Brava!

It must be sorely, sorely tempting to McCain, lacking an obvious VP candidate as sop to the self-appointed representatives of the supposed "base," to take Huckabee, his proven talents, his constituency (who have a much better claim to the title of "base" stalwarts), and his economic populism on board. A kind of American Kadima, or maybe Schwarzeneggerism on a national scale, with much better conservative credentials either than Schwarzenegger's or than those belonging to the agitators presuming to threaten McCain from the far right. It might just work electorally (Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania) and, win or lose or lose respectably, it would drive the ideological conservatives in talk radio, the blogs, and certain publications right up the wall. The downside would be that those on the nominal right who couldn't restrain themselves from rooting vociferously against such a ticket might claim a level of redemption from bad results, but up to the moment of decision they would continue to help draw centrists to the ticket.