Friday, February 22, 2008

Huckabee's Brokered Convention Strategy- Why is this big News?

I am feeling under the weather so I stayed home and slept in. When I did my daily Huckabee news search I see Mike Huckabee's strategy: Deadlocked convention and a ton of blogs and news stories commenting on this.

Why is this news? It is not exactly been a secret. Especially since there is not enough delgates left for Hucakbee to get a majority.In fact this has been commented on by Team Huckabee since the Chesapeake Primaries.This is of course part of the rationale for Huckabee to keep running till McCain gets the magic number. The LA Times article says:

In an interview with a San Antonio radio station this morning, Mike Huckabee essentially confirmed the suspicions of many analysts. He's hanging on in the Republican presidential nomination fight hoping to keep John McCain from winning enough delegates to get the nomination on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention in September.
Huckabee's thinking: With no clear nominee, the conservative wing will move to him, and he might be able to snatch the nomination in a floor fight, he told station WOAI-AM (1200). But it will take an upset win in Texas on March 4 to do that, he said.
"If we win Texas, I think it changes the dynamics of this race," Huckabee said. "It could well go all the way to the convention. If the convention delegates pick the president, chances are they would pick the most conservative. I would be the one they would end up picking, if that’s the criteria."
That's a lot of "ifs." Polls in Texas vary widely, but the Real Clear Politics
aggregate gives McCain a 12-point lead, which might be close enough for Huckabee to pull off a surprise. Especially if McCain's base believes that the nomination is all his and doesn't bother to vote.

Confirmed suspicions? I think this has been common knowledge for some time. Now is it likely to happen? It is a long shot.

I am Huckabee supporter however I still am not Pravda over here. I have looked at the numbers and McCain is very likely to get the numbers he needs just by staying in. Even if Huckabee wins a lot of states coming up. Needless to say this is why Huckabee needs to get 50.1 percent of the votes in Texas so he can grab them all. If that does not happen then Huckabee and McCain and Paul split up Congressional districts.

People are supporting Huckabee for various reasons. For instance I am supporting Huckabee because

(1) I like Him
(2) I want him to continue talking about his message(which 90 percent I agree with)
(3)He reminds conservatives and especially social conservatives what is at stake in Nov
(4)His staying in the race is good for the GOP and he has money to spend to remind people of the GOP message
(5)It helps the media from not giving us the Hillary and Obama show non-stop for months and no mention of our party
(6) I want him to network and meet people for his own possible political future
(7) It continues to starve off a possible third party run by extreme elements in the conservative party
(8) He needs to rehab himself after a year of being slandered by Club for Growth Types and other conservatives as some "Christian Socialist"
(9) If he does not get the nod no doubt he will become even more of a effective surrogate for John McCain
and
(10) I would still like him to be President

Huckabee since Super Tueday has not gone really negative on McCain. He is running on his ideas. If McCain has to respond good for him. He needs to because the campaigning for the general has truly begun.

Am I anti McCain? Heck no. I am pro Huckabee. McCain is not being damaged or hurt for the general. If he gets the nod all this will help him. It is still early and people need to relax. We don't even know who will be the democrat opponent. If McCain has to set up organizations in upcoming states does that not help the GOP and him for the general if he gets the nod? IS not Huckabee efforts in finding engaged Social conservatives helpful too for the fall?

By the way. In all the times the GOP has gone to a brokered convention we won in the fall. Even it happened it would not be doom and gloom. A little excitement is perhaps what we need to counter a Democratic convention that will be must watch television.

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