NEED SOME LAUGHABLY IMPLAUSIBLE SPIN RETRANSMITTED? TALK TO ME, BOB NOVAK, AT HACKS-R-US!

Yeah, right, Bob, we really believe this:

Strategists for Mitt Romney's Republican presidential campaign were actually pleased that fast-rising Mike Huckabee moved ahead of Romney in the Rasmussen poll in Iowa, eliminating surprise if Huckabee finishes first there in the Jan. 3 caucuses.

A Huckabee victory in Iowa would kill Romney's plans to win the first two 2008 tests in Iowa and New Hampshire, followed by sweeping the board in all other primary states. Instead, the contest for the nomination could extend through the Feb. 5 primaries, with Rudy Giuliani given a chance in the high-population state primaries that day.

The consolation for Romney strategists is that a Huckabee win in Iowa would no longer be a shock that could stampede the process.

Next up: Elaine May explains to Novak that making Ishtar was really the best thing that could have happened to her film career.