demanded a retraction for impugning his war-hero status.

You are right...Mike Huckabee would know exactly how to handle these elitist remarks. Because he comes from a middle-class background, who better to stand up for the people of America. We want a christian president in the white house, not someone who puts down religion and has the most liberal views on abortion like Sen. Obama has.

I believe the Republicans will live to regret not electing Huckabee as their GOP candidate. His eloquence, humor and ability to sympathize and empathize with the common man were unmatched. The freshness of ideas and dialogue - his gentleman like manner, his class and personal determination. Boy did the GOP elite mess up.

Stephen, Millions of us are asking ourselves the exact same thing right now and we sooooo miss Mike Huckabee on the political scene. Senator McCain is a great American hero but we need Mike Huckabee in Washington alongside McCain in turning the country around and setting America on the road to unity and hope for a better future. I hope Senator McCain makes the right choice for his ticket and for America and chooses Mike Huckabee as his running mate.

This article speaks so true to what great leadership we have in Mike Huckabee and the strong character and principles he stands by. A wise man chooses the best to surround himself with and Senator McCain is very wise. McCain/Huckabee'08

Obama will get the same states that the liberal elites got before him minus Michigan. As Chris Matthews said, "everyone from Michigan owns a boat and a gun." www.goodoleboybumperstickers.com

I don't know what kind of kool-aid you folks are drinkin' but, it must only be sold with a prescription.

Mike The Huckster Huckabee would be far too busy attempting to explain away his personal involvement with his pardon of a rapist who went oout to murder...eyewitness of particpants involved is irrefutable but, the Huckster denies it merely to throw doubt in the uninformed mind.

If he wasn't too busy with just that depravity there's a truckload more in his past above and beyond his pandering for pipedreams in constitutional amendments...it can't be done nor should we try and what's worse is that HE ALREADY KNOWS IT but he's willing to say it so the mindless will vote for him.

Get off the kool-aid and start doing your research about who that clown is because he is NOT who you want him to be...he's just a lowlife who wrapped himself in the cloak of religion to learn how to influence without any of the morality that goes with it!

Right on! Mike Huckabee is sorely missed!! He IS the conservative that should have been the one elected as our representative! He is full of the charisma that McCain lacks! He has the oratorical skills to make the chills run up and down your spine--the "feel good" chills!! SMARTEN up McCAIN!! Choose Mike for your v.p. and you won't regret it!!! GO MIKE!

Well said. Mike Huckabee would have handled this situation with much more eloquence. One thing that struck me about McCain's comment was that he kept referring to church-goers, hunters, etc as "they". He calls Obama an elitist but then makes sure not to identify himself with this group of people.

We need Mike Huckabee in the White House!! If McCain doesn't choose him as VP, I cannot vote for McCain. And if he completely loses his senses and chooses Romney, I'll campaign against him! If he would sell out to the party elites and let them pull his strings, it would show that he is not a man of principle.

Stephen you nailed man, Governor Huckabee could have handled all of this so much better than any republican candidate. In my humble opinion it's also pretty shameful when the presumptive republican nominee cannot take an hour out of his schedule to show up to an event like the Compassion Forum, but the Democrats can. If McCain was wise his VP choice would easily be Governor Huckabee.

To Winghunter please do us all a favor and get off the Romney kool-aid, and get some talking points of your own not just the same old stuff from the Willard camp.

Huckabee would've sent a zinger back at the Obama campaign that would've left them wounded for months. These are exactly the kind of comments that Huckabee would eloquently turn around on Obama, rally the troops and expose Obama for what he really is. And Huckabee would do it in a very innocent, forthright and honest manner. He's perfect at "beatin' 'em up without beatin' 'em up."

One can help but wonder but since you brought it up.
Huckabee would probably ask his good friend and confidant Mr Slime himself Kenneth Copeland for advise. When you can explain how and why (apart from the money) he would pal out with someone who is a fraud being accused of fraud as if they actually have integrity and character in common, then he can comment on Mr. Obama's untimely statements. When he apologizes to the conservative movement for his severe lapse in good judgement and returns any money he received, I will listen to him.

Great article! Mike Huckabee has mastered the art of communication and would know exactly what to say in this circumstance. In addition, he comes from a modest upbringing and knows what it is like to struggle to make a living. As he worked himself through college (in 2 and 1/2 yrs.) with honors, he also cared for his wife suffering from cancer. These are the circumstances of middle America, and Mike Huckabee knows them first-hand.

This is a golden opportunity for John McCain to either shine as a leader or show weakness in his upcoming leadership post.

McCain can allow the power money hungry establishment control his every decision or he can show them and the world who the real boss will be in 2009.

