There’s a google ad being run by the Huckabee campaign with the tagline “Who can beat Hillary Clinton?” Leaving aside the issue of whether or not Clinton will be nominated, it’s a terrible strategy for the Huckabee campaign to take. Because any objective reading of poll numbers would show that the Republican candidate who has the best chance to beat Clinton (or Obama) is John McCain. So why are the Huckabee people raising the “electability” issue when it’s one of their biggest vulnerabilities?
I don’t know either - except that he may want to argue that only an ideological conservative of some stripe can beat a Democrat this year.
Mind you, I don’t think Huckabee is terribly orthodox a conservative. He’s a Christian, which is another matter entirely. But it’s his argument to make, not mine.
Well, he said he’s hoping for a miracle. In that case, anything is possible.
Well, if God’s really on his side…I’m just sayin’.
I just figure Huckabee would be better off going with a strategy of “Support the candidate you believe in” or “Vote for what you think is right” - something that emphasizes that many voters are unhappy with the ideological beliefs of the leading three candidates. Instead, by focusing on electability, he’s emphasizing that he’s in fourth place and his chances of regaining lost ground are slim.
I guess it’s the old “We won’t beat the Democrats by being like the Democrats” thing. It won’t work, but I keep hearing it’s mathematically impossible for him to win anyway.
Except that lots of people aren’t too satisfied with his beliefs either.
Let’s be clear - Huckabee is done. The most he can get now is some consideration for his positions. He won’t be a running mate - McCain has to pick a more orthodox conservative to unify the party, and Huckabee doesn’t fit this bill.