The most depressing story I've read all election season.

Granted, stories and rumors like this abound before the VP is chosen, but this name shouldn't be on any list:

Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and defeated contender for the GOP presidential nomination, is currently at the top of John McCain's short list for a running mate. At least that's the word from a top McCain fundraiser and longtime Republican moneyman who has spoken to McCain's inner circle. The fundraiser is less than thrilled with the idea of Huckabee as the vice presidential nominee, and many economic conservatives—turned off by the populist tone of Huckabee's campaign and his tax record as governor—are likely to share that marked lack of enthusiasm.

Ughhhhhhhhhhhh.

The problem with this line of thought is that it wasn't just economic conservatives who thought it was a bad idea to have Huckabee on the ticket. National security conservatives opposed him because of his lack of foreign policy experience and on the basis of how easily swayed he was on abandoning Guantanamo Bay. Some social conservatives liked that he was a Christian, but disliked his use of identity politics. Conservatives of all stripes can question his previous, liberal stances on issues ranging from crime to immigration.

If McCain's team is so inept that they don't realize that conservatives of all stripes have reason to oppose Huckabee, they deserve to lose.