Barron reminds me that Mike Huckabee's "Phoenix" metaphor isn't his only recent statement suggesting an affinity for the oeuvre of J. K. Rowling. As he pointed out on Tuesday, Huckabee has also described his FairTax proposal as "like waving a magic wand."
It's obvious that the former governor of Arkansas is trying to signal to the crucial Potterphile voting bloc that he is one of them--but subtly, in order not to annoy his fundamentalist base. In the coming days and weeks, keep an eye out for comments along the lines of "Mitt Romney's immigration plan sounds about as workable as a flying car," "If my opponents attack me, I will hit back like a whomping willow," and, of course, "If you help me win this nomination, I promise you I will go on to beat She Who Must Not Be Named."
--Christopher Orr