The power hungry establishment will do everything possible to not allow him to pick Huckabee as his running mate.

McCain can set the record straight with them now by choosing Huckabee as his VP. If McCain picks anyone else as his VP, then it goes to show that he doesnt make the decisions and he is only a puppet for the establishment.

Plus the Democrats will seize on this saying how weak McCain will be as President since he can't even make his own decision to choose Mike Huckabee as his VP.

Huckabee and McCain were the only Honorable candidates in the primaries. If McCain's military character shows through, then he is sure to pick Huckabee as his running mate.

The military considers Honor and Integrity the highest degree of character. Let's see if McCain rides the Straight Talk Express or retreats in face of the power hungry establishment.

Sob. I miss Huckabee's one-liners. I miss his ability to skewer his opponents without sounding nasty or ill-tempered. I miss the grin that lets us know an incoming zinger is on the way. I miss the way he can turn a phrase. I MISS MIKE HUCKABEE. Sigh. The election cycle has become so boring without him in the race.... but I must admit I do get a lot more work done now that I don't have to monitor his campaign. If he runs in 2008 or 2012 I'll have to make sure I'm retired.

Huckabee would actually attend the debates and talk about all the issues facing America.

I am so disgusted with the McCain nomination. I voted for Romney in the February 5th California primary. As a Californian I saw Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee as strong brilliant candidates that could have cleaned up the mess we are in today. To this day, I am shocked and disappointed that California�s Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, endorsed McCain and not Romney or Huckabee. I am even more disappointed with my fellow California�s on how they voted.

I am shocked and horrified that so many Americans think that a POW and a war hero automatically makes someone a good President. Every time I research McCain to convince myself he would or could be a great President, I come back with a clear and ugly answer that McCain is beyond unfit to be President of the US.

McCain is incapable of addressing the most important national issues such as the economy, immigration, education, and health care and never will. Every time McCain is on TV he talks about war and nothing else. Lord, while the US economy swirls down the bowl, McCain is touring Iraq instead of learning about economics.

Furthermore, the presumptive Republican nominee for president apparently doesn�t have a clue about what�s going on in the Middle East. But it turns out that this acclaimed foreign policy expert doesn�t know the difference between al-Qaida, al-Qaida in Iraq, Sunni insurgents, Iran and Syria. Or, perhaps more charitably, he�s doesn�t care to know. The said thing about these facts the TV News Media is absolutely silent about McCain�s weakness about basic Middle East facts.

All of those red states will vote the same way for clueless unstable amnesty giving war monger McCain, sad but true.

This is what Mike would have said:

"Where I come from, we cling to religion because we love God, not because we're bitter."

"To me and the many good Americans I know, religion is not some sort of 'escape' from reality that we turn to because of economic problems, as some people turn to alcohol. Our faith in God IS reality--more stable than the economy or job market."

"Obama speaks as if it is a shame that people have guns and religion. He implies that if the economy was better and people were making more money, they wouldn't need God. Well, where I come from we cling to God in both good times and bad!"

"The people who I know who are the most 'bitter' are those who have given up faith in God and cling to the economy and the pursuit of money."

Mike Huckabee may not be the Republican nominee but he is back in a BIG way. Visit his website HuckPAC.com and see what he is up to!!

Gov. Huckabee is no longer an option. Sen. McCain's running mate will be the attack dog allowing the senator to focus on the issues. The sooner he makes that choice the better.

If the DNC is successful with its Law Suit against the RNC to force McCain to produce campaign finance records; which is unlikely. RNC is down to 2 of its 6 members and effectively can't answer the Law Suit. The Court could dismiss the Law Suit or Rule the RNC is effectively non entity. Either way the DNC could then Sue McCain directly for the campaign finance information. A possibility now exists that McCain may well not be the Republican nominee because of the seriousness of the potential damage. Enter Mitt Romney for president with Mike Huckabee as V.P. That would be a formidable ticket that Obama could only overcome with a popular V.P. of his own.

Fareed,
I don't think the RNC will allow the legal action you imagine; however, Romney at the top or bottom of the ticket would present a doomsday scenario for the Republicans. The middle class voter and his/her plight in the current economic setting is what this election is all about. Romney has the highest negative ratings of any candidate (Republican or Democrat) except Clinton, and he is virtually tied with her. In addition, Romney has no idea what the average American struggles with daily just to meet their financial obligations. He cannot CONNECT with middle America - this is where Huckabee has the upper hand - he comes from middle America and is still a part of it. As this author so aptly said, he can communicate effectively with the common man and win votes in the process. Mike Huckabee is the embodiment of what America is seeking - Hope and Change!

Mike Huckabee would have known exactly what to say and how to say it. The Republican party committed suicide by destroying his campaign.

