Authentically disingenuous

Mike Huckabee whomped John McCain in Kansas in Saturday's Republican primary.

From the New York Times: Mr. Huckabee won 60 percent of the vote, Mr. McCain 24 percent and Representative Ron Paul of Texas 11 percent. The A.P. reported that Mr. Huckabee picked up all 36 Kansas delegates.

Is that 60 percent a protest vote? If so, McCain has a long way to go to convince voters of what the party leaders have already declared: that the conservative base will rally around the nominee no matter who he is.

The question for McCain is whether this is a last fit thrown by conservatives unhappy with but resigned to his nomination? Or a signal from the base that he better veer rightward if he wants them to back him come November?