Aftermath

Support for Mike Huckabee is being poured out on the blog over at Huckabee.com and many are calling for a campaign to urge John McCain to select Mike as his running mate. There are many reasons why this is not likely to happen, and the most important one is that it might be the worst possible move Mike could make. As John Edwards discovered this year, being tied to a losing ticket doesn't help your political future.

Of the candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination, John Edwards was the only one who spoke to the real concerns of people who make up the Democratic base, yet his campaign never took off. Why? I think there were two reasons:

1. Concern for Elizabeth Edwards health
2. People saw him as a loser after the acrimonious campaign in 2004

Is it fair? Not at all, but who says politics is fair?

I'm willing to add my 2 cents worth to the debate. I say there is a pattern to follow in Ronald Reagan's loss at the convention in 1976. Reagan spent the next four years gaining traction and building his bona fides as a statesman. The nomination in 1980 wasn't a walk in the park, but a backward look shows that it was almost inevitable. This is the time for Mike Huckabee to become more well known. No matter who wins the election this year, Mike has the opportunity to speak out on the issues and serve as the conscience of his party. Four years well spent could well reap big rewards in 2012.