You're right, Gov. Huckabee is quite capable of sinking an opponent with a smart one-liner, but one of the things that sets him apart from the pack is that, despite this obvious ability, and despite many opportunities to jump on the bandwagon and slam an opponent for some gaffe, Mike Huckabee has had the discipline, class, and charity to not take advantage of these opportunities. Just look at how he responded when asked about Hillary bursting into tears several months ago, or about the NY Times hack job on McCain just before the Texas primary, or about the whole Obama-Wright mess. Time and time again, Gov. Huckabee has shown that he is a class act.

Mr. McCain is an honorable man, but he doesn't really have anywhere near the oratory gifts that Mr. Huckabee has.

I hope Mr. McCain takes a good hard look at his VP choices. He won't find one better than Mike Huckabee.

Mike Huckabee is not only a very eloquent speaker that can speak without a teleprompter, he also uses down to earth common sense, integrity, knowledge from life and career experience, and true compassion and caring for all people, no matter their station or demographic. A lot of people ask, "who is Mike Huckabee anyway?" The answer is simple, a truly honorable and genuine American who wants to bring back the American Dream to anyone who wants to hope, work and live it. Mike wants to work for everyone from Wall Street to Main Street. He respects the corporate boss, but really cares about the average hard working family in rural America. He understands us because he is one of us. He grew up shopping at Walmart not Macy's. He is unfailing in principle and would never compromise his values for a vote. Mike Huckabee would be the Republican nominee for 2008 if the Washington establishment had not almost completely shut him out of debates and blocked his message at every turn. You try to fight against the censorship of enforced silence and never-ending negative messages and half truths and see how far you can go. McCain and Romney would never have made it even a quarter as far as Mike Huckabee on the same resources that Mike had. Without their big money and media backing, McCain & Romney would have folded almost immediately, because they have no message, no heart, and no desire other than to promote themselves.
Here is the secret of Mike Huckabee in his own words.
"The greatness of this country has never been in it's government, but in the extraordinary things that its ordinary people are willing to do for their neighbors."
"We will be a strong nation that will aplogize to no one for our strength."
"I'd like to be the kind of president that's more concerned about the people on Main Street, not just the folks on Wall Street. Let's never forget who the real boss is. I work for those people, they don't work for me."
"I would consider it the highest honor of my life, if you would give me the opportunity not to rule, but to serve."
Mike Huckabee, Candidate for the people, of the people, by the people
Mike Huckabee has been the most consistant candidate in the 2008 race. He continues stand strong on the human life amendment, strong border control, and massive tax reform with the Fair Tax. He supports keeping America strong with a strong military. He is the only candidate that is thinking of the welfare of our veterans. He has proposed a Veterans Bill of rights to rightly honor and help those who have served our country. When there is no one else to trust, We can always trust Mike Huckabee. He has a proven track record and the only candidate with executive experience! He is honorable, knowledgeable, gracious, and fun. Mike Huckabee is what we need to revitalize this country. He knows how to work hard and get the important things done like lowering taxes, improving education and roads. He will protect our national sovereignty and strengthen our military. And He also knows we have to have fun too. He knows we need to have creativity, imagination & ingenuity.
Let's reverse the mistakes of the past, (including this elections cycle) and get people in office that have a message, the heart to get the message out to the every day people, and the ability to find solutions, really solve problems and get things done so that we don't have to just remember this was a great country, we can live it!

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

A U.S. News report released on April 16, 2008 puts Ronald Reagan, Teddy Roosevelt and Mike Huckabee on the same level.

"John McCain's big economic speech today was sort of one part Ronald Reagan (cut taxes, cut spending), one part Mike Huckabee (help for workers; Main Street is as important as Wall Street), and one part Teddy Roosevelt (criticism of "reckless CEOs and speculators").

Huckabee's rapid rise in the Presidential race is capturing the hearts and minds millions of ordinary people all around America.

To be achieve this prestigous level so soon with history's greatest U.S. Presidents in such a remarkable short time period is an outstanding accomplishment for Mike Huckabee.

The alliance between McCain and Huckabee 08 ticket has offically begun. Huckabee's new PAC web site to promote McCain. And McCain calling Wall Street "greedy", was Mike's central theme of those on Main Street vs Wall Street.

The alliance between these two Honorable men started back in December when they worked together to force Romney out of the picture.

McCain will be announcing Huckabee as his VP running mate in the next few months. With McCain's military background, he holds dear to the code of Honor and Integrity which Huckabee displayed during the campaigns.

If so many want Mike Huckabee as a Republican candidate, why don't they put him as a write-in candidate? It's easy enough to do on the ballot!!