This is why Huckabee has no shot

We like Mike Huckabee. He's an affable guy. We don't support him for president because he's not a conservative, and he's really quite clueless. For an example of the latter, check this out:

My colleague David Paul Kuhn attended an on-the-record dinner with Mike Huckabee and a group of reporters tonight in Des Moines.The transcript speaks for itself:

Kuhn: I don’t know to what extent you have been briefed or been able to take a look at the NIE report that came out yesterday ...

Huckabee: I’m sorry?

Kuhn: The NIE report, the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. Have you been briefed or been able to take a look at it —

Huckabee: No.

Kuhn: Have you heard of the finding?

Huckabee: No.

I know the Huckster's got a lot on his plate right now, but he hadn't heard of the NIE being released? Really? And he wants to be president? This isn't just some briefing handed down by some nameless, faceless government employee on the subject of proper toenail clipping. This is a national intelligence estimate. Now it can be argued that the estimate may have some questionable findings (as it should be questioned when not all 16 intelligence agencies agree with it). Additionally, the information they obtained shows that there is a distinct problem with both SIGINT and HUMINT in getting valid, unaltered with information out of the Iranian regime.

But Huckabee's admission that he hadn't heard about it, any of it's conclusions, and any of it's implications is exactly why he is almost a full twelve points behind Rudy nationally by RCP's averages. Not only is he not as conservative as he claims, but in matters of necessity, he's out to lunch.

Publius II