Conservative political pundits have to get away from their tendency to be influenced by group-think. I am amazed how most cannot see the forest for the trees. John McCain is the front runner by default simply because conservatives everywhere superficially looked at the backgrounds of the candidates seeing Reagan attributes where none existed. So goes the short list of "conservative messiahs"

First, Fred Thompson, who almost believed the press clippings about himself, was heralded as the only real Reagan conservative before fulfilling his real mission of diluting the conservative vote for both Romney and Huckabee. This helped his friend John McCain sustain his bid by winning South Carolina and divided the conservative vote everywhere else. Apparently his Geritol didn't kick in until S.C. He then gave a "conservative high five" to McCain by endorsing him, thereby losing his credibility. (Remember he campaigned for McCain in 2000).

Then no matter what the pundits and Republican establishment said about Mitt Romney, the social conservative faction of the Party wasn't buying it. Seeing through his re-invented image as a reborn conservative simply because he was an extremely successful businessman and had a "polished presidential" persona, they revolted. So what of the "Washington is broken..." mantra...  now that he endorsed the return of the 27 year Washington veteran? Could this possibly be another flip-flop? Oh but wait, I forgot it is for “the good of the Party” and this is another of his principled stands. Could it be he is vying for the vice-presidency? No not Mitt he is above that, he's not ambitious he's a Reagan conservative.

Seems the subtle and sometimes not so subtle bias against Mike Huckabee's "overly" professed Evangelical Christianity became the obstacle that prevented Party insiders and pundits alike to consider him as the best principled candidate in the race. Regardless of the fact the he is only one who could galvanize the social conservative base that put President Bush in office for two terms and the only one with 10 and a half years experience fighting the Clinton smear machine and corrupt Democratic establishment in Arkansas. The liberal media happily aided the "conservative" media in circumventing the candidacy of the candidate the Democrats feared the most.

Say what you will about Huckabee, no one is perfect, but he is the only candidate principled enough to hold McCain’s feet to the fire even if he doesn’t win. Unfortunately we may now lose the best debater in the bunch unless conservatives get their heads out of the sand and vote for the only candidate that can force a brokered convention.

The Republican establishment doesn't get it and the pundits won't admit it, because they are the real reason for leading good conservatives astray. If we don't act now, we'll end up with not one but two Democrats in the general election, one liberal and one moderate.

God help us!