What Does It All Mean, Vern?

Yo, Tennessee Republicans. I have a question.

Huckabee?

Y’all went for freaking Mike Huckabee? Are you kidding?

Look, I know everyone is distraught that Fred Thompson never captured that special mojo that is the conservative zeitgeist. But Huckabee?

All I can think is, the rank-and-file conservatives did not vote, or else they took advantage of our state’s ridiculous open primary law and voted in the Democratic race in a lame attempt to game the system. Heh. Hey, Mr. Jim Smith of Franklin, you will now be the recipient of a deluge of Democratic Party mailings, canvassers and phone bankers. Serves you right, you loser.

That left the rural religious voters to swing the vote to Mike Huckabee. Not to mention the major effort the Huckabee campaign put into Tennessee. I mean good grief, they even robocalled me yesterday, which leads me to believe they robocalled everyone.

I have to say, I actually like Mike Huckabee. He’s a likable guy. I heard him on NPR a few weeks ago and I found myself nodding my head in agreement with him--until the interviewer pinned him down on specific policies. Then we were miles apart, much to my tremendous relief. But at least Mike Huckabee and I agree on what the country’s problems are. I certainly can’t say that for anyone else on the GOP side.

But I don't see this ending well for Gov. Huckabee. I know too many conservatives who are horrified at the Huckabee populism. All of this icky "let's help poor people stuff," sounds awfully Democratic, doesn't it?

I also wonder what this means for the Tennessee GOP establishment. You know, the Marsha Blackburns who supported Mitt Romney, then Fred Thompson, then Mitt Romney again. Looks like your influence wasn't very, well, effective. Should we stick a fork in them? Are they out of touch with Tennessee GOP voters?

Or does none of this matter because the Tennessee GOP primary ballot was reportedly about 50 pages long and did not contain candidates' names but rather the names of delegates? Who thought up that brilliant plan?

It's all very confusing to a simple-minded liberal.