HUCKABEE AS ROMNEY'S VEEP?

So goes the speculation among some Republican faithful, who think Mitt Romney needs Mike Huckabee, the preacher from Arkansas, to help sway social conservatives from hating on the Mormon.

As RCP opines:

(Huckabee), the winner of the 2008 Iowa caucuses, remains one of the most popular and well-recognized conservatives nationwide, and his decision not to launch a second presidential run removed what might have been Romney’s toughest competitor on the road to the Republican nomination. 

Thus far, most GOP strategists assume that the urgency to defeat President Obama will negate any conservatives’ thoughts about staying home in November. Romney’s primary concern over the next five months, this dominant line of thinking goes, is to make headway with the narrow slice of the electorate who can be won by either candidate. 

With that in mind, Huckabee backers are quick to draw attention to the former Arkansas governor’s affable demeanor, lack of pretention, and his up-from-the-bootstraps personal story, all of which might soften Romney’s image and make the GOP ticket more relatable to blue-collar independents.

Or it could just piss off social conservatives who already think Romney is nothing but a light-skinned Barack Obama (the people who run Free Republic have long been anti-Romney and keep making noises about leaving the top of the ticket blank come Election Day).

We don't think it will come to that — the Freepers' hatred of Obama runs deep — but watch out for Mike Huckabee. We were struck by the fact that in 2008 he never mouthed off about Bill or Hillary Clinton. Maybe it was the Arkansas connection writ large.