Well the "long shot" scenario did actually come together to a large extent.

But Mike just does not want to run. As he said in May when explaining his feelings (rather than thoughts) on choosing not to run, "in 2007 the signs looked awful for a run, this time they are great, go figure. (paraphrase)"

So it was fun seeing the door stay open, and open wider, as the events of this odd campaign year pass along.

But, from first to last the definition of "pipe dream" remained...



"My experiences of men has neither disposed me to think worse of them nor be indisposed to serve them: nor, in spite of failures which I lament, of errors which I now see and acknowledge, or the present aspect of affairs, do I despair of the future. The truth is this: The march of Providence is so slow and our desires so impatient; the work of progress so immense and our means of aiding it so feeble; the life of humanity is so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus discouraged. It is history that teaches us to hope."

-General Robert E. Lee,

_________________
"As for us, our days of combat are over. Our swords are rust. Our guns will thunder no more. The vultures that once wheeled over our heads must be buried with their prey. Whatever of glory must be won in the council or the closet, never again in the field. I do not repine. We have shared the incommunicable experience of war; we have felt, we still feel, the passion of life to its top."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

What now? This is the question I have been asking myself. Yeah, technically we have 2 more days to hope and pray, but with Cain leading in so many polls I feel like Mike can't get in without being seen as a threat to Cain and a boost to Romney.

So the dream is over. GH wont be running. It seems our country will AGAIN choose the guy or gal they hate less instead of the one that actually support. But what do we, as Huckabee supporters, do next? Do we move on to other candidates? Do we see if Obama wins another term and then gear up for the next election with Mike as our choice again?

Honestly I am tired. I haven't worked like many of you have, campaigning and volunteering for Mike since 2007. But I still feel worn down. I think it takes more out of me to have false hope (even if that false hope is my own doing) then to have never have hoped at all.

To me it seems there are three options moving forward.

Option 1 is to simply move our support to another candidate. Could someone like Santorum gain steam behind a strong evangelical christian base supporting him? I am sure we each have a distant 2nd choice.

Option 2 is to forget about politics until the general. I think that we can all agree that our current crop is still better than Obama, but maybe our "support" will simply be going to the polls next November and voting against another term for BHO.

Option 3 is to make a serious campaign for Huck to be the VP. A Romney/Huck ticket would be unstopable. I have felt that this might be something Huckabee wanted anyway....he wouldnt have the primary campaign trail to deal with, wouldnt have to give up his fox gig so early, and still plays a huge roll in American politics. If Huckabee endoreses Romney in the next month or two, this has to be a legit possibility.

Thoughts? Right now all 3 of those options sound like possibilities to me. We'll see what happens.

How about a Cain/Gingrich ticket?

I, for one, would be very disappointed (and that's an understatement) to see Gov. Huckabee link up with Mr. Romney.

Maybe Gingrich/Cain.....Cain is not experienced enough to be president. I do not understand why that flaw has not yet been pointed out by his opponents, except that maybe they are happier to have him at the top for a while to take votes away from Romney. Serioously though...he isnt winning.

Re. Option 1. I think we've seen so far that HA just is not going to agree about who's second best. It's kind of interesting; you'd think that since we're all strong Huckabee supporters, we might coalesce around another candidate as well.

Re. Option 2. Oh, how I wish I could forget about politics until the general.

Re. Option 3. I'm not sure we can really run a VP campaign. Ultimately it's a decision the nominee makes with his closest advisers, and I really doubt our ability to significantly affect that process.

_________________
THE TIMES are nightfall, look, their light grows less;
The times are winter, watch, a world undone:
They waste, they wither worse; they as they run
Or bring more or more blazon man’s distress.
And I not help. Nor word now of success:
All is from wreck, here, there, to rescue one—
Work which to see scarce so much as begun
Makes welcome death, does dear forgetfulness.
Or what is else? There is your world within.
There rid the dragons, root out there the sin.
Your will is law in that small commonweal…
G.M. Hopkins.

I have already decided to go with Gingrich in the primaries (if he makes it that far) with Perry as my back-up...just can't bring myself to vote for Romney and Cain has already made far too many blunders, has no executive experience and is a likeable guy but clearly not ready for the presidency. I don['t think I'll ever allow myself to become so dedicated to any other candidate because I don't want to set myself up for the disappointment I have felt over Governor Huckabee's not running. I know it was a personal decision that only he could make but, somehow, I feel he has let all of us down...I guess that's not a realistic point of view, but still I can't help but feel that way.

Does anyone here know what will become of this site? I would assume it will go away at some point in the near future. I really think this was Gov. Huckabee's time and he won't get another...

I, too, have decided to support Gingrich (if Huckabee does not suddenly jump into the race). Gingrich was counted out of the race by people way too early. Likely due to his impressive debate performances, his poll numbers have been steadily rising, and he has quietly slipped into third place in many polls. Out of all the remaining candidates, I think he's the only one who would be capable of being an effective president.

This might be a dumb question, but, are we absolutely sure there's no chance Huck will change his mind?

_________________
The Values Voter
http://thevaluesvoter.spaces.live.com

TVV, I'm still holding out hope, and will do so until the South Carolina deadline passes. Then, if Huckabee's not in, I'll endorse another candidate on Caffeinated Thoughts where I blog (in case you didn't know). Currently leaning towards Cain.

When is the SC deadline btw?

IF God doesn't grant us a Huckabee miracle, depending who is left by the time the TX primary rolls around, I will likely go with Santorum.

I'd vote Gingrich before I'd vote Romney or Perry.
I'm sorry, but after what I've seen from Cain these past 2 weeks, I am totally convinced that he is not even close to ready to lead this country.
I think Bachmann is going to admit defeat & fold soon.
Not sure why Huntsman is even bothering to continue.
Paul, like his followers, will never go away.

