Are Huckabee and Giuliani Polarizing the Conservatives?

In case you missed it, the big news today on the Republican campaign trail is the endorsement of Mitt Romney by National Review magazine. Brushing aside the endless criticisms of his "sincerity", NR's editors proclaim Romney"a natural ally of conservatives" and praise his executive experience and political effectiveness as the CEO of liberal-minded Massachusetts.

Of course, it's still very early in the campaign season so many of these platitudes remain to be proven in the tough primary fights ahead. I suspect that's a major reason why National Review has come out so early with their Presidential favorite. Governor Huckabee's unexpected surge this past week is obviously casting a long shadow across the political landscape.

Be that as it may, NR's endorsement obviously comes as good news for the beleaguered Romney campaign, which sees their candidate's popularity dropping almost daily. What's more, it's given the Romney website a flashy new banner showing Romney on the cover of National Review Magazine.

Not to rain on Mitt's parade, but I want to call your attention to a startling claim (at least to me) made by NR's editors in the same editorial piece. While explaining why Governor Huckagee and Mayor Giuliani both fail to meet their mark, the NR editors dismiss them both as polarizing (my term) influences in the conservative camp. In the editors' words,

(Giuliani) and Mike Huckabee would pull apart the coalition from opposite ends: Giuliani alienating the social conservatives, and Huckabee the economic (and foreign-policy) conservatives. A Republican party that abandoned either limited government or moral standards would be much diminished in the service it could give the country.

Now many of you may agree with this assessment, but I dare say it's going to open a whole new can of worms once the Giuliani and Huckabee campaigns digest this latest slight. I think I understand what NR's editors are saying here, as National Review sees itself as the voice of American Conservatism and has a long history of shepherding the conservative movement through the rocky shoals of Presidential campaigns.

But I have to ask you, coming at this early point in the campaign, is it really fair of National Review to use its considerable weight to sandbag the two leading Republican contenders before a single voter in this country has had a chance to even register their opinion?

Please click "Comments" below and let me know what you think about this issue!