Poor Ted Cruz. Does Kim's Heart Belong to Mikie?

Poor Ted Cruz. Does Kim's Heart Belong to Mikie?

It certainly seemed that way in the money shot of Kim Davis and Mike Huckabee at yesterday's release of the jailed Kentucky clerk. Huckabee commanded the podium throughout the event, haranguing the Supreme Court in his introduction than posing with Davis in the take-away picture from this event, which was part revival meeting, part staged campaign event.

Huckabee had already planned to attend a rally in support of the (then) jailed Davis. His campaign helped in setting the event up not knowing that Davis would be released by the judge who imprisoned her last Thursday. The judge did so because the reason why Davis was incarcerated - issuing marriage licenses - was solved on Friday when 5 of her six deputy clerks issued marriage licenses. Since the office was now complying with the law, the judge saw no reason for keeping Davis in jail.

Still, as the New York Times reported, her release is predicated by the need of her compliance.

"But her release came with a stern warning from Judge David L. Bunning of Federal District Court, who on Thursday sent her to jail and directed five of her deputies to issue licenses without her approval. In a two-page order on Tuesday, he wrote that he was setting her free because her office was "fulfilling its obligation to issue marriage licenses to all legally eligible couples," but would that he respond to any further defiance.

"'Defendant Davis shall not interfere in any way, directly or indirectly, with the efforts of her deputy clerks to issue marriage licenses to all legally eligible couples,'" he wrote. 'If Defendant Davis should interfere in any way with their issuance, that will be considered a violation of this order and appropriate sanctions will be considered.'"

Whether or not Davis will return to her job this week and allow her clerks to issue marriage licenses remains to be seen. She was silent when asked by reporters what her plans would be, but her lawyer Mathew D. Staver said "She's not going to violate her conscience."

Davis beamed, cried and, in a moment Liza Minnelli could only envy, delivered a fiery come-to-Jesus moment that suggested that the cynics may be right in thinking Davis is in it for the money and fame. Some on the right are comparing her to Rosa Parks, but in her performance she brought to mind Anita Bryant.

Missing out on making political hay on this media circus s Ted Cruz, who announced over the weekend that he was coming Tuesday's rally with plans of visiting Davis in jail. The New York Times reported: "Of the two presidential contenders who attended the rally, it was Mr. Huckabee, making his second White House run, who grabbed the political spotlight. Before Ms. Davis appeared, Mr. Huckabee and Mr. Staver took the stage to tell the crowd, in unison, 'Kim Davis is free.'"

"When Mr. Cruz, who met with Ms. Davis, exited the Carter County Detention Center, a throng of journalists beckoned him toward their microphones, but an aide to Mr. Huckabee blocked the path of the senator, who appeared incredulous."

Instead it was Huckabee that joined Davis on the stage, even suggesting he take her place in jail if she is sent there for disobeying the judge's edict. ""If you have to put someone in jail, let me go," Mr. Huckabee said. "Every one of us will have to decide whether we want to keep this great country or whether we want to surrender and sacrifice it to tyranny."