For the general, I will vote for whoever the GOP puts up to defeat Obama & continue to pray fervently for our country.

Wow, Hucks most die hard supporters are quite splintered when it comes to our number two. I will in the end vote ABO, but now leaning cain, bachmann, or Paul. Perry and Romney are both elites, I just cant do that unless they are the last man standing. Ive come to loath the elite class of repubs.

I have a feeling the Govs last gift to us is a Romney Nominee. I have a feeling, Gov Huckabee was the only one that could of taken the nomination away from him. Romney will not do well against Obama in a primary. Romney is not likable at all and then there is Romneycare.. Huckabee's reluctance to run (for whatever reason)., has left us in quite a bad situation.

I just personally could never support a Romney candidacy pretty much no matter what. I don't hate the guy. I don't wish ill toward the guy. I just don't believe him. I think he is the classic example of the politician who is willing to do anything and become anything for a vote. If his data mining political consultants told him the best way to become President was to propose an expansion of Obamacare, he would do it as soon as the primaries were over. If they told him the best way was to say that he had become an Evangelical, I believe he'd actually consider doing that. He has no unchangeable core beliefs other than the belief that he should be President.

_________________
The Values Voter
http://thevaluesvoter.spaces.live.com

Huck supporters will completely splinter the vote as not one of these candidates really has what it takes. Sad day. I am not sure I will support any of them; especially since the Alaska vote will be after the early states any way. It is probably not going to matter which one of these candidates win the nomination because I don't think any of them can beat Obama.

Interesting that many of you are planning to put your support behind Gingrich as he is also at or near the top of my list. I feel like I could beat Obama but still holds to alot of the social and fiscal values that I hold to as well. Santorum would probably be my 1a and he would be my 1b.

And it is the 27th so Huck could still change his mind

Personally I don’t find it odd at all that the soldiers here at Huck’s Army are looking at so many different candidates to be their new captain. What has always been most remarkable about Huckabee, and why he could, and can, come out of nowhere (OK Arkansas isn’t “nowhere” but you can see it from here) to the top tier of viable Presidential choices with no money, no elite support, and little organization, is his extraordinary combination of desired Presidential leadership traits.

Such as:
1.) Social Conservative - a clear voice on a culture of life and traditional morality including why it should matter as public policy

2.) Happy Warrior for the Common Man - clear voice of optimism and American exceptionalism with a personal story of living out a rise from poverty to prosperity.

3.) Outsider - a clear voice refusing to kowtow to the structural powers that be or compromise on core issues or give way to the pessimistic defeatism that we must settle for pastels rather than paint with bold colors.

4.) Proven - a clear record of less government economic policy equaling more economic prosperity and proven ability to actually govern a state over a 10 year period.

5.) Articulate Visionary - a clear record of foresight in identifying the real challenges on the horizon and pointing them out before they burst upon us and thoughtful, bold, policy proposals clearly and well expressed to head them off.

6.) Defender of True Free Enterprise - a clear voice challenging the creeping crony faux capitalism that allows government to pick winners and losers and a willingness to call such folks out by name.

7.) Global Perspective - a clear eyed understanding that the future of America is inexorably interconnected to global trade and stability and the need to stay informed and on top of both the threats and opportunities we face.

8.) Electable – clearly polls well in potential match-ups and can win when it matters most – against Obama.


Some of you are ahead of me already.
None of the field has this combination of traits but some have more than one and all (arguably) have at least one.

1.) Social Conservative - Santorum
2.) Happy Warrior for the Common Man - Cain
3.) Outsider - Bachmann
4.) Proven - Perry
5.) Articulate Visionary - Gingrich
6.) Defender of True Free Enterprise - Paul
7.) Global Perspective – Huntsman
8.) “Electable”- Romney

I can understand why folks will gravitate to one of these candidates because that trait, or combination of traits, seems particularly strong or important.
We all fundamentally want the same thing – A Strong, Moral, Free, and Prosperous America.
May we end up with leaders who make that more likely.

_________________
"As for us, our days of combat are over. Our swords are rust. Our guns will thunder no more. The vultures that once wheeled over our heads must be buried with their prey. Whatever of glory must be won in the council or the closet, never again in the field. I do not repine. We have shared the incommunicable experience of war; we have felt, we still feel, the passion of life to its top."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

The Elites are pretty much banking on the fact that if they can manipulate Romney into the nomination, we have nowhere else to go. They need to be shown differently.

Shown differently? Sorry, but IF Romney captures the nomination, they are right. There is no where else to go - any alternative to the GOP candidate is just a de facto vote for Obama. I'd vote for Huntsman or Paul if they won it. I'd vote for Romney's dog if he won it.

It's the virtue of prudence: "The primary is where you vote with your heart; the general is where you vote with your head." Obama's evil must be stopped.

Still, thankfully, Romney's winning of the GOP nom is nowhere near assured at this point.

Is Bachman's inclusion thus far to head off a Palin and/or Huckabee canidacy?

I don't know but ever since February she has been trying to be Huckabee in Iowa.

_________________
"We fought, we dreamed, that dream is still with us."
Ronald Reagan, 1976

TEAM HUCK IOWA
http://www.facebook.com/TeamHuckIowa

If Huckabee doesn't run then I'm left with two choices. Santorum or Gingrich. Both of whom have major flaws. I just can't support Cain as he is all over the place in his answers, has shown himself to be completely ignorant on matters of national security and frankly he even lacks knowledge on economic issues based on his totally downplaying the possibility of both a housing crash and a financial market crash. Honestly, when housing was way up I felt like something was wrong and I have little more then a high school education.

_________________
Judith Martinez
"It is true poverty for a child to die so that we may live as we wish."