Huckabee had a good run

I have never concealed my ardent support of Mike Huckabee's campaign for the presidency, either in the blogosphere or beyond.

But, his race came to an end last night, when John McCain finally won enough convention delegates to ensure he will be the next Republican presidential nominee.

I am still convinced that he is destined to bigger and better things.

I believe the next big thing for him will be a US Senate race in his native Arkansas. Then, in four years, who knows what the cards may hold.

In the mean time, the GOP is stuck with McCain and needs to spend the next few months mending fences while Hillary and Obama fight it out across the aisle.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. McCain's military service was heroic. But, what he has done in the halls of Congress, are worthy of a lot of scorn.

He is not so much a true rock-ribbed Republican as he is every Democrat's favorite Republican. His candidacy was foisted upon the GOP by a lot of media hype and crossover votes from Independents and liberals intent upon thwarting the conservative agenda. Sour grapes? Maybe.

All that being said, my main problem with McCain is that he is a flip-flopper on too many issues that are important to me. He wants to be everything to everybody. Here are a few of the most glaring examples:

1. TAXES - He didn't just vote against the Bush tax cuts once, he voted against them TWICE! (First in May 2001, and again in 2003.) as late as 26 Nov 2005, he told the Wall Street Journal the reason he opposed the tax cuts: "I just thought it was too tilted to the wealthy, and I still do." Now, he's running around the campaign trail saying he wants to make them permanent?!

2. IMMIGRATION - I will never forget 2005, when McCain partnered with Teddy Kennedy to craft the worst piece of legislative piffle in recent memory. It would have granted amnesty to some 12 million illegal aliens. But, this year at the Reagan Library debate, he said he would not vote for it himself if it was brought to the Senate floor?!

3. ABORTION - In an effort to pander to his buddies in the San Francisco media back in 1999, McCain told a Chronicle reporter, and I quote, "I would not support repeal of Roe v Wade." But, when speaking before South Carolina primary voters last year, he said, and again I quote, "I do not support Roe v Wade, it should be overturned."

4. TORTURE - This has been McCain's sacred cow, given his status as a former POW. But, when given the opportunity to require the CIA to abide my the Army Field Manual interrogation tactics, he voted AGAINST the bill last month.

5. IRAQ - McCain would also like to take credit for the successful change of course in Iraq, claiming at the aforementioned Reagan Library debate, "I'm the only one that said Rumsfeld had to go." Poppycock! In December 2004, when his friends in the media were trying to goad him into trashing Rumsfeld, he told them the president "can have the team around him that he wants around him."

Look, I am always willing to accept a true heart-felt conversion. We all evolve as we grow older, at least we should. And, McCain has been on this planet for a very long time. Now that Huckabee has cleared the way for him, the presumptive nominee needs to spend the next few months convincing folks like yours truly that his new positions on issues like listed above were taken from conviction and not just pandering for votes.

And, he needs a good running mate . . .