Submitted by Julia Monroe, Jan 9, 2008 09:42

Check the poll numbers at realclearpolitics.com - Huckabee is leading in the national polls, is ahead by far in South Carolina, but the TV talkers this AM are ignoring him to talk about a McCain-Romney face-off in South Carolina. Obama was their really big news after Iowa, but Huckabee's win was much more impressive because he hardly spent anything while Obama outspent Romney to secure his win.

Despite 2 and 1/2 terms as governor of Arkansas, Huckabee is invariably referred to as "the preacher". Harrison Ford was a carpenter before he became an actor, but you don't see him called "the carpenter". There has been a lot of talk about "anti-Mormon" bias, but the real story is "anti-Christian" bias.

I don't know if Huckabee is the Republican's best chance in 2008, but the behavior of the Republican establishment is hard to understand. Here is an appealing, articulate candidate who is leading in their polls, and they seem to just want him to go away. If his anti-tax record isn't perfect, remember that he was dealing with a Democratic state legislature just as Ronald Reagan was in California. There may not be a perfect choice, but Huckabee could be a good choice. His debating skills are formidable, and if he's doing this well on almost no money, just think what he could do with a little backing.

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