Huckabee Insists Win Still Possible as McCain Spins Forward

WASHINGTON — President Bush said it's time for GOP unity. Arizona Sen. John McCain speculated a bit about a running mate. But the one man standing between McCain and the GOP nomination said Friday he's still in it to win it.

"We still believe there's a chance to win this thing," former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told reporters in Kansas, site of one of three GOP contests on Saturday.

How?

"Let's say we get to the convention and (former candidate Mitt) Romney releases his delegates. They can come towards me. There's also a lot of factors that can happen. Any given day, a candidate can say one word that gets YouTubed and his campaign's done," Huckabee said.

Rule out the first, says a top Romney aide. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the aide said Romney "suspended" his campaign on Thursday, rather than withdrawing, so that delegates he has earned will remain bound to him under the rules in most states.

The plan, the aide said, is to release the delegates to McCain at the convention after the Arizona senator has more than enough to win the nomination. "We all expect Senator McCain to be the nominee," the aide said.

Even those backing Huckabee know he's a long shot. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, who previously said he wouldn't vote if McCain is nominated, said in a Friday endorsement that Huckabee "faces an uphill struggle, given the delegates already committed to Senator McCain."

But Dobson said Huckabee earned his endorsement because his "unwavering positions on the social issues, notably the institution of marriage, the importance of faith and the sanctity of human life, resonate deeply with me and with many others."

The YouTube part of Huckabee's strategy also seems to be a long shot. McCain, campaigning Friday in Virginia, seems intent on avoiding uttering anything impolitic or impolite about Huckabee.

"He's in this race, and for me to dismiss him would be inappropriate and unrealistic," McCain said in Norfolk.

McCain, however, did spin forward a bit by offering some speculative talk about a running mate, noting that the once-common attempt at regional balance is outdated. He pointed to the Clinton-Gore ticket that was Arkansas-Tennessee.

"I think America is such that, quote, regional differences don't play the role that maybe they did in earlier times," McCain said. "The fundamental principle behind any selection of a running mate would be whether that person is fully prepared to take over and shares your values, your principles, your philosophy and your priorities."

Saturday's GOP contests are in Kansas, Louisiana and Washington. The Democrats have Saturday contests in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington.

The focus then moves to Tuesday contests in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

In Washington, President Bush rallied attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday.

"We've had good debates and soon we'll have a nominee who will carry a conservative banner into this election and beyond," Bush said. "Listen, the stakes in November are high."

Despite predicting there would be a nominee "soon" — which is possible only with a McCain win — White House spokesman Scott Stanzel cautioned against interpreting Bush's comments as a McCain endorsement.

"We are studiously neutral in this race, and that is where we remain today," Stanzel said.

Romney announced his decision Thursday at CPAC, hours before McCain, to a mixed response, sought the support of conservatives, including many who've never liked him.

"I know that we have a lot of work to do to unite the party," McCain said Friday.

The lukewarm reception for McCain among some conservatives was typified by an endorsement statement from Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., who publicly has questioned whether McCain has the temperament for the job. Cochran initially backed former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson and switched to Romney when Thompson bowed out.

Cochran's statement extolled Romney's virtues ("I thought he was what we needed in a chief executive, one who could help improve our economy and create new jobs") and expressed support for McCain by saying only, "I'll turn to John McCain now and support his candidacy."