Mike and Me

Yesterday, I got up at the crack of dawn and headed down to Greenville, SC for an opportunity to see Mike Huckabee in person at a meet and greet. Short version of the story is that it was worth every single minute of driving to see him in person.

People, this guy is the real deal. I don't have a tremendous amount of experience being around people in politics, but I have met a couple of congressmen, a senator and heard Dubya speak on the campaign trail in 2000 in a pretty big venue. The biggest impression I came away with yesterday of Mike Huckabee is that this guy is grounded. He knows what he believes, he knows where he stands on the issues and he has a foundation of belief that guides him. There was no Karl Rove or James Carville whispering in his ear what the focus groups want to hear (at least, as far as I know). Huckabee's position as an outsider and an unexpected candidate gives him the freedom to be himself.

The stump speech itself was excellent...the same things we have been hearing Huckabee talk about his entire campaign. His values, his modest upbringing, the things he got done in Arkansas and how a focus on Vertical Politics can change the horizontal, confrontational mindset that rules politics today. Honestly, if I had to list everything he said in detail, I couldn't do it. But what I walked away from with yesterday was a sense of optimism for the future. This is a guy who has a vision and has the ability to work with people to get it done. I left the venue ready to do whatever I can to get this man elected president of the United States. I guess the worst thing about it is after meeting him, I don't think I could get as jazzed about someone else if Huckabee doesn't win the nomination...but I feel pretty confident that as long as enough people see the Mike Huckabee I saw yesterday, he will win.

I wonder...was this what it was like to encounter Ronald Reagan in 1980? :)