OUCH:

“Who is your favorite author?” Aleya Deatsch, 7, of West Des Moines asked Mr. Huckabee in one of those posing-like-a-shopping-mall-Santa moments.

Mr. Huckabee paused, then said his favorite author was Dr. Seuss.

In an interview afterward with the news media, Aleya said she was somewhat surprised. She thought the candidate would be reading at a higher level.

“My favorite author is C. S. Lewis,” she said.

If you’re gonna pander that shamelessly, you’ve got to be able to read the crowd.

UPDATE: Huckabee hears a who. “I hope he does not read ‘The Butter Battle Book.'”