Huck For Chip

Yes, that IS ex-Gov. Mike Huckabee making telephone calls to Republicans on behalf of his former campaign manager, Chip Saltsman, as Saltsman prepares to run for chairman of the Republican National Committee. 

Sarah Huckabee, Huckabee's chief spokesperson and his daughter, e-mails: "My dad is definitely supporting Chip for RNC chairman. My dad has had the privilege of working with Chip and knows what he is capable of and shares his vision on how to move the party forward and will be working hard to help him get elected." She says her father hasn't started making calls, yet.

As RNC chair, Saltsman could do quite a bit to further Huckabee's national ambitions even in the pose of a neutral arbiter between candidates.

Speaking of the RNC race, a Republican with ties to many members of the national committee e-mails in regards to my contention that Newt Gingrich, should he decide to run, would be the odds-on favorite for the position: "he doesn't the job unless he has carte blanche to  do what we wants. And we are never gong to get a committee that does that."