Former Bush White House counselor Dan Bartlett looks over the presidential field in a surprisingly candid way and the results are… not so good. From the Washington Post:

One of President Bush’s closest advisers has a brutally candid analysis of the Republican nomination battle: Fred Thompson is the campaign’s “biggest dud,” Mitt Romney has “a real problem in the South” because people will not vote for a Mormon, Mike Huckabee’s last name is too hick and John McCain could end up repeating 2000 by winning New Hampshire but losing the nomination.

Bartlett had highest hopes for Giuliani who he did not criticize but was most interested in Mike Huckabee whom he likes BUT doesn’t think he will win.