Huckabee's New Year's Eve Party

WEST DES MOINES --- Mike Huckabee's New Year's Eve Party is at a posh pad in western Des Moines called the Wakonda Club.

A snazzy band with a lead saxophone warmed up the crowd for about a half hour before Huckabee appeared.

The crowd is dressed to the T. Lots of young people. Huck doesn't drink . . . but the drinks seem to be flowing well. Top aides and national reporters are at the bar. They aren't even in the same room as the speech. They've probably heard it 14 times today. Carl Cameron from FOX is gabbing with Huckabee's top political strategists. Pollster Frank Luntz is also in this crowd.

Just after 7 p.m., Huck's wife introduces the man.

"We're going to do something in November a lot of people said a year ago could not be done," Huckabee told the crowd to cheers.

Huck is taking veiled shots at rivaled Mitt Romney. He says he'll be able to go to sleep tonight knowing he ran a respectable, if yet an unconventional campaign.

"I want to be part of something that changes things, that changes the Republican party," he said. "It's truly been an amazing year."