While awaiting the late-arriving Huckabee, more than 50 reporters and a dozen photographers got to read five huge cards placed on easels by Huckabee’s staff — all highly critical of Romney’s record as governor. “Enough is enough,” the signs said.

When Huckabee arrived, he announced he had just changed his mind. The ad would not run. It was too negative. “I believe the people of Iowa deserve better, and we are going to try and give them better ...,” he said. But he did not. Instead, Huckabee showed off the spot to the journalists, knowing full well his negative message would seep out of the room. He told the media to pay close attention.

One of the funniest, most charming presidential candidates in recent memory, Huckabee normally makes reporters and voters laugh at his one-liners. On Monday, he made himself the butt of his own joke, urging journalists to take careful note of the negative ad he had withdrawn because he wanted to run a positive campaign.

“It’s never too late to do the right thing,” he said.

The ad criticises Romney’s record as governor, fairly so, but goes on to question his character. “If a man is dishonest to obtain a job,” Huckabee says in the ad, “he’ll be dishonest on the job.” Funny that Huckabee decided at noon that that line was too negative, because he used it six hours earlier during a national TV interview.