A new theory is percolating out there in regard to Mike Huckabee's astounding break-out in the Republican presidential race. The former Governor has very little staff and very little money (even Ron Paul has vastly out-fundraised him), but he is now the Republican front-runner in Iowa and several other states. Huckabee is an extremely gifted speaker, and it's hard not to like him, and he has a lot of support among the Christian community, but could there be more? A number of pundits have started questioning the true cause of Huckabee's meteoric rise to the top of the heap from a complete unknown just a few months ago.
Douglas MacKinnon puts it well in his Townhall.com article, suggesting that the MSM has selected Huckabee as the non-fringe candidate most likely to lose in a general election. As such, they're giving him a 'free pass' and pumping him up, much as they pump up Hillary Clinton. Given his outspoken evangelical Christian background, MacKinnon suggests that the MSM thinks he'll be the easiest to ridicule into defeat, especially given the fact that Huckabee has used the God thing almost shamelessly to garner support.
A very interesting theory, to be sure. It seems a bit far-fetched on the surface, with the MSM having that enough power to essentially select the candidates from both sides. But, if you think about how the MSM pounds messages into the heads of Americans on a daily basis, this theory might not be all that unrealistic.
Personally, I like a lot of things about Huckabee, but there are some major weaknesses (i.e. illegal immigration) that he will have to overcome. Whether or not this theory is correct, it bears some thought and some observation. After all, perception is reality, and the MSM certainly has the power to influence perception.
There's my two cents.
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