1. The national media doesn't know squat. They didn't get
Huckabee's appeal and mocked him incessently for his admittedly
weird presser. In places in which they have no idea and couldn't
care less who Joe Klein is or whether the NY Times thinks Huckabee
made a horrible gaffe they really don't do a very good job of
predicting results or interpreting events. And with due modesty,
the voters don't always pay that much more attention to
conservative media.
2. People vote for people for president not a list of policy
positions or resume points. Obama and Huckabee connect on a very
emotional level. We forget that at our peril. (See #1)
3. A few months ago I was harping on "authenticity." We may not
like their policy positions but the winners tonight are not classic
politicians (who seem to be very much out of favor).
4. It's a long race and no one (other than Chris Dodd and Joe
Biden, unfortunately) is out of it.