This was the same venue where, just yesterday, Governor Mitt Romney suspended his campaign and Arizona Senator John McCain sought to shore up his support among Conservative voters.
However, the response of the crowd to the Governor from Arkansas, from the moment he began his deeply personal and engaging address, was exuberance and loud applause.
He certainly was, as they say “preaching to the choir.”
Huckabee delivered a stirring address to the packed room. Clearly and without any hesitation he proclaimed his bedrock commitment to the right to life and a human life amendment.
He proclaimed his support for marriage and, again without hesitation, his support for a marriage amendment. He went through a litany of issues of deep concern to those who had gathered covering economic, national security, social and cultural concerns.
All of this while weaving stories of his life, family and participation in the American promise.
Most news commentators, no matter what their political bent, declared it to be an outstanding example of the candidates oratorical skills.
It was his crowd and it would turn out to be his day.
After telling the packed hall in Washington, D.C.that he was not quitting the race, the former Governor from Hope, Arkansas, Mike Huckabee proceeded to surprise many observers by winning the Kansas Republican caucuses with a wide margin.
At last count, with 65 percent of the precinct numbers tabulated, Mike Huckabee had 61 percent, John McCain had 24 percent. And Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who hinted to his supporters that he may take a different approach to campaigning in a weekend E-Mail message, had 11 percent
Many observers were looking to the Kansas results to see how McCain’s efforts to secure his apparent frontrunner status by winning more conservative voters to his cause were proceeding.
The Arizona Senator has the strong backing of former Presidential contender Sam Brownback of Kansas, an ardent supporter of the Right to Life.
However, it was Mike Huckabee who secured the victory in Kansas, handily.
Give Huckabee his due. He is the only candidate who can hold a candle to Obama as an orator.
Well at least I don’t think we’ll see any claims of collusion this time.
Who?
Very interesting. However, more interesting will be the results of Louisiana and Washington later today. My hunch is that Senator McCain will win both, and McCain holds big leads in the Virginia and Maryland primaries on Tuesday.
This weekend could turn out to be Huckabee’s last stand . . .
McCain should suspend his campaign .
Thus far it looks like Huckabee beat McCain in every single county. There are three left to count. Ron Paul beat McCain in a couple of counties. LOL! I hope this trend keeps up in other states.
BTW, Brownback messed up big time with his endorsement of McCain. I love Brownback, but he has really been off the mark lately.
For those that wish watch Mikes speech.
http://www.hucksarmy.com/videos/HuckCPAC2008.html
Hmm... perhaps Romney should endorse Huckabee instead of McCain. Give McCain a taste of his own pill like he did in WV...
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/09/feb.9.contests/index.html
Going into the Saturday contests, Huckabee had 181 delegates to McCain’s 714, according to CNN calculations.
“I know the pundits, and I know what they say: The math doesn’t work out,” Huckabee said Saturday morning at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. “Well, I didn’t major in math, I majored in miracles. And I still believe in those, too.”
All I can remember is Hannity saying "Rudy, Rudy, Rudy," even though he knew that Rudy was pro abortion and pro homosexual marriage etc. Every day Hannity says that he is a Reagan Republican but before anyone even had a chance to think, Hannity started to cheer lead for the cross dresser.
This result is because McCain is siphoning the non-Huckabee vote away from Ron Paul.
Good! He’s not my first, second or third choice, and not exactly a forth choice, but he is better than McCain, even if he in cahoots with McCain.
Wow, Huckabee almost trippled McCain in votes!!!!