I don’t like when people refer to someone’s presidential candidacy as a “vanity run.” It is no such thing. It is an “Elder Statesman Run.” Tommy Thompson, Jim Gilmore, and Duncan Hunter for the Republicans… Chris Dodd and Joe Biden for the Democrats. It’s an Elder Statesman run.
And everyone gets an elder statesman run. You put in long enough as an elected official, and your turn comes and you take it, and I say more power to you. Tommy gets to talk about medical diplomacy. Hunter gets to talk about China. Biden gets to talk about the 3-state solution in Iraq. They get to do the debates at least through Ames.
They’ll drop out eventually. Couldn’t raise the money, hire the staff, compete in Iowa AND N.H. AND S.C. AND super-duper Tuesday states. It’s a winnowing and it’s natural.
Then they’ll earn a little more in speaking fees, write a book, be referred to as a “candidate for president in 2008,” ala Gary Bauer, Gary Hart, and Phil Gramm. More power to them. After that many years in politics, they’ve earned an Elder Statesman Run.
Last 5 posts by Daniel- Tom Barrett's Savings Plan - June 8th, 2010
- C.J. Abrahamson on J. Stevens - April 11th, 2010
- Why always Bill Bablitch? - March 24th, 2010
- Suhr on Nixon on Health Care - February 23rd, 2010
- Did the USCCB Foresee Dead People? - February 8th, 2010
