Huck blames Fred for loss

From MSNBC:

After Huckabee’s gracious concession speech -- in which he had nothing but kind words for John McCain who he said showed great “civility” -- former SC Gov. David Beasley, a Huckabee surrogate, railed against Thompson.

“Fred hurt us in South Carolina,” Beasley began. “He had one goal and one goal only -- to distort Mike Huckabee’s record so John McCain could pull it out. No ifs, ands or buts about it….

“Thompson came here and just went to the areas where he could gut Huckabee. I have no doubt in my mind, it was Washington politics at its worst.

“One thing about Fred; I love Fred, but Fred’s not stupid….I don’t think he had any intention in South Carolina but to hurt Mike Huckabee…. Had Fred Thompson not been in the race, this would have been an overwhelming, dynamic victory for Mike Huckabee.”

I've got to tell you, it's fine with me if Fred stays in just to keep Huck from winning. Until recently I didn't have a second-choice candidate. Now I've decided my second-choice is "anybody but Mike Huckabee." I'm pretty sure when I vote here in Georgia I'll vote for Fred Thompson (whether he's in the race or not).

I've never really thought about Fred not winning until last night. I was thinking, though, about all the good he could do the conservative movement as a private citizen (think Reagan in the 1970's). And maybe this is how he should start: staying in the race through Super Tuesday. Honestly, the greatest service Fred Thompson could ever do for the conservative movement is to keep Mike Huckabee far, far away from the White House!