TOKYO - Mike Huckabee is not running — or maybe he is.

The marathon man, who lost 110 pounds (50 kg) by hitting the road and advocating healthy living after he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2003, has a painful inflammation of the heel known as plantar fasciitis, and he is walking around the Imperial Palace in the Japanese capital gingerly.
    
Whether he will take a walk with presumptive Republican Presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, as vice presidential nominee is another question requiring equally careful footwork.
  
Speaking with Reuters less than five months before the U.S. presidential election and three months ahead of the Republican convention, the former Arkansas governor was interested but self-deprecating when asked if he would be the party’s No. 2.
    
“I don’t truly believe that’s probably going to happen and I’ve moved on to doing other things.”
    
Those projects include the trip to Japan and lectures at Tohoku University in northern Miyagi Prefecture, as well as Fox News, which hired the former Republican presidential hopeful as a political commentator leading up to the national election.
    
But Huckabee quickly noted that did not preclude being on the other side of the camera in November.
     
“I’m very happy and proud to be able to do some commentary and develop a programme with the Fox News Channel,” he said.
    
“But that doesn’t mean if there was an opportunity to run somewhere out in the future, if not this year some other time — I’m not going to take myself completely off the stage.”

Huckabee has called the vice presidential spot an offer no one could refuse, but says he doesn’t expect to be running to the phone anytime soon.
    
“It would be a real surprise if I got that call.”

- Reporting by Dan Sloan    

- Photo credit: Reuters/John Gress (Huckabee pauses during a news conference in Appleton, Wisconsin in February, 2008)

Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.   

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Republican presidential candidate John McCain was not content to just eat the prized barbecue at Little Rock’s Whole Hog Cafe — he wanted to know how it is cooked.

The Arizona senator disappeared into the kitchen of the eatery soon after riding his “Straight Talk Express” bus to the restaurant on Friday with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and their wives, Cindy McCain and Janet Huckabee.

In the back of the place, the cooks were smoking half chickens and slabs of pork ribs in large barbecue smokers, as a succulent smoky smell wafted throughout.

“All right, Cindy, we’re going to have to get one,” McCain said of the smokers.

“Load it on the bus,” Cindy replied.

McCain considers himself quite the barbecue artist, grilling ribs at his Sedona, Ariz., ranch, and was interested in the mix of spices used to rub into the meat before it is cooked.

“Is that a trade secret, your dry rub?” McCain asked the owners. One of the owners cautioned him against using too much salt. “I’m going to have to change my ways,” McCain said.

The McCain and Huckabees decided to take away some ribs, and then came the matter of who would pay. Janet Huckabee insisted the food was already paid for and Gov. Huckabee — mentioned as a possible vice presidential running-mate – told McCain his money was no good in Arkansas.

But McCain put down two $20 bills and a staffer said McCain ultimately paid.

Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.