Romney Up In Florida, Too

Update: Just want to add this thought - guess who Huck will end up helping most in the end? Romney. Why? Because Rudy and Fred are cratering as per below. The bulk of the GOP base, excluding only the most devout Evangelicals, are and will become increasingly mortified by Huck. Guess where they'll land? That's right, on Romney. As it stands, he, not Huckabee or Rudy, is actually the guy to beat in the end. And I don't believe anyone will - in the primary or the general, as a matter of fact.

Look, I'm not cheer leading here, as some have been accused of doing for certain candidates, whether or not it's true. I'm simply staying with what I believe will eventually shake out as regards the Huckaboom. The media worked that story, now they are tearing into him - a few weeks from now, their fun will be dissecting the Huckabust.

Think about it. From Rush to right-side bloggers, we spend most of our time talking about how the media creates these storms, which are often then mirrored in the polls on people's attitudes. But because this one is politics, many of us are caught up inside the storm.

The new Rasmussen Florida poll has Huck 27 - Romney - 23 - Rudy - 19 - Fred 9. Last month it was : Giuliani on top with 27% followed by Romney at 19% and Thompson at 16% - Huck 9.

The real story of this poll is the bad news for Rudy and Fred - they're cratering. Ultimately, I see Romney as the man in the middle, positioned to gather up what he needs to win. I could go deeper into money, the ability to last - the potential to not self-destruct. But I won't. If anything concerns me slightly, it is Huck's hiring of Ed Rollins. But even that concern isn't much - his wiki.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee scored a major victory Thursday when he secured the support of prominent GOP insider Ed Rollins, who will serve as national chairman of Huckabee’s campaign.

Reagan made Rollins, not the reverse. And do you think he actually told Ross Perot what to do? Do you want to talk Kathleen Harris? He's such a Republcian insider, he's also working for Democrat, K.T. McFarland. Unlike Huckabee's Covenant Marriage, I don't see this one working out - not to great effect in he end, anyway.

Rollins, who has struggled with recent campaigns, was known as the campaign manager behind Ronald Reagan’s landslide reelection in 1984.

In recent years, Rollins has been associated with K.T. McFarland, but he continues to be regarded as a stalwart of Republican consultants. 

Comments

[daveinboca]

I'm for Fred, but will vote for Romney if the polls show Fred is at the back of the pack. Anybody but the "theologian" from Southwest Ouachita State.

Mitt was right when he told the Huckabye Baby that tax money to educate illegal aliens' kids wasn't HIS money. We need a Chinese Wall on the Rio Grande, not a weight-loss hero.

[jj]

"Look, I'm not cheerleading here..."

Bullshit on that. You've been cheerleading, well, a better word would be shilling, for Mitt for quite some time. You ought to at least be truthful, Dan.

[Dan Riehl]

"for Mitt for quite some time"

Nonsense, jj - For months Mitt's comphas been Rudy and Fred - I haven't bashed either. I am blogging the Huckaboomlet and it's impact. I would vote for Rudy, Fred, maybe even McCain. But from organization, money and positioning, with all the different weaknesses, of which Mitt has plenty - when Huck caves, he may be the one to beat.

[jj]

"I am blogging the Huckaboomlet and it's impact."

Yeah, and I'm the Easter Bunny. You haven't been blogging so much as you've been shilling. Sorry, Dan, but it's quite obvious to any objective person out here that you have become obsessed with Huckabee. Look at your blog. The vast majority of your blog posts have been negative for Huck and positive for Mitt, but you've said or linked to almost nothing that would define Romney and his positions, which have been liberal for the most part. How do you think he got to be the governor of Massachusetts, the most liberal state in the union? He's no conservative, yet you have passed him off as such with nary a link provided to prove it.

No, Dan, you gave Mitt a free pass. But that's ok. When he rises to the top, he will be the target of the blogs, and we'll learn quite a bit about this guy, and my guess is that most conservatives will not like what they see.

[Dan Riehl]

"negative for Huck"

Indeed I have been. But the shilling for Mitt doesn't hold. Huckabee isn't someone I can support because of his policies. Not sure why that's an issue for you. But, whatever.

[lonetown]

The beauty of having Rollins work for you is all the walking around money he carries.

[Open Mind]

I first thought Huckabee had some potential, he is charming. Now that I have found out about his record I'm mortified. If the Republican Party votes him in it will be the biggest mistake. His record of releasing felons is unbelievable, talk about bad judgment. He supports in state tuition for illegal immigrant's children and scholarship programs. Again very bad judgment. His laundry list of gifts and appointments is embarrassing. It clearly shows Huckabee cares more about gifts then his ethics.

You are absolutely right, after looking at the records, I'm supporting Mitt Romney. Both Huckabee and Mitt were Pastors for their churches...Huckabee was paid, Mitt wasn't. When they both were Gov. again Huck's salary wasn't enough he had to accept lots of gifts several hundred thousand dollars worth. Mitt did not even take his salary as Gov.of Mass. When Mitt ran the Olympics he not only did NOT take a salary, he donated a million dollars to the games.

The Republican Party doesn’t need any more money hungry statesmen or scandals. That’s a big reason I’m supporting Mitt. Not to mention he has by far the BEST resume of any candidate. I want change, I want action, I want ethics!

[seekeronos]

Having a God-fearing man running for the office of the POTUS is nice, in that there is a fairly good chance that he will stick by his principles.

HOWEVER, the record on Huckahasbeen is VERY inconsistent with what we would expect out of a small government conservative. Sure, he may have social policy more or less nailed down - but that is not the whole package.

Mitt is a lukewarm answer, and has major traction - probably because he is triangulating his response and focus-grouping everything so that he can win by appealing to the largest common denominator of the voters.

Not as principled as someone who sticks entirely by their guns, but he will be more the likely to win.

Fred IS the ideal answer (IMHO), but his lukewarm showing until now has become his biggest obstacle.

But, I want to encourage my fellow FredHeads to stay with Fred regardless of what the MSM-controlled polls have to say.

[David]

God-fearing my eye. Huck's the biggest hypocrite of all of them. How does an ordained minister have such giant moral (labeled "ethical" in government) lapses? He doesn't believe a word he ever preached. If he did, he would have not been so dishonest/unethical/immoral (circle one) about the gifts and under the table tobacco money. Then lying about a degree in theology. How does an ordained Christian mininster lie about THAT of all things? (Lie about your taxes or something, but not having a theology degree for crying out loud!!) The Huckster has demonstrated that he has no moral compass--which he above all other candidates as a self-proclaimed "Christian Leader" should have. If the hardcore evangelicals somehow succeed in getting the Huckster elected, they will deserve all the embarrassment they get. Slick Mike is the Republican equivalent of Slick Willie. There's something in the water in Hope, Ark. I for one don't want to drink his flavor of "Jesus Juice" again. Spare us another governor from Hopeless, Arkansas.

[julia]

What an odd thing to say. KT McFarland was a Reagan administration official who ran as a Republican. She was endorsed by (Bush 43 foreign policy advisor) Henry Kissinger.

You may not like the strain of republicanism she represents, but she's definitely a Republican, and a Republican with pretty significant connections.

[James Palmer]

Huck is burying himself with his Baptist retoric, they hate women almost as bad as arabs. Most baptist will turn againist him. This guy is a badguy and don't think his religion won't affect his office. People that is the relgious right we all want out. I agree we need a little shot of religon in our country but not his type.