Huckabee Hit Parade

After yesterday's right-left jabs from the Washington Post, the Republican Great White Hope is bashed today by the New York Times with charges of a Nixonish slush fund from tobacco lobbyists during his days as lieutenant governor of Arkansas.

Huckabee's sudden rise in the polls has drawn hits not only from Big Media (read cosmopolitan urban latte drinkers) but little media like National Review, whose web site keeps raining anti-Huck posts, including not only doubts about his conservative credentials but scorn for his claims of a theology degree when he was actually a seminary dropout.

Compared to Rudy Giuliani's whoppers, Huckabee's little fibs look benign, but there seems to be a deeper unease about him percolating across the political spectrum. National Review editor Rich Lowry says he agrees with the assessment that "Huckabee could be a disaster," likely to "lose conservatives on taxes, spending and immigration and alienate moderates and Democrats on social issues."

To add to all the ideological confusion, there is a remarkably statesmanlike piece by Huckabee in the new issue of Foreign Affairs asserting "The Bush administration's arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home and abroad. American foreign policy needs to change its tone and attitude, open up, and reach out. In particular, it should focus on eliminating Islamist terrorists, stabilizing Iraq, containing Iran, and toughening its stance with Pakistan."

Huckabee's foreign policy stance sounds suspiciously urbane (read ghost-written) for a candidate who was surprised by reporters' questions about NIE conclusions on Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Political campaigns are supposed to sort out such questions but, as Iowa and New Hampshire draw near, will there be time for voters to see the real Huckabee stand up?

Fred Thompson Blowing Smoke in Iowa

The newest Republican candidate started to close the gaffe gap yesterday by telling Iowans why the Iraqis are turning against Al Qaeda. "They said, 'You gotta quit smoking,’” he observed in explaining why tribes in Anbar province are coming over to our side.

Aside from that revelation, Fox News called his campaigning “lackluster,” with hazy answers on gay marriage and health care.

"There's a fair amount of rhetoric there, but in terms of action and results we just don't see it,” says right-wing activist, Richard Viguerie. “It's almost like he's gotten another Hollywood role where he's supposed to play a conservative."

According to the conservative house organ National Review, Thompson “has done nothing, anywhere, ever. The Hubble Telescope could not find what he has done, because he has not done it. It would be unwise to put such a man in the White House at this moment in history.”

To top it all, opponents have dusted off a 1996 Thompson memo titled “Breaking from the Republican Pack” that trumpets examples of his "legislative independence from 'the party line'" when he "voted against the Republican majority," listing liberal positions on campaign finance reform, consumer protections and tort reform to rebut Democratic charges of being too partisan.

Thompson may be beginning to wonder if he declared too soon,