Wrong, that was Fred’s role. His real purpose in South Carolina’s primary was to take votes away from Huck, thereby helping McCain pull off a 3-point win in that states important primary. Thompson was the “spoiler” candidate for the Washington establishment. They didn’t like Huck because he wanted to do away with the IRS and replace it with the Fair Tax. Also, Huck was the only one of the candidates to oppose the establishment of a jihadist Palestine in the heart of Israel’s Judea and Samaria. And Washington didn’t like that either.
It is never a very bright strategy to aim for the runner-up when you want the big prize. It might be a bright stategy only if your real goal is the #2 spot.
But McCain really had no tactical reason to pick a RINO for #2 when he needed a conservative to shore up his base. Sarah Palin can have the 2012 nomination if she wants it (and if we still have a country). Romney might give her a token contest from the RINO wing, but in the end he will lose. Huck won't even get very far out of the gate because we all saw how much money he was able to raise once he had served his role as Judas Goat to secure the nomination for McCain.
Yeah, the Fair Tax is a good idea. But with Obama working overtime to socialize health care, politicize the census to ensure a permanent liberal majority and legalize 30 million illegal aliens, what are the chances that it will even be discussed?