The concession and victory speeches: Huckabee

With Chuck Norris in the background, the Huckster thanked the people in Iowa who treated him "with respect." A (very) subtle dig at Romney.

Three "lessons":

1. "People are more important than the purse." Tried to crescendo at the end, and the applause line kind of fizzled.

2. Convictions are to be subordinated to bringing the country together. No really effective sound bite here.

3. "This election is not about me, but it's about we." Starts "a prairie fire of hope and zeal." Leaders are not elected "to be a part of the ruling class, but a part of the serving class. We the people are the ruling class."

After this he quoted Chesterton. Was veering a little too much into preacher-land at this and the previous point.

You could see the fatigue on Huckabee's face. He stuttered somewhat and was looking for the word throughout.

Used a marathon metaphor badly at the end: "If this was a marathon, we'd have run half of it."

Not as effective a speech as Hillary's, who was in a much tougher spot.