So, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has found himself in a little hot water this week.

Over the weekend a man shot and killed four police officers in Washington State. It turns out, the suspect in that case, Maurice Clemmons, was a convicted robber in Arkansas and received clemency from then Gov. Huckabee.

According to the Associated Press “as governor, Huckabee in 2000 commuted Clemmons’ 108-year sentence for robbery and several other crimes and made him eligible
for parole. The state parole board released Clemmons later that year.”

Huckabee has received a torrent of criticism for this commutation and others that he granted during his tenure. But Huckabee isn’t taking the barbs sitting down. He’s fighting back. Again, the AP is reporting that Huckabee has called the attacks on his decisions “disgusting.” On a radio show today, Huckabee claimed the focus should instead be on the grieving families in Washington State.

This is typical for a politician in a firestorm. It’s always easiest to divert attention.

But, there are major political ramifications for the one-time Republican presidential candidate. Many believe that Huckabee still harbors presidential ambitions and he’s polling very well in Iowa (or at least he was until this weekend), where social conservatives dominate the nomination process. But, a bombshell like Clemmons’ clemency very well could end any presidential dream Huckabee has. And, I believe it is truly the final nail in his political coffin.

Huckabee already faces other issues including being out of office for six years, which doesn’t give him much of a platform to get his message out. He runs the risk of looking out-dated in 2012.

Also, he demonstrated in 2008 that while he is charismatic, he isn’t very good at the mechanics of campaigning. It almost seemed like Huckabee was lazy when it came to fundraising, staffing, and organization. Personal magnetism helped him win some pretty big primaries and the Iowa caucuses, but it can only carry someone so far.

In the build up to 2012, many political observers have noted that Huckabee is acting the same way. He seems more than happy to wallow in the spotlight, but not very interested in laying the real groundwork necessary for a candidacy that his based less on celebrity and more on substance. Look at Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty and you’ll see serious candidates who are making the right moves and lining up the right donors and staffers to make a real bid for the GOP nomination.

So, add all of that to the Clemmons-gate, and you have a candidate who seems to well on his way out of a race that hasn’t even started.