Gov. Perry's request is one Huckabee can refuse

Fox News:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has asked Mike Huckabee to drop out of the GOP presidential race, but Huckabee — who says he’s banking on “miracles” in his long-shot bid against John McCain — declined.

Perry, a McCain supporter, called Huckabee Friday asking him to pull out for the good of the party, according to a senior Huckabee campaign aide.

Huckabee confirmed he received the call, and said he didn’t take it seriously.

“I told that him while I appreciated it, with all due respect, since he was already on someone else’s team that I had to discount his advice since he had a vested interest in my not winning and McCain winning,” he said. “Since he was endorsing my opponent, the recommendation rang a little hollow to me. Again it was a cordial conversation but not one that I would take seriously.”

Huckabee won the Kansas GOP caucuses Saturday, after telling the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., that morning, “I didn’t major in math …. I majored in miracles, and I still believe in them.”

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It will take more than a miracle for Huckabee to win. I am not even sure it is in McCain's interest for Huckabee to withdraw at this point because having the race contested keeps McCain's name in the news and gets him some "earned" media. He does not have to worry about Huckabee flooding the airways with negative adds since Huckabee has no money for that.

Huckabee's win at the caucus does underline the lack of intensity for McCain. I don't think McCain has won any caucus this year. They have all gone to Huckabee or Romney. Texas is a state that Huckabee might have a shot at winning, and that might have prompted Gov. Perry's call.