For God's Sake, Democrats By: Mark W Adams

If you ever needed a reason NOT to vote for Hillary Clinton in the primaries, take a look at what happens when you underestimate the Republican Party -- not their leaders, but the common people who make up the party with (by definition) common sense.

Not only that, new polling data released today shows that Huckabee has pulled to within a single percentage point of Hillary Clinton in a general election match-up. Huckabee is also a frontrunner in Iowa and essentially tied for second in New Hampshire. Some pundits believe Huckabee's numbers will surely go down as fast as they've gone up while others are beginning to consider the possibility that the bass-guitar playing Governor may become a serious contender for the Republican nomination.

Let me just get beyond the idiocy of seeing the Iowa frontrunner coming within the margin of error of being in first place nationally described as someone who "may become a serious contender." (Note: don't take "horse race" political journalists to the track. They stick with their first pick even after the nag has been scratched.)

The GOP is nutz if they don't get behind this authentic, god preachin' economic populist. NO, THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT. But if the GOP can flirt with a flip-flopping Governor of that bluest of Blue States, Massachusetts, and can give Rudy a pass for being against them on gays and abortion, and having Sex ON the City, of course they'll thumb their nose at Grover Norquist and risk a tax increase by Huckabee (which will of course destroy his reelection chances, but WTF).

But if they GOP faithful (and I mean that in every sense of the word) get behind Huck, we aren't going to see the rank and file so disgusted they'll stay home (like they would if their nominee was Mitt, Rudy or John McCain.)

This guy's pretty clean, folks. Mind you, the Clintons look like Ozzie and Harriet compared to the Bush Crime family and their Sopranoesque enablers, but that only makes Huckabee even more saintly.

All the Democratic candidates, including Hillary, can beat Rudy or Mitt, or even McCain. Those three are each in their own way a sell-out, and empty suit devoid of any more substance than the latest focus groups tell them to be. But that's the rap on Hillary too -- she just does it better.

Any other candidate, besides Hillary, ANY OTHER Democratic candidate can also compete against Huckabee's seeming authentic credentials as an outsider come to reform Washington and represent the people, not special interests -- even also-ran, life-time senators Biden and Dodd. But Hillary can't play on that turf like the rest of our field.

Huck's a nice enough guy, and says a lot that even I find appealing. But with Huck, you don't fix health care or end the war. Oh, and you can kiss legal abortions goodbye. So I can't ever vote for him, but a lot of Independent and moderate (Reagan) Democrats will.

We have to make ABSOLUTELY SURE that we nominate someone (you know, like that populist, nice-guy, southern charmer Edwards) who can run the table on any GOPer, including Huck.