Among the current batch of candidates, only one stands heads and shoulders above the rest ... Mike Huckabee !!!

Mike Huckabee ... an actually deserving wannabee

No other candidate in either party has either the executive experience (10 1/2 years as Governor of Arkansas), the successful writing experience (go to Amazon.com and see for yourself ... starting with Kids Who Kill through to this year's From Hope to Higher Ground) nor the simple out-and-out character ... for the terribly difficult job ahead.
You all know how opposed I am to the war in Iraq, so my backing someone who is actually in support of the war (more or less) says something about the character of the man I'd like to see in the White House in January of 2009. Former Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, is certainly not politically correct. But ... he most certainly is is a man of strength, integrity, love, conviction, patriotism, family, honesty and oh yes, Christianity--quite a departure from the two most recent occupants of the WH.

I recommend that all of you read and re-read the events that put Mike Huckabee in the State House in Arkansas--itself a "Profile in Courage." In short, his first inauguration was nearly hijacked and only saved by the work of Arkansas Democrats who put their sense of honor ahead of politics.

Obviously, Huckabee's pro-life position puts him in a politically incorrect camp. He was/is a minister to boot--clearly verboten in American politics--at least since about the time of Jimmy Carter. [Compare Huckabee's position with that of Mitt Romney who has been pro-life, pro-abortion and now somewhere in the middle, or nearly every Democrat except me who are all "Roe vs. Wade advocates" to the core.]

Until now, I have not really endorsed Huckabee nor ever even written a blog posting on "Why I Like Mike". The main reason is that I have never considered him to have had much of a chance against the tens of millions of dollars that his Republican rivals have put up, nor does he seem to have a chance against the far more charismatic and well-known Democrats who are running this time around.

And, oh yes -- a couple of other factoids:

"First, He has the most Executive Experience out of the remaining (and yet to be announced) GOP Candidates for President. In early 1993, Mike Huckabee became only the 2nd elected Republican Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas...since Reconstruction. He served as Lieu. Governor until a conviction in the "Whitewater Scandal" forced then Governor Guy Tucker to resign. Mike was sworn in as Governor on July 15, 1996...becoming only the 3rd Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He was overwhelmingly re-elected (in a Democratic state) for two more full terms...finishing his service at the end of 2006.

As a conservative Republican Governor, Mike worked with the Democratic State Legislature and got things done. Mike led the state in becoming more fiscally responsible, implementing "pro-life" and "pro-family" laws, improved the education system in the areas of resource accountability, student test scores, and teacher enrichment (while also supporting "Homeschool" families), and promoted advancements in the Health care system (especially for preventive measures and health care for underprivileged children)." ... taken from his unofficial "Elect Mike Huckabee in 2008" Blogsite

But quite frankly, I see him as also being the winner of every Republican debate until now and, after having finished second in the Iowa Straw Poll ... maybe, just maybe ... this fine and credible candidate has a chance.

We'll just have to wait and see.