Why Huck Won't Be Veep

I've always thought the notion of Mike Huckabee running with McCain as a vice-president was a little foolish. Sure, Huck brings evangelicals and the South, but it takes more than cold electoral calculus to make a good ticket. For one, few candidates like assistants who can take attention from them, and Huck sure can. But also, Huckabee brings very little in terms of qualifications or experience, and one could argue that McCain needs a policy wonk. More confirmation from this story on Politico:

In 2005, he sat down with Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal, and said: "I'm going to be honest; I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated." On the campaign trail, he's also suggested he'd look for a vice presidential running mate with strong economic credentials to balance weaknesses of his own.

If not for the baggage from his run, Mitt Romney would be the ideal man to do that. Of course, Mitt would blow the center McCain strives for, and also is more charismatic than the Mac, so you can rule him out.

What Mac needs ... hold your horror ... is a Dick Cheney type veep. Policy wonk, no political ambitions. Ok, maybe not someone quite so polarizing ...