Huckabee 2012? Simple Answer: It Might Depend on Whether Courage or Dread Wins Out.

In Governor Mike Huckabee’s new book, Simple Government, released tomorrow, he only gives two hints about whether he will run for President in 2012 or not.  One is in the introduction, the other in the epilogue.  In between, the focus is on Huckabee’s policy views informed by his faith, his knowledge of history, his experience as governor and his face-to-face meetings with the American people.

Though the book doesn’t proclaim “I’m running for president in 2012,”, in the introduction he applauds those who do more than complain about the government and work to fix it, because “most of the harshest critics offer their crusty curses without having the personal courage (emphasis mine) to put themselves on the ballot”.

In the epilogue he laments the emphasis on gotcha moments when people run for president.  He adds this line: “I actually dread (emphasis mine) the process, having been through it before, and contemplating whether to enter it again”

In the conference call he also delivered a mixed message.  He doesn’t want to see the whole process of selecting a GOP candidate to deteriorate into a bloodbath but also suggested again that if there are no social conservatives running who see the social issues as forefront, he will consider getting in to fill the gap.