Huckabee and the Fox Red Herring

Why is it that folks see what they want to see in a story?

Blogospheric buzz reveals the Huck Haters on both sides of the isle rubbing their hands in glee at the thought that Huck has thrown in the towel and 'moved on' with his contracted gig to 'contribute' to Fox news Election Headquarters program.

Does no one realize that clauses can be built into a contract that would provide legal ways for him to exit the arrangement without liability? There is no way Huck signed that contract without a clause that gets him released in the event that he is selected as VP. He's not stupid. Focused, ambitious..a political tactician..but not stupid.

In the meantime.. the naive drop their guard, thinking he is lost to the 'entertainment' element of the political game. In fact, with one brilliant move, he has positioned himself to get more involved than ever in this political cycle.

He gets free airtime to connect with a a faction of the GOP that was reluctant to embrace him, and his name recognition goes through the roof. The opportunity that Huckabee will get to peel away the layers of cricature that were painted onto his frame during the primaries is priceless. And by signing on with the network that could most easily disrupt his efforts to redeem his image, he has effectively silenced his biggest opposition. Fox has yet to eat one of its own.

With his natural ability to use the media to connect, Huck can use the summer months to make inroads with the GOP base that would make him priceless as a VP candidate for McCain, while providing him with a larger platform to continue his current PR surrogacy for McCain's candidacy. There are a LOT of social conservatives who stopped watching Fox during the primaries who will tune in again, and many of them have yet to be convinced to support him fully. Huckabee can help bring those folks to water, even if he cannot make them drink.

And if he doesn't get chosen.. he still has an open door into the homes of potential future voters.

The man is a political genius.. You don't think he knew that Fox has been the network most biased AGAINST his candidacy? He could have gone with MSNBC and be subject to the continued accusation that he is a closet liberal.

Instead he has gone into the lions den to reshapre the debate from the inside out. Just what his grassroots base is doing at the local level with the candidates endorsed and supported by his PAC

The establishment underestimates Huckabee at their peril. He is nobody's fool.

You don't get to the top without knowing how to the play the game, and Huckabee is proving to be one of the best at strategy. While some may sneer and call this 'opportunism' I can only shake my head in amazement. There is something in the water in Arkansas..lol

Good job Gov.