Huckabee on the Grassy Knoll?

BOSCAWEN, N.H--Huckabee appears to be feeling the heat of his surge in the polls, if his comments this morning at a manufacturing plant in Boscawen, N.H., are any indication.

During about forty minutes at remarks at an Elektrisola plant where copper wires are manufactured, the former Arkansas governor veered from a discussion of free trade into-- the Kennedy assassination. Huh?

"I'm often accused of all sorts of things, of being a protectionist, of everything imaginable. In fact, lately, I've been accused of just about everything, including the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby and implicit participation in the JFK assassination."

The audience didn't quite seem to know what to do with that.

Later in his speech, he said he'd be taking questions only from members of the public, not the media. (He'd address the media later, he said.)

"Besides I think your questions will be easier than theirs," he said.

--Libby Copeland