Mike Huckabee kidnapped in Iowa!

That is the only explanation I have for this.

In a stark change of tone just days before the Iowa caucus, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas on Saturday unleashed a barrage of attacks on the credibility of his chief rival here, former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

“If a person is dishonest in his approach to get the job, do you believe he will be honest in telling you the truth when he does gets the job?,”

What happened to nice guy Mike who was surging and overtaking the field with his positive message? Oh, yea the Huckaboom seems to have popped and as the caucus' get closer folks are starting to look at the nice guy Mike and his record as Governor. Woops. That can't be good.

I know you Hucksters will comment about how he is responding to mud slung by Romney and that is my point. Being a nice guy is great if your looking for a house sitter, not so much when picking the person who will have to defend this nation from threats we can't even concieve of right now. If the good Governor can't stand a little sunlight on his dismal fiscal record, how is he every going to stand up to the Democratic attack machine and the electron microscope they will use to tear Mr. Huckabee to shreds with if he were to gain the GOP nomination?

Do you remember Vodoo economics? I do. It's best to get the weak, but charming candidates out of the way in the primary. If your record and your stand on issues can't take the relatively light scrutiny of this primary, believe me, this has been a gentleman's game of billiards compared to some primary fights, when the general election rolls around you will think you have been sucked through a jet engine.

Politics is a messy and nasty business. If you have weak points, like all candidates do, you had better know that your candidate can defend them. When its your side slinging the mud, you call it a refreshing look into your opponents flip-flops. When your guy gets smacked with a mud pie in the face, its dirty politics.

In reality its neither, its the way the game is played, and with the caucus' coming up in less than a week I have two words for you.

Game On.