A leader must have vision, must be trusted and must be accountable. Other than that, they can be short, tall, bald, black, female or gay.

What they cannot be are whiners.

I have policy differences with Mike Huckabee and I think other candidates (Romney) are better qualified, but until very recently I wouldn't have said that Mike Huckabee was unqualified to be president.

Now I am saying it.

"Everything but the kitchen sink is being thrown at me," the Republican leader in Iowa polls complained at nearly every stop. "If the only thing some of these candidates have to run on is what's wrong with somebody else, they must not have much of a platform to talk about."

The former Arkansas governor recently soared from behind the pack of GOP presidential candidates to overtake Mitt Romney in Iowa and now finds himself in an intense battle with the former Massachusetts governor. Fred Thompson, the one-time Tennessee senator trying to turn his soured fortunes around in Iowa, also has assailed Huckabee.

At one stop Thursday, Huckabee told an audience that the flood of "dishonest and desperate" criticisms were akin to candidates taking a hammer to his kneecaps. "It's amazing I'm still walking," Huckabee quipped to laughter.

Poor Mike, trolling for sympathy, complaining about all those big meanies questioning his record. Next thing we know, he'll be talking to us with a sweater on, complaining about malaise in America.

UPDATE: The whining from the Huckabee camp turns into drunken company Christmas party foolishness.

"Honestly, because Rush doesn’t think for himself. That’s not necessarily a slap because he’s not paid to be a thinker—he’s an entertainer. I can’t remember the last time that he has veered from the talking points from the DC/Manhattan chattering class. If they were praising Huckabee, he would be too."

"Also, I have to think that he’s dying to have Hillary in the White House. Bill Clinton made Rush a megastar. Having another Clinton back in power would make him the Leading Voice of the Opposition once again."

Diss Bush, diss Limbaugh. Load gun, put to temple, pull trigger.

Only a fool would misunderestimate either one of them.