a thoughtful republican

They still exist.

Mitch Daniels, the popular Republican governor of Indiana, is being touted by some as a 2012 presidential contender, and though he hasn't indicated he'll run he hasn't quite ruled himself out. He's widely seen has having done a good job of running the Prairie state government - he enjoys approval ratings of around 70% - and is regarded by some GOPers as having the potential to come across as a solid, unimpeachably authentic, safe pair of hands who will contrast well to a president they hope to portray as out of touch and too in love with his own PR. Daniels also has a track record of fiscal conservatism that will enable him to campaign against the deficit and federal profligacy.

I'd like to see him run. You only have to read this discussion on Five Books to realise that Daniels is a guy of considerable intellectual heft, certainly in comparison to the rest of the GOP field - can you imagine Sarah Palin or Mike Huckabee having to recommend five books on conservatism without choosing Ayn Rand and Ronald Reagan's autobiography? He's modest too, and doesn't assume that his political opponents are godless people who hate America. A Daniels vs Obama election might actually be a genuine battle of ideas.

But before we get too carried away, read Daniels's last line. Oddly, the prospect of a brutal primary battle with Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney may not appeal to him.

Comments

[ejoch]

Thank goodness, finally a possible GOP candidate to get enthusiastic about! I have a sudden urge to make a campaign donation. But being of the wrong nationality and all I guess I'll just buy those books and dig out his speeches.

[Tom]

Daniels demonstrates the current state of the Republican Party. The smart ones wring their hands over the hypothetical and abstract tyranny of government institutions, while remaining utterly intimidated by the very real and very aggressive bullies calling the shots in their own political operation.

Pussy.

[juicy couture handbags]

That's great, I never thought about Nostradamus in the OR (Insights from Eugene Litvak at IHI) like that before.

[security]

The idea is to wake the child so that he/ she will have time to go to the bathroom.