[TCats]

I’ll say this about Novak - For an old codger he sure has an acute sense of th obvious!

[Tennessee Nana]

Will there be a debate ????

[littlehouse36]

“But McCain’s close advisers reject a place on the ticket for Huckabee, who is unacceptable to economic conservatives”

Hallelujiah!

[Salvation]

**No McCain/Huckabee ticket**

I knew that. McCain needs to have someone extremely conservative. Barbour?? Watts?? Santorum??

[egginanest]

McCain/Thompson

[jan in Colorado]

who is unacceptable to economic conservatives.

THAT, is an understatement, but it's the best news I've heard all day!

[Texan]

Could it be possible that Huckabee just needs a job? I haven’t read that he’s wealthy and I don’t think ex-governors get a pension like ex-presidents do. And he doesn’t have a church to go back to and preach. So......just thinking.

[mbraynard]

Did we really need Mr. Three Piece to tell us this?

Look for Pawlenty at number 2.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Insiders close to Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign have put out the word that there is absolutely no chance that his last remaining major opponent for the Republican presidential nomination, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, will become McCain’s vice presidential running mate.

Good.

[WildcatClan]

When you are unacceptable to McCain as a conservative that is really bad. As a Conservative, McCain is unacceptable to me. If Huckabee can stop him from getting the needed delegates, he will be a hero to me. If it is McCain, Obama or Hillary, it won’t matter. In 2102, we will have 10+ million new voters whichever it is. Given the current voting trends and the change in demographics, adios, Republicans.

[unspun]

Huckabee & Somebody

[LordBridey]

But McCain’s close advisers reject a place on the ticket for Huckabee, who is unacceptable to economic conservatives.

Are you serious? Economic conservatives don't want to abolish the IRS? Economic conservatives approve of McCain's opposition to the Bush tax cuts?

What a joke. I could think of a dozen other reasons not to want Huckabee. But economic conservatives?

[unspun]

Huckabee, who is unacceptable to economic conservatives.

I consider myself an economic conservative of the Adam Smith, Abraham Lincoln tradition -- and Mike Huckabee, too.

If by "economic conservative," Novak means Hamiltonian aristocrat, or revisionist Randite, he should define his terms much, much better.

[airborne]

If McCain wants to win, he needs to pick a conservative to placate the base, and someone from the south, to give him the states that he doesn’t have a chance of winning without a southern VP.

I leave it to others more knowledgeable to guess who.

[TigersEye]

McCain’s “conservative” record. My collection.

FR links on McCain's record from Feb. 2000. MrChips collection.

[LordBridey]

I tell you what. McCain had better be real smart about his vp pick. If Obama is the nominee, the south is going to have 100% turnout in certain demographics. On the republican side, McCain is an epic yawner. He could witness some really unprecedented losses if he is not extremely careful about his running mate. Were I him, I would worry more about about social conservatives than economic conservatives.

[dowcaet]

I think Huckabee wants to influence the Republican platform for the convention in September by staying in the race. There’s no doubt he’s aimimg for another presidential run in 2012 or 2016.

[TChad]

But McCain’s close advisers reject a place on the ticket for Huckabee, who is unacceptable to economic conservatives.

He is unacceptable to just about everyone who is not an evangelical Christian. He is exactly what Republicans did not need, a party divider. Candidates should appeal to all the main groups of the party.

This is very good news. Thanks, Mitt Romney, for giving your delegates to McCain.

[pallis]

McCain may go with a Republican VP, but he would prefer Lieberman or Hillary, someone who shares his political beliefs.

[maine-iac7]

Huckabee, who is unacceptable to economic conservatives

There's a clue hiding in plain site there