Two who won't be Prez

LET'S TALK ABOUT two who'll never be president: Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee.

Both show up in a Quinnipiac poll released yesterday.

Both trail Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania by 20 points.

And that's because, if you listen to them lately, both still play to states that run north/south in the middle of the country.

I know polling for a race a year away is mostly a test of name ID.

I don't buy the inevitability of Hillary in 2016 just as I didn't in 2008.

But two things I'm fairly certain of: Candidates with limited regional support can't win the White House; and candidates consistently selling intolerance and self-righteousness shouldn't win the White House.

Neither Santorum nor Huckabee is an announced candidate.

But both are traveling, promoting new books, appearing on talk shows, all signs, in each case, of another run for the Republican nomination.

Democrats should contribute to their campaigns.

Why?

Because the longer these guys hang around, the more the GOP is pushed back to the future, forced to again debate social issues far from priorities of average voters.

Case in point?

Huckabee on Sunday on CNN called homosexuality a lifestyle option like drinking booze or using profanity (neither of which, of course, he does).

Right, let's focus on nature vs. nurture. What could be more important?

Huckabee also said that asking Christians to accept same-sex marriage is like "asking someone who's Jewish to start serving bacon-wrapped shrimp in their deli."

I don't even know what that means.

Religious dietary restrictions are the same as what is now legal marriage in a majority of states, even in Pennsyltucky?

(At least he didn't compare same-sex to incest as did our now-gone, not-yet-entirely-forgotten Gov. You Know Who.)

I should note this is the same Huckabee who publicly attacks celebrities: Natalie Portman for having a child out of wedlock; Jay Z and Beyonce, asking if the former is pimping the latter. That's his idea of political leadership?

When Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, ran in 2008, he won seven primaries, all in central and southern states, and a caucus in By God West Virginia.

So where do you think his message is aimed this time?

Same for Santorum. When he ran in 2012 after losing his Senate seat to Bob Casey Jr. by 18 points in 2006, Santorum had mostly the same base as Huckabee.

Like Huckabee, Santorum won Iowa, Alabama, Tennessee, Kansas and Louisiana. He also won in six other central and southern states.

This was the Santorum who gained notoriety for divisive comments about gays and women and who wanted as president to talk about the "dangers of contraception."

His recent news? He finds it "very difficult" to listen to the pope on social issues.

I imagine that's because the pope speaks of tolerance, inclusion and common sense. Like wanting women to have greater roles in the church. Like urging Catholics to practice "responsible parenting" rather than breeding "like rabbits." Like saying of gay orientation, "Who am I to judge?"

Who indeed? Especially when we have others more than willing to judge.

What drives candidates with no chance of ultimate success?

Both these guys have boatloads of past whoppers that, even if they're better this time, even if they're different this time, surface in a hurry if either gets traction.

There's no evidence, none, that either can appeal to the changing demographics required for winning national elections.

So they fight over the same 15 states, finish second, third or worse. Up their speaker fees, write another book.

The latest Fox News poll puts Huckabee just behind Jeb Bush, tied for second with Rand Paul at 13 percent. Santorum's way down a list of 13 potential candidates at 2 percent.

Those numbers will change. Nobody knows who'll be the next president. I only know two who won't be.

Blog: ph.ly/BaerGrowls

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