Iowa hearts Huckabee

It should come as no surprise that Mike Huckabee is nipping at the heels of Mitt Romney in Iowa, where the latest polls indicate he is just six points behind the republican frontrunner. In a state where speaking to relatively small groups of people in personal settings is the key to success, the former governor's eloquent and affable manner are surely taking him far.

Romney's criticism of Huckabee's plan in Arkansas that gave tuition breaks to children of illegal immigrants seems like a desperate attempt to arouse people's knee-jerk reactions against anything having to do with immigration that doesn't include building a fence. Educating children, regardless of their immigration status, clearly benefits the whole community; unfortunately for Huckabee, many people probably don't see it that way.

Romney will probably have to do a bit better than that if he wants to quell support for the Arkansas underdog, who is appealing for all the reasons Romney and Giuliani are not. His executive experience is from the south, not the northeast; no one questions his conservative record; and the religious right can have no qualms with a creationist Baptist minister. Plus, how can you not like a guy who lost 100 lbs. and is "Chuck Norris approved"?!