setting all that aside, i sometimes think huck just decided he isn't going to quit until there's no time left on the clock. that's admirable, in its own way.

Obama and Hillary are very close positionally to one another.  The battle there appears to be more over the personalities and image and who the face of the party is to be.  This is not as much a battle between a centrist and their far left wing.

The Republican Battle is an ideology split.  A significant portion of the party, which has exercised control over candidate selection on platform in the past, find themselves with a candidate whom they cannot fully endorse.

It's hard to understand exactly why Huckabee is staying in the race.

1.  There aren't enough delegates in the race left for him to win.

2.  Romney has endorsed McCain and on that basis alone its reasonable to assume that more than 50% of Romney's delegates will swing to McCain.

3.  Huckabee has become identified as the de Facto leader of a strong faction of the party which will need to turn out and vote for McCain in the general election.

The democrats are breaking records on voter turnout for a primary.  The chance of this going to the convention is energizing them and they have a late convention this year.  Election day is less than 3 months away from that date.  That energy could move quickly into the General Election and the Democrat nominee, probably Obama, but maybe Hillary, will carry momentum.

If Huckabee quits now, the Republicans will lose energy of a significant portion of their traditional support turning out to make their voice heard.  Huckabee himself is being very careful not to take a swing at McCain directly and focus on the voice of the constituency he is connecting with.

Huckabee and McCain were pretty much cooperating with each other while Romney was in the race and the major threat.  McCain's people threw support to Huckabee in West Virginia for example to block Romney from winning a caucus.

I thought at that time that there must be a deal between McCain and Huckabee for Huckabee to be the running mate.  When Romney dropped out, I was surprised that Huckabee didn't as well.

Maybe party strategists don't want the focus to be just on the Democrats right now and want to maintain interest in voter turnout.  If Huckabee gets some wins and the voters who now say they can't support McCain, see their voice heard and THEN McCain brings Huckabee on board at or just before their convention, they may believe they will maintain some momentum and allow those rejecting Huckabee a sense of victory that will bring more people to vote for him with the conservative heir apparant on the ballot.

Either that he's an egotistical shooting star who's enjoying some time in the limelight.  ;)

there are many republicans who don't want McCain in power, that's why they are for Huck. I think Huck is staying in so the votes will actually be there. It would be sad to see only one guy to vote for, and the republicans stay home because they don't want to side with McCain. can you imagine how that would be spun in the media?

i guess that's what you said Bart. 

We need to nominate someone who has been a true conservative and John McCain is not it.

On a related note, I was flabbergasted when Mitt Romney endorsed McCain. I am totally confused! That makes Mitt Romney just as bad as McCain and I never would have guessed it. I just can't believe how politicians (Romney was not supposed to be one) compromise values or don't hold them strongly enough to abide by them.

For me this race is not about a political party and surrounding that party for the betterment of said party. For me this race is about choosing the best candidate for the job of President of the United States.

Many Americans, myself included, want to have the right to choose the candidate we feel is the best fit and not have our elected officials force a candidate down our throats.

Whatever happened to "we the people and by the people." This election is crucial because the sovereignty of American is on the line with the three Senatorial candidates that we have before us as well as many of our Christian values.

I recently fought McCain tooth and nail on a bill that would redraw the lines of America to include Canada and Mexico, which unfortunately passed. [And people wonder why he takes the positions he takes on border control and illegal immigrants?]

But I digress.

The point is that the election process is meant to give the American people a voice in choosing who will lead our country. Mike has many people who believe he is that candidate and have written him almost daily asking him to stay in the race.

He is staying in because he truly believes that

1. He is the best choice for the job, and

2. because he believes that this election process is about the people's right to vote, and

3. because we are asking him to stay in the race and fight to become the 44th president.

His staying in has nothing to do with ego, becoming VP or whatever. It has to do with his commitment to fulfilling a promise to those who support him that he would run this race until he won, or until another winner was chosen. Neither of which has happened.

Despite what the media may lead us to believe it is not unusual for this process to go to the convention and be brokered nor is it a bad thing. Ultimately, what is important is that the people have the right to vote and that their voices are heard.

Although I am a newbie when it comes to the branding process, I took your book to heart and completely redid my website to brand Mike as, "THE candidate you can TRUST."

And I do, bar none.