Mike Huckabee has an outside chance of winning the Republican nomination. It all starts today with the Iowa Caucus. Perhaps his biggest negative is a common assumption that he can’t win it all. He’s too conservative and too Baptist.

In a brilliant move, Huckabee landed an appearance on the Tonight show with Jay Leno last night — the night before the Iowa caucus. What thousands of Iowans saw last night is a charming personable guy. His humor and wit disarms you, and he lives up to his billing as a conservative who isn’t mad at everyone.

Huckabee was wonderfully received by both Leno and his crowd. And it is this ability to portray himself positively and amiably in venues typically unfriendly to Republicans which sets Huckabee apart. In early 2007, he made an appearance on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart where he impressed Stewart and his crowd as well.

Jay Leno and Jon Stewart treat Huckabee with respect and give him the time of day. Their audiences give him their ear. One can’t imagine the typical Republican being so well received on these shows. So it stands to reason, that Huckabee really can win it all. He really has crossover appeal.

If the video clips below don’t convince you, check out my list of reasons why Huckabee can win the general election. And better yet read a joint endorsement from Joe Carter (Evangelical Outpost), Justin Taylor (Between Two Worlds) and Matthew Anderson (Mere Orthodoxy) which really lays out the case for Huckabee.

See the Daily Show with Jon Stewart interview here.